Oral History Interview with Helen Evans

Partial Transcript: First of all, tell me, why did you join the Army?

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that she wanted to join the military in part because so many young people were contributing to the war effort. In 1942, when the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) was created by the Navy, Evans and her colleagues at Versailles High School expressed an interested in joining. Evans was also motivated to join the military since the vast majority of her male friends at the University of Kentucky were part of the ROTC. Evans then applied for officer candidate school when the Women's Army Corps was founded in May 1942. In the summer of 1942, Evans joined her then-boyfriend at the University of Wisconsin for summer school while he was enrolled in medical school. While in Wisconsin, Evans received two telegrams: one containing an offer of acceptance to Northwestern University for graduate school, the other an acceptance into the WACS. Ultimately, Evans and her boyfriend came to the conclusion that women would soon be involved in the war effort just like young men were on a widespread scale. To prepare for officer candidate school, Evans underwent a physical examination at Fort Thomas, Kentucky, a mental examination in Louisville, and a final interview in Columbus. Evans was passed her examinations and was told to report to Fort Des Moines.

Keywords: Boyfriends; Officer candidate school; Physical examinations (Medicine); ROTC; Telegrams; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Columbus (Ohio); Des Moines (Iowa); Fort Thomas (Ky.); Friendship; Men; Northwestern University; Students; Summer schools; Teachers; Teaching; Undergraduate; United States. Army; United States. Navy; University of Kentucky; University of Wisconsin; Versailles (Ky.); Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: . . . WAC training center was set up at Fort Des Moines Iowa . . .

Segment Synopsis: Evans attended officer training school at Fort Des Moines and was a member of the second all-female class at Fort Des Moines. Evans lived in the Army barracks clustered around the parade field, which was a common design of World War I-era military bases in the U.S. Evans recalls that the candidates slept feet facing frontwards in bunk beds. Evans remembers that her military uniform consisted of a blouse and a skirt, but wore pants on special occasions. Evans says that officer candidate school was very structured, with marching and early wakeup times. Evans explains that her class consisted mostly of women with careers since WACS were prohibited from having children under a certain age. For physical fitness training, Evans had to do calisthenics and rope climbing. Since women were not allowed to be in combat during World War II, Evans says that her tactical training was limited to learning how to fire a weapon and gas mask drills.

Keywords: Food preparation; Officer candidate school; Professionals; Rope climbing; Routines; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Administration; Architecture; Barracks; Basic training; Bunk beds; Calisthenics; Careers; Des Moines (Iowa); Food; Fort Des Moines (Iowa); Gas masks; Marching; Military uniforms; Organization; Physical fitness; United States. Army; Weapons; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: The object of the WAC was not to go to the front line . . . it was to take over the jobs that women could do . . .

Segment Synopsis: Evans explains that the purpose of the WACS was to take on non-combat roles in the military so that men could be utilized in combat. Evans says that she never sensed any discrimination from being a woman in the military, but explains that some men resented women coming in and taking the less dangerous jobs away from them. Evans recalls that public opinion on women in the military was more of a fascination than actual support for the practice. Evans adds that the vast majority of Americans were willing to make sacrifices for the military such as rationing. Evans remembers that she initially wore male uniforms, since women's military uniforms had not previously been needed on such a large scale. Evans states that her officer candidate school took six weeks compared to the three months that male officers had. Evans recalls that 140 out of the 250 women in her class made it through training. Evans explains that many women had a difficult time adjusting to the structure and discipline of the military and that too many demerits would result in being kicked out.

Keywords: Demerits; Officer candidate school; Sacrifices; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Americans; Combat; Cooking; Discipline; Hygiene; Men; Military uniforms; Public opinion; Rationing; Secretaries; United States; United States. Army; Women; Women veterans; Work; World War II

Partial Transcript: I had then been sent to a specialist school at Fort Riley Kansas, which was the--uh--Army's way of preparing foods for the troops.

Segment Synopsis: After finishing basic training, Evans was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas for specialist training on food preparation. Evans recalls that she expressed an interest in having a non-food related job in the WACS, since she majored in home economics while at the University of Kentucky and wanted to try something different. Evans ended up working in food preparation for three years, initially instructing women on how cook in large quantities (since most women did not have experience cooking in restaurants or cafeterias). Evans also instructed women in food safety techniques and hygienic practices for food preparation. Through her food preparation work, Evans realized that the women in the military came from diverse geographic backgrounds and had many different food preferences as a result. Evans was then sent to Camp Polk in Louisiana in order to help establish a baker's school. During this time, the WACS was in the midst of an expansion and added new food preparation training centers in Georgia, Florida, and Massachusetts. Evans says that she tried her best to accommodate the varying palates of the women she cooked for while providing a nutritious meal. Evans typically served meat and vegetables and a side salad for the evening meal.

