The last enrollment of Iowa's four candidates for women's army auxiliary corps officer's training was completed Friday morning when Miss Dorothy Tomhave, 26, of Estherville, was sworn into service.
Miss Tomhave, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. G.E. Tomhave of Estherville, has been teaching history and remedial reading at Shleby, Ohio.
She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She received her B.S. degree with high distinction, was a member of national honorary, educational and historical fraternities.
Her brother, Wesley, has enlisted in the United States naval reserve and her sister, Beverly, who lives at 1124 Douglas ave., is employed at the Des Moines ordnance plant.
Miss Tomhave took the oath with Miss Mary Bell, 48, dean of women at Coe college, Cedar Rapids, after they completed physical examinations at Fort Des Moines army post.
The other two Iowans enrolled for WAAC officers training are Mrs. Robert Han, 28 , Des Moines housewife, and Miss Marion Lichty, 26, of Waterloo. They were enrolled Thursday.
Source: Estherville Daily News, 16 July 1942 (photo included)
Waterloo's First Woman Officer
Graduated with 435 others, Miss Marion C. Lichty, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burr G. Lichty, 1481 Newell street, Saturday earned her commission as third officer in the Women's Army Auxiliary corps after six weeks training at Fort Des Moines, Ia. Only five other Iowans graduated: Clara C. Han and Helen E. Hanson, Des Moines; Dorothy A. Tomhave, Estherville; Helen Lloyd-Jones, Mason City and Mary S. Bell, Cedar Rapids.
Source: The Courier, August 30, 1942
All dressed up with plenty of places to go but these Iowans, first from the Hawkeye state to be graduated as officers in the newly formed Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, don’t know where until they receive their assignments, after two more weeks of specialized training at Fort Des Moines.
These WAACS—from left in the photo:
Miss Mary S. Bell, Cedar Rapids, former dean of women at Coe college;
Miss Marion C. Lichty, Waterloo;
Mrs. Clara G. F. Han, Des Moines;
Miss Dorothy Tomhave, Estherville—
Were among the first 436 to be graduated as third officers, equivalent to the rank of second lieutenant, at the Army post Saturday.
Their basic training over, the WAACS will be assigned to active duty to relieve soldiers for the fighting fronts, after completing two weeks of specialized training.
Actually two other native Iowans, Helen Lloyd-Jones, Mason City, and Helen E. Hanson, Des Moines, also were graduated, but they were inducted from corps areas outside the seventh, in which Iowa is located.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, August 31, 1942 (photo included)
