WAC Books

Excellent -Written in a unique style that was easy to read and it held your attention. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It provided insight as to what a veteran actually had to endure - something most of us simply cannot understand.

A great book and a fantastic tribute to a World War II veteran. What I enjoyed most was that the author also goes to great lengths to show the behind the scenes back round of this american hero. Many books are written about history but this book tells the history of one of the individual soldiers. Anyone who enjoys WWII history would enjoy this. Great reading!

Not only did Kathleen Belfiore Schuman honor the Schuman family with this wonderful tribute to Donald, I felt as though I was experiencing each dramatic occurance first hand. You can only image the countless hours of research that went into writing this book when you see the copies of journals, telegrams, letters, news articles, pictures, etc.

This book captivates you - you won't want to put it down.
This story would make a wonderful family war-time movie with reuniting a family torn apart by vindictiveness and war.

This book is first a tribute to an American WWII hero. It then abruptly switches to a detective story as the author searches for the hero's grave. The author's description of the search is so real, unpretentious, and down to earth that you feel you are there and a member of the family. Kathleen Belfiore Schuman talks to the reader as if she were standing in the room with him.

The book is very well documented. She includes actual scans of the original documents including the terrible telegram telling the family of the loss off their son. There is so much in the way of scans and/or verbatim transcripts that it would make a good reference book if only there were an index.

A family history is hard to write in such a way that it is interesting to outsiders but she pulled it off.

Thank you Kathleen for letting us share this story.

Action, drama - you name it, this book's got it! A storyline that runs a full range of emotions, from sorrow and despair to triumph and joy. A definite must-read for all ages!

Starting with Mary (Kiddie) Ruggieri's departure from Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, California she takes the reader on a journey across the ocean to Japan shortly after World War II and back home again. She wrote about her onboard quarters and activities on her ocean voyage as well as the family she left behind.

As a member of the 8000th WAC Detachment that arrived in Japan in October 1946, Mary saw a whole new world open to her eyes. Having a penchant for photography she certainly used her hobby to intertwine her storyline in this book. She wrote of her first sight of the Japanese people and the land that would be her home for the following months. She provided descriptions of the women's quarters compared to where the men were living and to where other WACs were living within the country itself.

From a non-travelers point of view this was a very interesting book. It included more than 485 photos and facts that accompanied each segment of the author's journals, letters and memories. Mary brought her photos to life with her entries. She wrote about the soldier she met and fell in love with along with the things they did for fun. But I was still amazed at how much sight-seeing time she seemed to have while in Japan. I was also surprised to read about and see photos of Nagasaki since Mary was there just a couple of years after the USA had dropped an atomic bomb on it.

Throughout this book Mary takes the reader to places most of us have only read about or never heard of before this. She introduces the reader to the sights, sounds and smells of Japan following the war. When her time was finally up Mary returned to the USA aboard another ship. Again she wrote of the activities aboard the ship. She was a very happy woman once she stepped foot on US soil in May 1948.

This book is well worth reading.

Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebeccas Reads (3/08)

"From Japan With Love" is a wonderful memoir illustrating what life was like in Post-War Japan through the eyes of Mary Ruggieri, a member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC). The story of the era is told through a composition of journal entries, personal letters to friends and family, and photographs. Throughout the book there are also boxes explaining some of the historical figures, places and events of the time period.

Tech sergeant Ruggieri's journey began in October of 1946 when she boarded the Army Transport Admiral Sims headed for Yokohama, Japan. The luxury of the trip with "maid service and swell meals" was a far cry from what was to await her and her shipmates when they arrived in the distant land. When they pulled into the harbor they saw the destruction and devastation that the country had suffered at the hands of war in the form of sunken ships and the impoverished manner in which the native people were dressed. Their living quarters for their occupation in Japan were Quonset huts which were void of any luxuries. Each woman had `8'9' of space into which to place a cot, a foot locker, and a wall locker." While the accommodations were less than welcoming, the American GIs that were stationed there made up for it by treating the women like royalty with barrages of parties and assistance. One of these GI's the author became especially fond of and started dating.

