World War II Recruiting Articles Transcribed From Iowa Newspapers

Union Tribune, Russell, Iowa, Feb 18, 1943
4-H Club Party Was Grand Success
Climaxing a week of organization and mobilization the Lucas Co. 4-H Clubs staged a grand Get-to-gether Saturday evening at the American Legion Home in Chariton when they entertained the parents, leaders, and friends to a bountiful supper and a fine program. Featured speaker on the program was Third Officer Elizabeth Adams of the WAACs an Ambulance Driver for the Red Cross in France during the German invasion who gave an account of her experiences and also of the WAACs of which she is no a member. She paid high tribute to the Lucas Co. 4-H Clubs for their definite action toward the war effort and their up and coming spirit as demonstrated earlier in the program. The officers and leaders of each club were introduced, the Girls winning demonstration team, Patricia Wilson and Louise Nobel of the Washington Victory Workers ,were introduced and awards were presented by County Agent Phaene Hibbs to the Boys Club winners. Following the program election of county officers was held and a social hour of games finished a delightful occasion. American Youth is playing a major roll in the Home Front War effort and are to be commended.
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2667/rec/52

Leader, Chariton, Iowa Dec. 22, 1942
WAAC SPEAKS TO HIGH SCHOOL
Father, Major In Air Corps; Two Brothers Second Lieutenants
“My father, a major in the Air Corps, is in England and my two brothers, one in England and one in the Aleutian Islands, are both second lieutenants so I joined the army, too,” second Lt. Jones, a member of the W.A.A.C., explained as she spoke to the students of C.H.S. In assembly Wednesday. She continued by explaining the four divisions a new member may enter. These are” Administrative, which includes office administration; motor-transport, in which they learn to drive trucks, ambulances, jeeps and other war material; communication, which includes radio, telephone and telegraph work; and bakers and cooks, in which they learn to plan menus and where, as Lt. Jones put it, “They learn what to do when the quarter master sends over a whole cow.” The requirements to join the W.A.A.C are that the prospective members must be of an age between 21 to 45 years, they must pass both physical and mental examinations. They receive their basic training in either Fort Des Moines or Daytona Beach, Fla., and receive the same pay as the army. The average day for an officer candidate consists of five steps; reveille at 5:45, roll call, cleaning a 6 foot barrack, drilling one hour and attending school. For six weeks their school day lasts from 8:00 'till 4:00 and each of them take 25 subjects. Only by request are the W.A.A.C.'s sent across to foreign countries. Lt. Jones was introduced by Mrs. Arch Jones. Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2184/rec/48

Herald Patriot, Chariton, Iowa, Aug 17, 1944
Legion Requests Names Of All Women in Service
An effort is being made by the Carl L. Caviness post, American Legion, to collect all the names of women in the service from Lucas county. At present there is no place where these names are assembld (sic) and the Legion is asking relatives of women in any branch of the service to slip the following coupon, fill it in and send or bring it to the office of The Chariton Newspapers. Just put down the name and indicate whether she is a member of the WAC, WAVE, SPARS, Marines or Nurse corps. The purpose of this is to place on the service board on the court house square, the name of every person in service from the county. A new addition is to be added to the present board. IF YOU HAVE A WOMAN RELATIVE IN THE SERVICE FILL IN THE COUPON NOW. Name........................................................................................................................................................... Branch of Service She Is In …...................................................................................................................
Transcribed from the Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/4824/rec/11

Herald-Patriot, Chariton, Iowa Jan. 28, 1943
WAAC OFFICER TO SPEAK MONDAY AT CLUB LUNCHEON
Girls Interested in Becoming WAACs Invited to Attend Program
Third Officer Kathryn McWilliams, a member of the WAAC Public Relations staff at Fort Des Moines, will be the guest speaker at the 1 o'clock luncheon of the Woman's Club here next Monday at the Legion Home. Third Officer McWilliams majored in foods and nutrition at the University of Minnesota. She was the managing-director of an advertising luncheon service where she was hostess to clubs and organizations of St. Paul, Minn. During her last six months as a civilian, she also managed a restaurant. She was especially active in 4-H Club work during her attendance of the South St. Paul high school and it was great interest in food demonstration developed in these years which led to her choice of a career. All mothers of service men and girls interested in becoming WAACs are invited to be present at the program beginning at 2 p. m.
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image includes a photograph of Kathryn McWilliams and may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2434/rec/50

Leader, Chariton, Iowa, Dec. 1, 1942
TWO WAACS TALK HERE ------
Tell of Goals of Army Group
----APPEAR AT ROTARY CLUB
Two WAACS visited Chariton officially for the first time when they appeared on the program of the Chariton Rotary club last Friday. Third Officer Jane Mauerham of New Jersey and Mary Elizabeth Manning of San Francisco, Calif., were here. Third Officer Manning made the talk and explained something of the work of the WAACS. “The goal is 150,000 WAACS and there are 8,500 in training in Des Moines now. Approximately 1,000 are being inducted each month and they leave at the same rate. All are given four weeks of basic training under strict military discipline,” she declared. “The sergeant seems to take pride in finding fault with the women so have no doubt that they toe the mark. There is no difference in the drilling and that done by men but the calisthenics are not as strenuous and are given more to teach coordination than anything else,” she continued. “Each WAAC is placed in service in the line of work she did in private life. Stenographers and office workers are usually assigned to administrative work. Each woman goes to the task for which she is best fitted. “If Fort Des Moines we have 16 mess halls, all manned by WAACS. There are two chapels and every religious denomination is represented at services. Today many of the mess halls in camps have been taken over by WAACS. “The army today has orders for 84,000 WAACS. Everyone assigned to a post relieves a soldier for active duty.” The program here was secured by Russell Johnson. Ron Levis presiding at the club meeting said in closing, “If these women are indicative of the WAAC organization the Chariton Rotary Club places it's okeh (sic).
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2751/rec/53