Keywords: Food preparation; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Bakers; Baking; Cleanliness; Cooking; Corn; Diversity; Education; Florida; Food; Fort Des Moines (Iowa); Fort Devens (Mass.); Fort Oglethorpe (Ga.); Fort Riley (Kan.); Health; Home economics; Hygiene; Meat; Men; Potatoes; Public health; Salads; Training; United States. Army; United States. Military; University of Kentucky; Vegetables; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: You were also assigned to the quartermaster general in Washington and tell me a little about that.

Segment Synopsis: After training at inspector general school, Evans was assigned to the Office of the Quartermaster General and based out of the Pentagon working in mess hall inspections. Evans recalls that the Office of the Quartermaster General was located in a temporary building near the waterfront in Washington D.C. near the Naval War College.

Keywords: Food preparation; Inspector general school; National War College (Washington, D.C.); Quartermaster General of the United States Army; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Education; Food; Pentagon (Va.); Potomac River; Quartermasters; United States. Army; Washington (D.C.); Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: While I was in the quartermaster office, I was sent out to--to make official inspections of the WAC mess halls. So that sent me to all the bases where we had WACS . . .

Segment Synopsis: Evans traveled across the country conducting health inspections on WAC mess halls. Evans says that she often traveled alone on civilian trains, which were packed with many women going to see their husbands and boyfriends on leave. Evans recalls that some commanding officers were shocked when she arrived to inspect the WAC mess halls alone. Evans was comfortable traveling alone, since she had traveled to all of the states in the continental U.S. with her family as a child. Evan's father was the Dean at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and traveled often. Evans was once sent from Lexington to Louisville on a train to the state fair while her parents followed by car. Evans says that she wore her WACS uniform while traveling on the civilian train packed with male soldiers. Evans remembers that many people on the train asked her about her uniform, since she was one of the first classes of female officers in the WACS.

Keywords: Civilians; Commanding officers; Kentucky State Fair; Mess halls; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Airplanes; Chicago (Ill.); Childhood; Crowds; Dean; Food; Fort Devens (Mass.); Health inspectors; Lexington (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Men; Military uniforms; Professors; Public health; States; Train; Travel; United States; United States. Army; University of Kentucky; University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture; Washington (D.C.); Wives; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: When I went into the WAC, the only military for women was if you were a nurse . . .

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that she was the only WAC assigned to the Subsistence Division of the Quartermaster General's office. Evans states that she sometimes went with male officers on mess hall inspection trips and frequently stayed in the nurse's quarters. Evans observed some segregation between officers and enlisted personnel, but she was permitted to eat with male officers and nurses. Evans also mentions that it was prohibited for both male and female officers to date enlisted personnel. Evans thought it was unfair for the military to restrict who you could date, but realized that the military valued rules and discipline. While Evans was working at the quartermaster general's office, the military came to the realization that women were not eating as much as men at the mess halls. Evans explains that the mess hall menus had to be adjusted using a survey so that the nutrition guidelines in the military could be revised for the specific needs of women.

Keywords: Enlisted personnel; Male officers; Office of the Quartermaster General (U.S.); Quartermaster General of the United States Army; Restrictions; Rules; Supplies; WACS; WAVES; Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Discipline; Food; Food portions; Men; Menus; Nurses; Nutrition; Surveys; United States. Army; United States. Marine Corps Women's Reserve; United States. Marines; United States. Military; United States. Navy; Washington (D.C.); Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: Now you were also in Europe.

Segment Synopsis: After working for about a year at the quartermaster general's office in WACS mess hall inspection, Evans was transferred to the European theater quartermaster general's office in Paris. Evans recalls that she took the Queen Elizabeth I ship to get to Paris, which had been turned into a military ship during World War II. Aboard the ship, Evans observed that many troops on the way to combat had a very laisse faire attitude, since they were facing their own mortality. Evans' departure from the U.S. was delayed when the Battle of the Bulge began. Evans traveled from Fort Des Moines to New York and awaited her departure from New York Harbor at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Once on the ship, Evans and two other WACS started a singing group called The Poor Man's Andrews Sisters to help entertain the troops. Evans says that General Eisenhower wanted WACS on every ship traveling to the front, including some women who were aboard ships that were hit off the coast of North Africa. Evans also mentions that all ships traveling to the front went in a zigzag pattern to avoid submarine attacks, which forced passengers to become accustomed to seasickness. On the way to the front, Evans was concerned rather than afraid, especially about the mounting troop casualties that the U.S. military was facing at the time.

