Story County

 
Maj. Agnes Lelah Spatz

 

 

S.U.I. Women and the WAC

Former students and Alumnae Now Serve Overseas and in Army Bases Throughout This Country

DES MOINES -- Take a cross section of American women - and you have the WAC. Take a cross section of the higher-education WAC groups, and you have S.U.I. WACs.

They range from captain to private. You find them working for Uncle Sam wearing his uniform in every part of the country. There's one in England; there's another in Africa; there's a third simply "overseas". You'll find them at the air bases driving trucks, tanks, and jeeps at army camps, working in army hospitals, sending out messages by radio, teaching army subjects to army people.

Here is a partial list of them -- Iowa home girls only -- where they are and what they are doing since they switched from S.U.I to G.I.

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SECOND LIEUT. AGNES LELAH SPATZ of Waukee, a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma, is an instructor in the basic academic section at Ft. Des Moines, thus rendering her country the teaching service for which she was trained. Prior to her enlistment she was principal of Waukee consolidated high school and headed the department of social studies at Ames high school. Lieutenant Spatz was one of the original group of WAC officers who opened the WAC camp at Monticello, Ark. For a time she was classification officer there.

Source: Iowa City Press Citizen, November 30, 1943


Chaplain School to Open Feb. 5

Carlisle, Dec 26 -- The first class at the Army Chaplain School at Carlisle Barracks will not be held until Feb 5, it was learned today

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The barracks also has its first WAC detachment under permanent orders here.

The WACS came in with the Adjutant General School, 14 strong, headed by Lt. Agnes L. Spatz. While not the first WACS to serve here, they are the first group to be stationed at the post.

Source: The Evening News, Harrisburg PA - December 26, 1946

Agnes Lelah Spatz Broderick was born Apr. 30, 1902 to John and Jane E. Gilleran Spatz. She died June 4, 1991 and is buried in Booneville Cemetery, Booneville, IA.

Maj. Spatz served in World War II with the U.S. Army WACs.

Source: ancestry.com