Ruggieri's time spent in Japan was definitely not all work. On the weekends she had the opportunity to take some incredible trips and see some amazing sights. While the travel to and from these destinations was not always the most pleasant journey, the experiences that she had more than made up for any hardships along the way. The book contains over 400 photographs which definitely enhance the story that she tells. There are pictures of the Quonset huts, Japanese people, the hotels they stayed at on their trips, Mount Fuji, and plenty of the author herself and other members of the WAC. Even though Ruggieri is very skilled at writing descriptive passages, the multitudes of pictures really provide you with a complete picture of everything that happened.

To have saved all of these letters, journals and pictures from over sixty-years ago and to be able to compile them to create a book as complete as "From Japan With Love" is incredible. The memoir is well-written, thought-provoking, and insightful. Her writing is so descriptive that you truly feel like you are there with her and her humor and straightforwardness will definitely keep you entertained. "From Japan With Love" is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!

Offering a fascinating, informative, personal, and unique perspective of live in post-war Japan through excerpts from the letters, journals and photographs of Mary A. Ruggieri, an American college girl stationed in Japan from 1946 to 1948 as a member of Women's Army Corps as part of the American military post-war occupation , "From Japan With Love" takes the reader from an army hut encampment to some of Japan's most memorable shrines and august temples. Ruggieri writes eloquently of the Japanese people and culture, her falling in love with Japan, as well as meeting the American soldier who would become her husband. Remarkable for her articulate eyewitness account which is peppered throughout with her black-and-white photography, "From Japan With Love" is as engaging as it is informed, making it very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the post-war Japan reformation, mid-twentieth century Japanese culture, and the transition of Japan from a defeated nation to its nescient emergence as a western style democracy..

This is a warm, rich, charming, evocative, and often humorous memoir of life and love in post-war Japan, with many rare photos of the era (certainly including the photo of the bridge from Takeishima Island, page 118), which makes this tapestry of reminiscence such a uniquely delightful and easy read.

The "Rules Of The Road" posted in the Central Tokyo Police Station, in 1947, are hilarious.

The letters written by the author are sometimes poignant ("Never do I forget how wondrously fortunate I am to have you. . ."), sometimes funny ("My interview consisted of a major asking me how much clerical work I had done, and my telling him that I did very little and didn't like it, so of course I got a clerical job..."), but always fun and insightful.

It is a wonderful book.

A Delightful and wonderful read for women and girls of all ages who would like to journey back into time and live WWII through the eyes of Ms. Green Robinson's experiences as a lady in the armed forces.

This is a delightful memoir from an overlooked point of view, a young woman in the Army in the 1940's. Ms. Green has a remarkable memory for details and tells her story with honesty and unconscious humor. Enlightening to the many readers for whom this period is history.

Impossible to put down! This autobiographical account of a young woman's call to duty during World War II, is a testament to the true "pioneer spirit". Sure to spark a feeling of patriotism in all who read it, "The Gaylord Wacs" is witty, inspiring, and informative. The author's personal account affords the reader an interesting and often overlooked perspective of WWII, that of a woman.

I doubt if any living American over the age of 21 is completely ignorant of the halcyon vision of WACs in the South Pacific during WWII. Well, that vision isn't very accurate. Selene Weise knows; she was one of very, very few WACs to actually serve in the area.

A cryptographer, Weise found herself in seemingly endless mud, rain, stifling heat, and misery living in tents with no creature comforts, mind-blowing boredom, and even some danger. With grossly inadequate food, an Army totally unprepared to meet even minimal needs of women, and supply lines that were often non-existent, the WACs just had to hunker down and endure. But through it all, Weise and her fellow WACs did just that. In the end, she came out of it with three battle stars; a rare thing for a woman soldier.