Keywords: Battle of the Bulge; D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion); Dwight Eisenhower; Entertainment; North Africa; Quartermaster General of the United States Army; Quartermaster general's office; RMS Queen Elizabeth (Ship); Seasick; Troops; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Danger; Fort Des Moines (Iowa); Fort Dix (N.J.); France; International travel; Mass casualties; Men; Military uniforms; Mortality; New York Harbor (N.Y. and N.J.); Paris (France); Singing; Soldiers; Submarines; United States. Army; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: You ended up in Paris.

Segment Synopsis: Evans recalls that the RMS Queen Elizabeth docked in Scotland and she traveled by train through England and crossed over into France via Le Havre on a small boat. Evans traveled throughout western Europe to mess halls located in regions not on the front lines, including in Belgium and France. In the spring of 1945, Evans worked in food preparation at an American military camp with many German prisoners of war near the Rhine River. Evans remembers that there was a whole barrack of female prisoners of war. Evans says that she mostly relied on food brought by the Germans to feed prisoners of war, since the Army did not want to use their own supplies to feed prisoners. Evans says that large blocks of cheese were sometimes poisoned by the Germans. Evans also mentions that some women dug holes to seek shelter from the hot sun and protect themselves from the cool nights in the Rhine Valley. Evans recalls that the youngest prisoner of war according to the Stars and Stripes military newspaper was a newborn baby that a German prisoner of war had given birth to at the camp Evans worked. Evans explains that the Nazi Army had many prostitutes follow it and that many of the women ended up as prisoners of war. Evans adds that a sniper shot at her from across the Rhine while she worked at the American Army camp.

Keywords: Combat; Drivers; Food preparation; Foxholes; Male officers; Mess halls; Quartermaster General of the United States Army; Quartermaster general's office; Supplies; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Babies; Barracks; Belgium; Birth; Cheese; Cold; England; Europe; Food; France; Germans; Germany; Health inspectors; Heat; Holes; International travel; Le Havre (France); Nurses; Paris (France); Prisoners of war; Prostitutes; Rhine River; Scotland; Stars and Stripes (newspaper); United Kingdom; Weather; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: Well, what were some of the images that you remember--uh--what did you see and what was Paris--what did it look like when you were there and when you were out--um--traveling the countryside?

Segment Synopsis: Evans recalls that one of the more difficult moments in her service was when she got a strong stench of dead bodies and animals while traveling through Cologne. Evans explains that many male World War II veterans did not feel comfortable talking about their combat experiences until many years later. Evans observed that many veterans began opening up about their experiences in conjunction with the 50th anniversary commemoration of the start of World War II (in the 1990s). One way that Evans coped with her experiences in the Army was to tell herself that there were much worse places for her to be than the horrific situation she was in. Evans also mentions that women were not allowed to have a ranking higher than colonel in the Army during World War II. Evans explains that she received equal pay on par with male officers when the WACS became a part of the Army instead of the Army auxiliaries.

Keywords: Female officers; Food preparation; Jeep; Male officers; Military benefits; Military ranks; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Animals; Belgium; Cologne (Germany); Coping; Death; Equality; Food; Hierarchy; Men; Paris (France); Salaries; Smell; Trauma; Travel; United States. Army; Veterans; Weapons; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: And when the war was over, it never occurred to me to stay in the military, although I--I started working for the Veterans Administration for our state regional office as--after I became a civilian . . .

Segment Synopsis: Once the war ended, Evans did not want to stay in the military and chose to work at the VA instead. Evans was the only female senior training officer at the VA in Lexington and worked to coordinate GI Bill benefits for veterans interested in attending vocational school. Evans recalls that the VA in Lexington was initially an extension of a hospital on Leestown Road, since the hospital director wanted to start a program to help veterans resettle into civilian life. Eventually, Evans' department moved to Louisville, which became the regional office for the VA in the state of Kentucky. Evans discusses how the GI Bill changed higher education in post-war America, with more non-traditional students entering college and changing the culture and expectations on college campuses.

Keywords: GI Bill; Vocational school

Subjects: Change; Education; Education, Higher; Federal government; Hospitals; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Marriage; Men; Students; Undergraduate; United States. Department of Veterans Affairs; Veterans; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: Well how else did the--um--your experience in the Women's Army Corps in--influence your life?

