The War Department initially planned to recruit and expand this uniformed auxiliary element of female volunteers to 25,000 personnel who, upon completion of appropriate training, would serve in a noncombatant role to supplement male soldiers who could then be released for frontline fighting service. Progressive wartime leaders like General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who realized the value of British military women volunteers, furthermore desired American women to serve overseas in his European theater of operations.

The experimental auxiliary army of women volunteers was officially created as the U.S. Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in May 1942. The ranks were open to all female American citizens between the ages of 21 and 45, regardless of race or social status, who could meet the exacting entrance requirements. The primary emphasis was placed on top physical condition and mental aptitude. While formal educational credentials (often an indication of societal standing at that time) and individual attractiveness were deemed secondary considerations, these were actually important qualifications. 
 

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Mrs. Oveta Culp Hobby became first Director of the WAAC on May 15, 1942. She is shown attired in the summer uniform of the corps. (Collection Shelby Stanton)

The US Army began inducting suitable candidates for this new organization during June 1942.  They were sent to the WAAC training headquarters located at the former regular army cavalry station of Fort Des Moines, Iowa.  This post offered established amenities believed necessary for feminine morale, to include a spacious parade ground attractively encircled by stately tree-lined modern brick buildings, which were absent in most training garrisons during the height of army-wide buildup. The buildings and riding halls were renovated, the stables converted into barracks, and female-oriented conveniences installed.
 

A WAAC formation with the national colors salutes their commanding officer during a formal review at training headquarters.  (Collection Shelby Stanton)

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Of 30,000 women on the first application lists, only 1,300 initially passed the rigorous physical and emotional entrance tests to be enrolled at Fort Des Moines on July 20, 1942. The Army was fearful that even these highly selected women, whose background included relatively comfortable homes and sometimes well-paid civilian jobs, would not adjust to the regimentation of military life. Their military training, according to wartime army descriptions, included “military customs and courtesies, WAAC rules and regulations, the Articles of War, wearing and care of the uniform, military sanitation, first aid, defense against chemical and air attack, map reading, safeguarding of military information, close order drill, and other subjects”. However, the WAAC was not subject to either army regulations or the Articles of War, and operated under unique WAAC guidelines (called WAAC regulations).

The first WAAC group successfully completed two months of intensive basic and field training, and many of them were then assigned to clerical headquarters duty at the post. They filled urgent vacancies ranging from secretary to the commandant to switchboard operators in the message center. Other graduates were dispatched to specialist schools to become administrative clerks, typists and stenographers, as well as motor transport drivers, mechanics and vehicle maintenance inspectors. 

The first officer candidates were trained for potential field deployment during intensive courses which lasted two months.  Slightly under half were college graduates. In late August 1942, 436 officer candidates were initially commissioned as Third Officers, a WAAC rank corresponding to army Second Lieutenant. These women became the officer nucleus of the new corps, along with 184 selected from the already-existing paramilitary Aircraft Warning Service. Most of the first graduating officers were individually assigned to the WAAC headquarters in the capital of Washington, D.C., officer’s cooking school, or army recruiting stations on a country-wide basis. 

Entire WAAC units were soon raised. At first these were divided into two categories: Aircraft Warning Service Companies and Post Headquarters Companies with 150 women each. A post headquarters company consisted of a clerical platoon, a motor transport platoon and a communications platoon.  The first unit requests from higher commands followed. For example, the First Fighter Command of the U.S. Army Air Forces requested 37 WAAC companies to be attached by March 1943. Overseas requests for WAAC units were also received. General Eisenhower ordered 4 specially configured companies, composed entirely of communications and clerical platoons, for overseas service with his allied command in England.  On 1 September 1943 the WAAC was transformed and redesignated as the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), an integral part of the United States Army. 
 
 

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A WAAC formation parades past the reviewing stand at Fort Des Moines. Further photos of WAAC activities can be found in the author’s U.S. Army Uniforms of World War II (including another view of this same ceremony on p. 214).

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