[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 74 (Tuesday, May 2, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S1460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN GWEN NIEMI

 Mr. KELLY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Captain Gwen 
Niemi for her service in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corp--WAC--during 
World War II, from 1942 to 1946. Ms. Niemi was among the first 200 
women to become officers in the WAC.
  Captain Niemi was born on February 2, 1920, in Lancaster, PA. Ms. 
Niemi obtained her degree in physical education from West Chester State 
College. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gwen attended the first 
WAC training course in Des Moines, IA, graduating from WAC training as 
a second lieutenant in 1942.
  Her first assignment was training recruits at the WAC Training School 
in Daytona Beach, FL, and was responsible for instructing almost 500 
trainees. Gwen next commanded a WAC Company of 180 personnel at Tyndall 
Field located outside of Panama City, FL. While on assignment at 
Tyndall Field, Ms. Niemi was temporarily assigned to duty at the San 
Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. She was promoted to the rank of captain 
and transferred to Eastern Flying Training Command at Maxwell Field, 
AL, where she served as a career field manager and evaluator for the 
WAC Program.
  Upon her discharge from the WAC with the rank of captain, Ms. Niemi 
moved to Tucson, AZ, where she became a teacher in the physical 
education department at the University of Arizona. Ms. Niemi took 5 
years off from teaching, having two children, and then returned to 
teaching physical education and English and reading at Tucson School 
District No. 1, now known as TUSD.
  Please join me in celebrating Captain Gwen Niemi for being a patriot 
and a true trailblazer, for her brave service during World War II, and 
for going on to be an educator at the University of Arizona and at 
Tucson School District No. 1.

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