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that her initial job after the war at the VA was made possible by her military service. When Evans was giving a speech to a civic group in Lexington, the director of the hospital that was starting the VA annex encouraged her to apply for a job there. Evans enjoyed her job at the VA and stayed there for four years before leaving to start a family. Evans met her husband, a fellow veteran, on a blind date. Evans says that her husband did not like the military and dropped out of West Point as a result. Evans' husband participated in an Army Specialized Training Program out of DePaul University. Evans explains that the ASTP mostly recruited engineering students in college and that when the war began, many ASTPs were sent to infantry units. Evans says that she did not participate in veterans' groups such as the American Legion since she was busy with her volunteer work and raising a family. Evans eventually became the president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs in Kentucky.

Keywords: Family; Husband; Officers; Priorities; State Federation of Women's Clubs; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.); Women's clubs

Subjects: Army Specialized Training Program (U.S.); Ashland (Ky.); Blind dates; DePaul University; Engineering; Engineers; Hospitals; Lexington (Ky.); Marriage; Soldiers; Speeches; Teaching; United States Military Academy; United States. Army; United States. Department of Veterans Affairs; University of Kentucky; Veterans; Volunteerism; Volunteers; Women veterans

Partial Transcript: You were there when the--when the war ended . . . tell me a little bit about that. What was the reaction over there--

Segment Synopsis: Evans found about the German surrender on the radio while she was stationed at the prisoner of war camp in the Rhine Valley. Evans recalls that there was subdued excitement at the prisoner of war camp amongst the American Army personnel. After the German surrender, Evans was sent to help with the logistics of returning American military personnel home at temporary base camps on the French coast (which were named after American cigarette brands). Evans explains that she expected to be sent to the Pacific theatre of the war until the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Evans also says that there was a points system for determining which service personnel got to go home first, which was based on length of service and number of dependents. Consequently, Evans did not have enough points to go home until the end of 1945. Evans also mentions that many male military personnel had only signed up for one year of service and ended up serving three years without having the opportunity to come home on leave.

Keywords: European theatre (World War II); Pacific theatre (World War II); Quartermaster General of the United States Army; Quartermaster general's office; Troops; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: France; Germans; Germany; Japan; Logistics; Military bases; Military occupation; Nazis; Paris (France); Quartermasters; Radio; Rhine River; Travel; United States; United States. Army; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: So, when you came back to the States, where did you go?

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that she traveled by boat from France to New York when she left Europe in late 1945 when her World War II service had ended. Evans also mentions that she traveled with several other WACS and enlisted women on the ship. Evans recalls that male and female military personnel of all ranks were separated along gender lines. Evans recalls that one day some male soldiers hoisted up the khaki underwear worn by the WACS during the flag raising. Evans states that WACS wore khaki garters, skirts, and pants. Evans says that her most difficult moment during her military service was when she was shot at by a sniper along the Rhine River and emphasizes with the men in combat who faced danger constantly.

Keywords: Enlisted personnel; Female officers; Male officers; Ships; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Flag raising and lowering; Humor; Men; Military uniforms; Travel; Underwear; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: We talked about the type of clothing that we wore.

Segment Synopsis: Evans recalls that the WACS uniform included a hobby hat with a bill and a garrison-style hat to cover the women's hair. Evans explains that women were not allowed to have their hair touching their collars, but were permitted to grow their hair out, but needed to be in a hair tie. In terms of sanitation, Evans says that she was fortunate enough to have access to her own private bathroom while staying in Paris (since the quartermaster general's office had acquired a civilian hotel for its personnel to stay in). Evans says that some women did not like the khaki color of the WAVES uniform, which was drab when compared to the Navy-colored WAVES uniform and the Women's Marine Corps uniforms, which were green with a red trim.

Keywords: Appearance; Marine Corps Women's Reserve; Neatness; WACS; WAVES; Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Cleanliness; Hair; Hats; Hygiene; Laundry; Military uniforms; Restrooms; Sanitation; United Service Organizations (U.S.); United States. Army; United States. Marine Corps; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: How did growing up through the Depression prepare you for the war, or did it?

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that when she was a child during the Great Depression, her family had very few material possessions. Evans recalls her mother's generosity, including feeding homeless people from the back porch of their Lexington home. From her family, Evans learned the importance of sharing what you have with others. While attending the University of Kentucky in the late 1930s, Evans observed that one member of her sorority had more sweaters than she did, but her family reminded her that there were many people who were less fortunate than themselves. For entertainment during the Great Depression, Evans says that her family took car rides and visited friends. Evans remembers that her father took them to poorer areas of Lexington to remind the family of how fortunate they were to have the lifestyle they were accustomed to. Evans explains that growing up in the Depression prepared her for World War II through learning not to be wasteful and not to complain about her circumstances in the war. Evans adds that she volunteered at a local settlement school (Lincoln School) when she was a teenager to give back to her community.

