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L,ead^r, Sunday, December 4,1994■•* •:■«■•■ 'vs«y*aAontinue today Ruston’s.;^tijdWar II participation as writ-teti fey I^rs. Nan Colvin Pearce. Her : writing has been donated to the Museum and it gives us pleasure to share . it with you. Her subject today covers the days of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps’ stay in Ruston. The WAAC, a recently expanded branch of the Army, was recruiting large numbers of volunteers for what was #^hnii|ue expefience in American military history. They needed additional training camps. The Lincoln •Parish Prisoner of War Camp, awaiting its first prisoners, was able to accommodate the, WAAC. Now from Mrs. Pearce: v “Before the camp was occupied by any prisoners, word came that■ Ruston was to become a training center for the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (later in this article referred to as 5th WAAC Training Center). There was surprise and eager expectations on the part of the local people. No one knew what to expect, but everyone was pleased that Ruston had been chosen for this all-important phase of the war effort. Ruston was to be the headquarters for the 5 th WAAC Training Center which also included units at Monticello, Arkansas, and at Camp Polk, Louisianal It was necessary to house the officers in Ruston and to set up offices for the headquarters in town. With the help of local real estate men and property owners, in just one week the north wing of the old Ruston High School, a house across the street and a garage had been made available. The Ruston Hotel leased its entire facilities to them. A home was also found for the commanding officer, Coi. John A. Hoag, who was amazed at the preparations that had so efficiently been made. They were ready for business and soon the whole community was alive with WAACs.Needless to say, the effect of this wartime activity was tremendous and novel in the community. Ruston re-Windows to YesterdayBy Sara Waferalized that the W AACs were not only a very important part of the Army, but they were also “women” and deserved to be treated as such. They were women from every walk of life and fron every nook and comer of our country. Many were young and had not been away from home too long, subject to all the pangs of homesickness. Many were more mature and had held important positions. Numbered among the group were doctors, lawyers, nurses, some business managers, some secretaries, bookkeepers, teachers, home economics experts, and police officers. Others were fresh from college and had never held a position. The efficient manner in which they went about their tasks, sometimes difficult, was most commendable.Lincoln Parish and Ruston women’s clubs were most cooperative and helpful to them. They set up Day Rooms at the Prisoner of War Camp and in RUston for tbeir comfort and pleasure; they borrowed furniture and things necessary to make the Day Rooms attractive. It probably was thebiggest “Operation Borrowing” that ever took place in Ruston. Gpen House and other social functions held for the WAACs gaveISpart ofthem the opportunity to meet and fold w the women Of the community during their off-duty hours. The churches extedded to them a cordial welcome and many WAACs could be seen any Sunday in the congregations of Ruston. It was easy-to-do things for the WAAC for they were always enthusiastic and appreciative. They were always reciprocal in whatever was being done; for instance, when the Second War Loan Drive was begun, the WAACs staged a downtown parade - the first military parade since World War I - also the first military parade by women in the history of Ruston. They held an Easter Sunrise Service at the Prisoner of War Camp and invited the community as their guests. Typical of the friendliness of the WAACs toward Ruston and the success of the townspeople’s efforts to make them feel “at home” was the occasion of the wedding of a WAAC officer stationed here with the Training Center. Dr. Guy Hicks, pastor of Trinity Methodist Church, performed the ceremony, after which there was a large reception at the T. L. James home.Mrs. OvetaCuip Hobby, National Director of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, spent two days visiting the WAACs here, with side-trips to the camps at Monticello, Ark, and Camp Polk, La. She was well-pleased with conditions as she found them and was high in her praise for the people and the community.During the three months tenure of the women here there were approximately 8,000 enrollees trained at the 5ih WAAC Training Center. They left about the middle of June, thus bringing to an end another community participation in the war effort.”Other community participation in the war effort as chronicled by Mrs.
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