The Wilmington morning star., 1943-12-12
MARSHALL, OTHERS
|LAUD WACS' WORK
Women Prove Value In Air
Corps, Other Branch
es OF Service

make a man change his mind,
even an old Army man.
And Army men by the thousands,
from the commanding officers on
Gown, have had their minds chang
ed by the women who have step
ped in beside them and proved
themselves first-class soldiers.
Back in 1912 many an old cam
paigner wondered whether to be
amused, ange.ed or astounded at
formation Ct the Women's Army
Auxiliary curs. Soldering, they
said, was mans job-just as
their fathers and grandfathers had
said bout clsrkine in stores, work.
ing in offices nursing in the Army
and playing golf.
Uncle Sans female soldiers have
proved themselves by superior per-
Torrance and model conduct. Their
Y ork has been SO outstanding that
commanding officers of Army
posts and Air fields have request
ed several times as many addi-
t1onal Wacs as are now in the
entire Women's Army Corps.
One officer, disguised when he
was assigned to train first con-
ijrgents of female soldiers, recent
iy summed up the changed atti-
tude with the frank admission Il
was all wrong-they' re wonderful.
OF course, the early skepticism
was not universal in the Army.
The High command realized the
necessity of the feminine contin-
gent. and knew American women
could do the JOB as we'll as the
other women throughout the world
This faith has been amply justi-
fed.
In his biennial report to the Sec
1etary of War. General George C.
Marshall, Chief OF Staff of the Uni
led States Army. said of the Corps:
''Enlistees represent the highest
type of American womanhood and
as a whole the women have main
tanned the highest standards in ev
sery respect. They have fulfilled
their duties in an efficient and
tusinesslike manner"
The Wacs have ben particularly
valuable in the Army Air Forces
as there are a number OF key po-
sitions in that branch for which
the women have notable aptitude.
These jobs include essential as
signments of air traffic control
illstructing in s1ink trainers" min
iature indoor airplanes in which
pilots study instrument flying, and
IN weather observation, parachute
rigging and various phases of ra-
go work.
Recently the AAF began it's own
campaign to recruit "Air Wacs,"
who may enlist in the WAC with
the specific understanding h
frey will be assigned to AAF in
stalations Immediately after they
finish a few weeks of basic train
Ing.
Army Air Forces officers have
been especially lavish IN til I
praise of the Wacs who fill vital
r.nctions at training fields through
cot the country.
General Henry H. Arnold, Com
handing General of the AAF, has
expressed himself as highly graf
fled with the record of the Air
Wacs," adding:
Not only have members of the
Women's Army Corps made an
eilviable record through their work
at Air Force installations in this
country, but splendid reports have
come to me on the work of the
Corps with the Eighth Air Force
in the European Theater of Oper-
atoms :"
Lieutenant General Barton K.
Yount, Commanding General of
the AAF Training command, said:
The Wacs in the Training COM
raand have done many important
jobs and they have done them all
well. In their conduct as soldiers
ard as individuals they have set
standard which any group could
DC well to emulate. Our Air Wacs'
are vital to the proper functioning
OF the Training command. And we
reed many thousands more"
Major General Harold L. George
Commanding General of the Air
II ansport command, has express
ed hope for thousands of more ''Air
Wacs" for "a multitude of duties
and services
'Wacs serving in the Air Trans
port Command" he said, make
unique and direct contribution
toward it's efficient functioning.'
Commanding officers of individ-
ual fields and stations speak in
the same vein. Col. Walter c.
White, Commanding officer of IA
nous Randolph Field, compliment
ed his. "Air Wacs'' on doing a
soldiers job" and said his sta
ton could use three or four more
companies.