Ritchie WACs: Difference between revisions

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In July 1954, about thirty-five former Camp Ritchie WACs gathered in Hagerstown, Maryland, for what the ''Morning Herald'' described as the first reunion of a WAC contingent and the formal organization of the Camp Ritchie WAC Association, chaired by [[Massaro, Frances M. (A701441)|Frances Massaro]] until officers were elected. The paper estimated that about 150 WACs had been stationed at Ritchie during the war.

== WAC detachment and Ritchie Girls ==

Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy's Adams County Historical Society talk [[Ritchie Boy Programs#Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs|Ritchie Girls and WACs]] puts the Camp Ritchie WAC detachment at about '''200''' (this roster identifies 199). Only about 10 percent were foreign-born, compared with about 40 percent of the men, and more than a quarter of the Ritchie WACs were commissioned officers. The first contingent arrived in September 1943 under [[Bradley, Ruth Mills (A125046)|Ruth Mills Bradley]]; barracks and offices stood across the lake from the men's side. Streets in the WAC area were named Pauline Cushman Avenue and Belle Boyd Street, after Civil War women spies.

Eddy distinguishes '''Ritchie WACs''' who did administration, transport, printing, training skits, and document work from a smaller group of '''Ritchie Girls''' — twelve WACs who took the same intelligence courses as the men, most in Order of Battle — and about twenty-two WAC faculty.

Close friends at Ritchie from January 1944 included [[Crane, Patricia (A206798)|Patricia Crane]], [[Kaufmann, Ellen J. (A206769)|Ellen J. Kaufmann]], and [[MacLennan, Phyllis E. (A206775)|Phyllis E. MacLennan]].

== MISLS yearbook (transfers to Camp Ritchie) ==

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<div class="notable-slide-name">[[Davis, Sally J. (L705001)|Sally J. Davis]]</div>

<div class="notable-slide-meta">Captain</div>

<div class="notable-slide-meta">Captain · Ritchie Girl</div>

<ul>

<li>~~Roster certificate marked WAC~~</li>

<li>Order of Battle training with the men</li>

<li>Later at MacArthur's headquarters in Australia</li>

</ul>

</div></div>

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== Sources ==

* [[Ritchie Boy Programs#Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs|Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs]] (Adams County Historical Society talk)

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoZxi5JlUdw Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — WWII: Ritchie Girls and Ritchie WACs (Adams County Historical Society)]

* [https://www.fold3.com/image/704852335 Fold3 MISLS WAC yearbook p.90] · [https://www.fold3.com/image/704852256 p.91] (WAC transfers to Camp Ritchie)

* [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/28285598/ “Bernice Green of Former WACs Here For First Reunion,” ''Hagerstown Morning Herald'', 30 July 1954] (via Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous timeline-adjacent documents; not uploaded): ''WAC Contingent.doc'')

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 In July 1954, about thirty-five former Camp Ritchie WACs gathered in Hagerstown, Maryland, for what the ''Morning Herald'' described as the first reunion of a WAC contingent and the formal organization of the Camp Ritchie WAC Association, chaired by [[Massaro, Frances M. (A701441)|Frances Massaro]] until officers were elected. The paper estimated that about 150 WACs had been stationed at Ritchie during the war.
+== WAC detachment and Ritchie Girls ==
+Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy's Adams County Historical Society talk [[Ritchie Boy Programs#Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs|Ritchie Girls and WACs]] puts the Camp Ritchie WAC detachment at about '''200''' (this roster identifies 199). Only about 10 percent were foreign-born, compared with about 40 percent of the men, and more than a quarter of the Ritchie WACs were commissioned officers. The first contingent arrived in September 1943 under [[Bradley, Ruth Mills (A125046)|Ruth Mills Bradley]]; barracks and offices stood across the lake from the men's side. Streets in the WAC area were named Pauline Cushman Avenue and Belle Boyd Street, after Civil War women spies.
+Eddy distinguishes '''Ritchie WACs''' who did administration, transport, printing, training skits, and document work from a smaller group of '''Ritchie Girls''' — twelve WACs who took the same intelligence courses as the men, most in Order of Battle — and about twenty-two WAC faculty.
+Close friends at Ritchie from January 1944 included [[Crane, Patricia (A206798)|Patricia Crane]], [[Kaufmann, Ellen J. (A206769)|Ellen J. Kaufmann]], and [[MacLennan, Phyllis E. (A206775)|Phyllis E. MacLennan]].
 == MISLS yearbook (transfers to Camp Ritchie) ==
@@ Line 35: / Line 42: @@
 <div class="notable-slide-body">
 <div class="notable-slide-name">[[Davis, Sally J. (L705001)|Sally J. Davis]]</div>
-<div class="notable-slide-meta">Captain</div>
+<div class="notable-slide-meta">Captain · Ritchie Girl</div>
 <ul>
-<li>Roster certificate marked WAC</li>
+<li>Order of Battle training with the men</li>
+<li>Later at MacArthur's headquarters in Australia</li>
 </ul>
 </div></div>
@@ Line 521: / Line 529: @@
 == Sources ==
+* [[Ritchie Boy Programs#Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs|Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — Ritchie Girls and WACs]] (Adams County Historical Society talk)
+* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoZxi5JlUdw Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy — WWII: Ritchie Girls and Ritchie WACs (Adams County Historical Society)]
 * [https://www.fold3.com/image/704852335 Fold3 MISLS WAC yearbook p.90] · [https://www.fold3.com/image/704852256 p.91] (WAC transfers to Camp Ritchie)
 * [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/28285598/ “Bernice Green of Former WACs Here For First Reunion,” ''Hagerstown Morning Herald'', 30 July 1954] (via Dan Gross research archive (miscellaneous timeline-adjacent documents; not uploaded): ''WAC Contingent.doc'')