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Photograph of Gladys (Thomas) Anderson

Souvenirs from France, 1945
Gladys (Thomas) Anderson Collection, MWM

WAC Gladys (Thomas) Anderson, a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, returned home with these souvenirs from her assignments in Rouen and Paris, France.

In addition to uniforms, new recruits were issued everything from nylons to pajamas to eyeglasses. Gladys (Thomas) Anderson, who enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in June 1944, used red nail polish to make hers look a little less government issue.

Inspired by her father, who served in Korea, and her siblings, Lourdes “Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos long dreamed about serving in the military. She enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1971, at the age of 17, and served for 22 years. Challenged by her gender,…

Esther Gleaton joined the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1966, because it offered her opportunity to travel beyond her Atlanta, Georgia, hometown and made her eligible to receive the G.I. Bill for college. She needed her parent’s permission, which they…

Following the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government, because of a perceived national security risk, rounded up 120,000 American citizens of Japanese descent and sent them to Mid-West and West Coast internment camps.…