[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 129 (Tuesday, August 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3865-S3866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 735--ACKNOWLEDGING AND COMMEMORATING THE WOMEN IN THE 
  ARMY WHO SERVED IN THE WOMEN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS AND THE WOMEN'S 
                     ARMY CORP DURING WORLD WAR II

  Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself, Ms. Warren, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Scott of 
Florida, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Braun, and 
Mr. Scott of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 735

       Whereas Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts 
     introduced a bill, H.R. 6293 (77th Congress), to create the 
     Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (referred to in this preamble as 
     the ``WAAC'') to expand the types of jobs women could hold in 
     the Army to address manpower shortages;
       Whereas President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the 
     WAAC by signing the Act entitled ``An Act to establish a 
     Women's Army Auxiliary Corps for service with the Army of the 
     United States'', approved May 14, 1942 (commonly known as the 
     ``W.A.A.C. (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) Act'') (Public Law 
     77-554; 56 Stat. 278) into law;
       Whereas while 35,000 women had served in the enlisted ranks 
     of the Army primarily in nursing positions during World War 
     I, women had little formal means to serve in non-medical 
     roles prior to the creation of the WAAC;
       Whereas despite widely held stigmas associated with women 
     in the military and numerous false allegations of impropriety 
     among members of the WAAC, women applied to serve in such 
     high numbers that enrollment ceilings were reached within the 
     first year;
       Whereas under the leadership of Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby, 
     service in the WAAC quickly exceeded the 25,000 women 
     initially expected;
       Whereas Secretary of War Henry Stimson had to raise the 
     limit on WAAC recruitment to 150,000 women because of high 
     levels of enrollment;
       Whereas the WAAC worked across the country, from Washington 
     to Tennessee and from New Mexico to South Carolina, as well 
     as overseas;
       Whereas members of the WAAC served in numerous capacities, 
     including as switchboard operators, mechanics, bakers, 
     drivers, cryptographers, lab technicians, and nurses;
       Whereas members of the WAAC, despite the quality and value 
     of their contributions to the war effort, were not given 
     benefits or pay equal to those of their male counterparts, 
     and were not recognized as full members of the Army;
       Whereas President Roosevelt signed the Act entitled ``An 
     Act to establish a Women's Army Corps for service in the Army 
     of the United States'', approved July 1, 1943 (commonly known 
     as the ``W.A.C. (Women's Army Corps) Act'') (Public Law 78-
     110; 57 Stat. 371), into law, which converted the WAAC into 
     the Women's Army Corp (referred to in this preamble as the 
     ``WAC''), gave the women official military status and the 
     same ranks and privileges of their male counterparts, and 
     allowed the women to serve overseas;
       Whereas during World War II, members of the WAC served 
     overseas as drivers, clerks, nurses, and mechanics, enabling 
     the release of more than 7 divisions of men to serve in 
     combat roles;
       Whereas towards the end of World War II, General Douglas 
     MacArthur stated that the

[[Page S3866]]

     members of the WAC were ``[his] best soldiers'', noting their 
     dedication to hard work and discipline;
       Whereas General and future President Dwight D. Eisenhower 
     said that the WAC's ``contributions in efficiency, skill, 
     spirit, and determination are immeasurable'';
       Whereas the WAC served as an important precursor to the 
     complete gender integration of the military in 1978; and
       Whereas the brave women who served in the WAAC and the WAC 
     are owed a great debt of gratitude for their service to the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the women who served the United States in the 
     Women's Auxiliary Army Corp (referred to in this resolution 
     as the ``WAAC'') and the Women's Army Corp (referred to in 
     this resolution as the ``WAC'') during World War II;
       (2) commends the women of the WAAC and the WAC who, through 
     their dedication to the United States and perseverance 
     through significant social pressure, served in critical 
     military positions to aid the war effort, freeing male 
     soldiers for combat duty; and
       (3) recognizes that the WAAC and the WAC overcame 
     stereotypes to open up more opportunities for women and made 
     significant contributions to the victory of the United States 
     and the allies in World War II.

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