Iowa
Old Press
Daily Freeman Journal
Webster City, Hamilton co. Iowa
December 13, 1943
Most Iowa WACs Coming From Military Families
DES MOINES — More than 50 per cent of Iowa women
serving in the women’s army corps come from families which
have at least one other member in the service. Many have a
husband and at least three brothers fighting. There are several
sisters in the corps. At least two are known to have WAC
daughters—Pvt. Bessie E. Heer, of Cedar Falls, who daughter
Evelyn is a Corporal and Pvt. Gladys R. Kerns of Ames, whose
daughter Bettejane is also a private.
Pvt. Heer’s family is giving 100 per cent war service. Her
husband Pfc. Earl O. Heer is overseas, her son, Pvt. Robert B.
Heer is a prisoner of the Japs and James is in the navy.
Fourth in Air Corps
Twenty-five per cent of Iowa women are on duty with the
air corps, thirteen per cent are daughters of Spanish War
veterans. There are a few whose fathers served the armies of
foreign nations in previous wars.
This information was revealed by officials of Fort Des Moines
following a survey which embraced about 70 per cent of the total
Iowa WAC enlistment.
Among WACs from this section of the state:
Private Verna Silvers, daughter of Mrs. Nellie M.
Silvers of Webster City, is a sister of the late Roland J.
Silvers who died in Great Britain last year while serving with
the U. S. army. Previous to her enlistment she as a clerk at the
McNerney Drug store, Des Moines. She is now on duty at Fort Des
Moines.
Private First Class Ruth M. Melvin of Woolstock, formerly at the
general hospital, Clarion, is now on duty at the station
hospital, Fort Des Moines [unreadable]...
Private Verna R. Wanken, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wanken,
is serving overseas with a WAC communications company. She has
one brother in service, Pfc. Leo G. Wanken.
Private First Class Hannah M. Patterson, daughter or Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Patterson of Stratford, is on duty at Portland, Maine with
a WAC detachment. She was a school teacher before enlisting last
June.
Private First Class Glada M. Wilson, daughter of H.L. Wilson of
Stratford, is a cook at Fort Myer, Va.. Prior to her enlistment
last January she taught home economics and science at Jewell high
school. A graduate of Iowa State college, she is the only member
of the family in service.
First L. Dorothea Keller Clinton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. E.
Keller of Eagle Grove, is on recruiting duty at Boston, Mass. At
present she is working on the air force drive to recruit women
for service with the air corps. A graduate of St. Teresa’s
College in Winona, Minn., she was employed at Winona and St.
Paul, Minn., before her enlistment in July, 1942. Lieutenant
Clinton was a member of the fourth officer candidate class,
composed of women chosen direct from civilian life for officer’s
training. She was married last June at Maxwell Field, Ala., to
First Lt. John E.. Clinton, of the army air corps. Her two
brothers are also in the air corps. John is in the army at
Ballinger, Texas and Arthur recently transferred from the navy
air corps to the marine air corps at Pensacola, Fla.
[transcribed by P.H.J., March 2018]