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By A. Victor Lasky Stes and Sisipra Stace Writer BIRMINGSAM, March 10.—A bate falion of Negro Wacs+26 officers and 686 enlisted women—is under going training in UX after arriv ing at a North England port on Lincoln's birthday to highlight that historic anniversary for members of their race, First Negro War to set foot on foreign soil was Pvt. Nispa Tankard, a New Yorker. Interviewed at what used to be a ritzy boys’ school and now serves as the Wars’ combined living auarters, training school and head quarters, Pvt Tankard modestly sdimmited today that her debut mmon in the legion of “figsters” wa “just a lucky break.” “Everybody was so excited just as we were about to rebark that no one knew what was going an.” explained Lae Yl-yearold Wac, who befor volunteering for the Army Was employed by the Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland. Will move to Continent The Waca avill be in the UK just long enough to familiarize Wenme sélvés with the Work of the Army Directory Service. They will then take over om the Continent, it was explained by the commanding Officer, Maj. Charity Adams, 27, of Columbia, 5.0. Maj. Adams, member of the Tire, loss of WAC OCS candidates to be commissioned in August, 1942, said that her “troops” will be trained in changing addresses of American soldiers who are partie casualties, reinforcements of trans fers. ‘We are the nst Ary Postal Unit composed entirely’ of Waes,” she said. The GI Janes were met on arrival by Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, highest ranking Negro in the Army. Carrying field equipment and co the tune of a bagpipe pumped by a killed Scot—the first the girls had ever seen—they filed off the ship in orderly manner on to 5 wering train they were erected in Birmingham by the brags band of t+ lon Re placement Depot, which blared forth “Rol! out the barrel” to keep the girls in step. Oldest Wac i_ the group was Set. Erm Ficer, 38, whose sprightly bearing belies her age. “Granny” to her younger “budales.” Erma, who comes from Chicago, really is a grandmother with three grandchildren,
Newspaper Details
Paris Stars and Stripes
Paris, Ile De France, FR
Sun, Mar 11, 1945
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Sharon T.
GB 18 Feb 2026
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