Reference Entry
WOMEN’S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS CREATED
On May 14th, 1942, in the midst of global war, the United States formally establishes the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The new organization allows women to volunteer for service with the Army in noncombat roles such as clerks, drivers, telephone operators, and mechanics. While members are not yet fully integrated soldiers, the Corps represents a major change in how the Army taps the skills of the population.
Dated Historical Context
A RECORDED MOMENT IN HISTORY
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps created
On May 14th, 1942, in the midst of global war, the United States formally establishes the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The new organization allows women to volunteer for service with the Army in noncombat roles such as clerks, drivers, telephone operators, and mechanics. While members are not yet fully integrated soldiers, the Corps represents a major change in how the Army taps the skills of the population. Commanders quickly realize that every woman who takes a stateside or support job can free a man for frontline duty. The Corps also offers new opportunities and challenges for women who step into uniforms, live under military discipline, and work within a still-skeptical institution. Over time, the auxiliary will evolve into the Women’s Army Corps and help open doors in other services. The decision on May 14th, 1942 shows how the personnel demands of modern war push the United States to rethink who can serve, and in what capacity.
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