The book is remarkable not only for its unique story, but for the riveting method Weise uses to tell it. With only minimal fill-in, Weise reconstructs her experiences from letters she wrote home to her mother during the war. This gives the work a immediacy and sincerity that would be difficult to match. While trying hard to remain upbeat and positive about appalling conditions, Weise maintains a sense of humor and perspective that is commendable.

WWII is passing into history with fewer and fewer who remember. Of those, even fewer are aware women served too, let alone served in the South Pacific. Not only is this book a splendid history lesson, it's an outstanding good read. Brava!

My mother, who enlisted in the WAAC when she turned 21 in 1943, would never write this review, so I wanted to pass along her first impressions. I gave this book to her this Christmas, and she said it was exactly as she remembered south post at Ft. Myer. She was in the 17th Signal, a crypto group that was kept apart from most of the WAAC/WACs, but shared most of the facilities. One way for the enlisted (she ended the war as a sergeant in the code room) to sleep was to take their bedding up on top of the jail and escape the summer heat. They all worked around the clock, and sleep never was easy in the double bunked dorms, as all shifts were mixed.
Mom particularly regrets the loss of the Hobby hats (winter and summer) for the campaign hat, and has always wondered what happened to them all.

One of the best books I've read about the experiences of WACs in WWII. The book was easy to read. The author has a terrific sense of humor and a gift for putting it on paper. She gave me a real feel for the struggle of adjusting to Army life at a time when women were entering the 'Real Army' for the first time. A truly delightful reading experience.

another of us original Ar.FL players. It
chronicles the 12-0-0 season of the Haw-
i'i Warriors in the WAC. With Coach June
Jones now gone to the bigger budgeted SMU
program, which is also in need of some
boosting, it's very important for all us
Rainbows / Warriors of the past to get
this book! Highly recommended before Colt
Brennan starts tearing up the NFL!

This is one of the outstanding memoirs written by women who have served in the US Army. Charity Adams Early was the first African American woman to receive a commission in the WAC during World War II, and later became the commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory, the only black WAC unit sent overseas. She frankly discusses the problems faced by black WACS, including segregation in training and unit assignment, and the prejudices she faced. Highly recommended.

I am a terrible reader and don't often finish books I start. This book interested me through and through. If you are a woman in the military, or know a woman in the military, then you need to read this book. The perspective on life in Charity Adams' Army is a wonderful change from the Hollywood versions of wartime service we see all around us. This book brings you inside and behind the scenes of very important and worthwhile missions. Reading about the strides Charity Adams made in her time (and now with this book) make me so proud of her not only as a negro WAC officer, but as a soldier and a leader! I highly recommend this book for yourself and for a gift to other strong women in your life!

"One Woman's Army: A Black Officer Remembers the WAC," by Charity Adams Earley, is a memoir by a pioneering African-American soldier of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) of the United States Army. The bulk of the book focuses on the period from July 1942 to December 1945, and details her service both in the continental U.S. and in the European theater of operations.

The author looks back at the assignments she held, which included being on the staff of the WAC training center in Des Moines and commanding a battalion-size postal unit overseas. She also recalls the time when the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was transformed into the WAC, thus becoming "an official branch of the army."

Earley tells her story in a straightforward manner. She recalls many humorous and/or ironic incidents that happened along the way, as well as some appalling examples of racial prejudice and insensitivity that she faced. I was also very interested by the leadership challenges that she encountered as she rose up the ranks. She also looks at some of the very practical issues regarding the incorporation of women in the military, such as providing them with proper uniforms.

The book is richly illustrated throughout. There are photos of some of the historic documents from the author's career. There are also over 40 photos detailing her service and showing many of the other soldiers--black and white, male and female, officer and enlisted--with whom she served. I particularly enjoyed the photos showing the African-American women soldiers in action. Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley was a true military trailblazer, and I was absolutely fascinated by the story she tells here. Inspiring and educational, this book is a valuable contribution to the fields of women's studies, African-American studies, and military history. Recommended companion text: "A Black Woman's Civil War Memoirs," by Susie King Taylor.