Leader, Chariton, Iowa, Aug. 22, 1944
To Recruit Spars At Ritz Tonight
Ensign Mary Leffler, of the Spars-Coast Guard, will be in Chariton tonight at the Ritz theater, where she will be glad to interview any young ladies interest in joining the Spars. In connection with her visit here there will be shown a new short subject on the screen entitled, “Battle Station,” starring Ginger Rogers and James Cagney. Ensign Leffler will be accompanied here by Yeoman Marcil, of the Spars.
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/4884/rec/58

Herald-Patriot, Chariton, Iowa Dec 10, 1942
WAAC Recruiter Will Visit City Next Wednesday
Will Work With Woman's Club in Setting Up Local Station
Lt. Janet Jones on the WAAC recruiting office in Des Moines will be in Chariton to assist in the establishment of a “WACRUITING” station her, Dec. 16. She will be accompanied by Mrs. David Lennox, Jr, of Marshalltown, president of the Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs. The stations are being set-up through the cooperation of this group. They will meet here with county federation officers. “We feel” Mrs. Lennox states “That our organization through its 900 clubs with a membership of over 33,200 women, can make a definite contribution to the war effort by making this our priority program.” She said, “We have been engaged in bond drives, salvage drives, Red cross drives, and any number of the similar war activities, but his opportunity to assist in the procurement of a large number of women needed for the WAACs in view of the expansion recently authorized by President Roosevelt, is just the project for which we have been on the lookout. “We can't all knit, or sew, and many of us cannot participate in the other activities we sponsor, but every member of our organization is acquainted with someone who can and should join the WAACs, and each of us will contribute our time and effort to assure the success of this recruiting program.” The tentative plan of the Federation is to establish quotas for each county, and upon the successful accomplishment of the county quota proper, all of the clubs, which constitute the county organization will be given the “WACRUITER” award as a token of the Army's appreciation of its efforts, with all members of the award-winning club automatically becoming “WACRUITERS.”
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here:http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2052/rec/46

Herald Patriot, Chariton, Iowa November 4, 1943
Open WAC Recruiting Drive
B.P.W., Auxiliary, County Schools Represented on Committee
The executive committee in charge of the WAC recruiting campaign in Lucas county has been enlarged to include representatives of the Business and Professional Women's Club, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Lucas county schools. The new committee members are: Miss Ardys Frazier, president of the Business and Professional Women's organization; Mrs. Floyd Patterson, president of the Chariton American legion Auxiliary unit; and Miss Cecil Stephens, Lucas county superintendent of schools. Other members of the committee, which is headed by Will D. Allender, are Mrs. O. W. Morris of Derby and Mrs. D. Earl Combs, Mrs. H. E. Kelly, Dr. E. M. Stanton, R. T. Levis and Donald Norberg, all of Chariton. The first meeting of the committee was held Tuesday night and a second session for discussion of methods to be used in enlisting recruits for the Women's Army Corps is scheduled for next week.
Transcribed from the Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/3955/rec/2

Leader, Chariton, Iowa, Mar. 28, 1944
Get Invitation To Ride Planes
Women Interested in WAC and Boys.
The Des Moines squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will give orientation airplane rides at the Des Moines Municipal airport all day Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, starting at 8:30 a.m. Both days. LUCAS COUNTY WOMEN INTERESTED IN THE OPPORTUNITY OF BECOMING AIR-WACS AND BOYS OF 16 AND 17 INTERESTED IN FUTURE ELISTMENT IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES RESERVE ARE INVITED. Rides are limited to those groups, and the invitation covers a 10-county area surrounding Polk. Army regulations require that the young men have signed permission from their parents for the ride. Regular forms for this may be obtained from high school principals, from army recruiting headquarters in the Old Federal Building at Des Moines, or from local representatives of the Civil Air Patrol. Women may arrange for their flight at the airport by stopping at the WAC information booth either day. Eight new radio equipped army training planes will be used for the flights, with CAP licensed pilots flying them. Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/4386/rec/101

IOWA PRESS CLIPPING BUREAU, Des Moines, Iowa
Leader, Chariton, Iowa, Mar. 9, 1943
RECRUITERS FOR WAVES-SPARS TO BE IN CHARITON
Open Meeting Will Be Held at Methodist Church Wednesday
A WAVE-SPAR recruiting party will visit Chariton Wednesday, March 10, the navy recruiting office announced today. Wave Yeoman, Miss Ethelbelle Vassey will five a general outline of the WAVE-SPAR enlistment program at an open meeting for all church congregations and townspeople here at the Methodist church. A special drive for enlistment of women between the ages of 20 and 35 inclusive in the WAVES-SPARS is under way in Iowa. Lieut. Comdr. Truman Jones, office in charge of Navy recruiting, stated, “The need for women for duty with the Navy and Coast Guard is urgent.”
Transcribed from Iowa Digital Library, original image may be found here: http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/wwii/id/2884/rec/54

Home

Last updated on May 22, 2017.