As the daughter of a WAC officer, I was deeply moved by Bessey's book. She is a credit to all WACs--a true lady in uniform. Not only does she reveal a gifted writing style, but she treats her subject with depth and beauty. Anyone who loves WWII history, women's history, or just great love stories, should buy this book. I highly recommend it!

This is an excellent book about another little-known aspect of World War II and the 'Greatest Generation'. Carol Hossner Bessey was a small-town girl from rural Idaho who enlisted in the WAAC, which later became the WAC, to serve her country in World War II. This is her story- a story of the patriotism of a young woman who strived to do her part in a big war despite the occasional lack of respect from her male peers in the military. It is a story of friendships, of the many different women Carol meets during the war years. It is also a love story, telling the tale of the meeting and whirlwind romance of two young people in time of war who meet and fall in love despite the fact that the future is uncertain. The book follows Carol through her wartime experiences Stateside, mostly in Kansas, and also follows her future husband Grant's experiences Stateside and later as a scout in the Battle of the Bulge, where he is injured, and in the Army of Occupation.
Bessey writes in the spare prose of the newspaperwomen she has been for decades. She captures the feelings of young women off serving their country very well. As a male reader, I found it particularly interesting to read of the war from a female perspective. The book would appeal to anyone interested in women's roles in fighting World War II and also to anyone interested in women dealing with adversity. Bessey's experiences were not unique, nor were they action-packed. They are told engagingly and honestly, with no attempt to build them up, and what results is a satisfying, edifying read that gives the reader a new appreciation for the sacrifices of the thousands of women of 'The Greatest Generation' who served our nation in time of need.
The book is illustrated with photos that augment and heighten interest in the text.
I recommend 'Battle of the Wac'. It is not an action and adventure military history. It is a perceptive and sensitive account of women at war, one woman in particular, and a valuable addition to existing military literature.

Vera Williams is probably the best popular author of books about American women's military service during World War II, and this title is up to her excellent standard. Her previous book on the WASPs (Women's Airforce Service Pilots), now sadly out of print, combines conventional history with songs, anecdotes, reminiscences, and interviews with the spunky, sassy women who played such an important role during the war. It is a great mix that conveys the mood of that distant moment, from the perspective of the special people who are the book's subject.

This new book on the Women's Army Corps is in the same charming mold. Unlike so many books on the role of women in military service, this one avoids the whining, petulant attitude so common in books of this genre - the books where the men are all the enemy and the women are all virtue personified.

Instead of complaining that the women weren't armed with rifles and bayonets and sent to the front to fight as equals with the men (a strong undercurrent in a lot of books about women in the military), WACS tells the story from the perspective of the women themselves, both then and now - in a friendly, generally positive tone. One of the best things about this book is its lack of "politically correct" agenda - it is the story of an interesting era, filled with interesting people doing important things, unfiltered (much) by the modern military battle of the sexes.

Like the WASP book, it includes lots of stories, charming anecdotes, some excellent archival photography from the National Archives, from scrapbooks, and from modern sources. The whole package is entirely delightful and provides an intimate portrait of some adventurous women who served their country in adventurous ways. This is a great book for anybody who was a WAC, knows somebody who was a WAC, or (as in my case) ever dated a WAC. It is also a great book for anybody who really wants to understand just where women fit in the history of the US Army during World War II and after, until the Women's Army Corps was finally disbanded.

Vera Williams' book provides a great help to readers and researchers seeking to learn about the roles played by the Women Army Corps during World War II. While offering her own viewpoint at times, the book nonetheless charts the awareness of a need for women's help in the war effort, to their formation and training, and ultimately how they served their country in uniform.

Filled with anecdotes and photos, there hasn't been a comparable book I could find that allowed me to learn as much about the challenges faced by women against a skeptical military bureaucracy and a population that had misperceptions and stereptyped views at odds with the really important work performed by these pioneering women in uniform.

For its rare subject and helpful information, this book is very helpful to appreciate the efforts of a largely undersung military organization contributing to war's end.