Keywords: Cars; Clothes; Entertainment; High Street Viaduct (Lexington, Ky.); Lincoln School (Lexington, Ky.); Sororities; WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Childhood; Children; Early life; Fayette County (Ky.); Food; Friendship; Generosity; Great Depression; Homelessness; Income; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Mother; Neighborhoods; Parents; Poverty; Railroad; Sharing; Students; Sweaters; Undergraduate; United States. Army; University of Kentucky; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: The Women's Memorial.

Segment Synopsis: Evans became involved in the planning of the Military Women's Memorial in Arlington, Virginia through her participation in exhibits about women in World War II at Kentucky museums. Evans became the Kentucky representative to assist in obtaining the funds and approval for the Military Women's Memorial. Evans says that there was a contest to determine the design of the memorial. The winning concept was designed by the son of a female World War II veteran. The memorial was created out of an expansion of an already existing hemicycle structure near the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. The expansion included the addition of an auditorium, a registry of women veterans, and a flag room. Evans explains one of the more challenging aspects of the memorial is that women cannot be added without their permission until 75 years after their date of service due to privacy restrictions on military records. Evans says that she worked with the Daughters of the American Revolution to register Kentucky women in their records who served as nurses during the Spanish American War. Evans explains that many nurses trained at what is now University of Notre Dame and then registered for military service in Kentucky. Evans details her efforts to find other female Kentucky veterans, including scouring articles in the Louisville Courier-Journal. Evans attended the groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies for the memorial and recalls that many veterans were surrounded and represented by their families. Evans adds that she supports equal pay and opportunities for women, but not the women's rights movement.

Keywords: Dedication ceremony; Exhibits; Family; Funding; Louisville Courier-Journal; Military records; Military Women's Memorial (Arlington, Va.); Registries; Tattersall Barracks (Lexington, Ky.); WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Arlington (Va.); Arlington National Cemetery (Arlington, Va.); Auditoriums; Barracks; Counties; Daughters of the American Revolution; Design; Equality; Fayette County (Ky.); Flags; Indiana; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Memorials; Men; Museums; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing schools; Privacy; Red Cross and Red Crescent; Spanish-American War, 1898; University of Notre Dame; Washington (D.C.); Women; Women veterans; Women's rights; World War I; World War II

Partial Transcript: But it doesn't carry the names of all the others that served in Vietnam . . . and the same is true in our Kentucky Vietnam Memorial, which to me is quite--quite outstanding.

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. includes only the names of American military personnel killed in action. Evans states that the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed by Lexington architect Helm Roberts. Evans believes that Roberts should have won an architectural prize for his design, since it incorporates unique elements such as a sundial. Evans also mentions that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Kentucky only lists casualties, not all of the Kentuckians who served in the war. Evans adds that the Military Women's Memorial has a section dedicated to women who served their country in a non-military capacity, such as USO and Red Cross members. Evans believes that being a veteran has considerably influenced her interest in war memorials.

Keywords: Helm Roberts; Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Military Women's Memorial (Arlington, Va.)

Subjects: Architects; Architecture; Casualties, Battle; Death; Design; Frankfort (Ky.); Franklin County (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Memorials; Red Cross and Red Crescent; Soldiers; Sundials; United Service Organizations (U.S.); Veterans; Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, D.C.); Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Women veterans

Partial Transcript: Now, have you been over to Europe and--uh--seen the beach now since the--anniversary?

Segment Synopsis: Evans traveled back to France in 1994 with a veterans group from Lexington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Normandy. Evans recalls that the French were very hospitable and gracious to the visiting veterans. Evans also visited Deauville, a sister city to Lexington with a thriving horse industry. Evans recalls that she and the other veterans were presented with a French Medal of Appreciation for their World War II service. Evans also mentions that the French organizers helped one veteran to locate a hedgerow by a school in the countryside where he had hit out from enemy fire during the war. Evans says that the trip was very emotional, especially visiting the French coast and the military cemeteries.

Keywords: Omaha Beach (France); WACS; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Americans; Cemeteries; D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion); Deauville (France); Emotions; France; French; Horse industry; Horses; Hospitality; International travel; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Le Havre (France); Lexington (Ky.); Medals; Men; Museums; Nineteen nineties; Normandy (France); Rural; Schools; Sister cities; Veterans; War; Women; Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: And have you kept in touch with any of your fellow WAC officers . . .

Segment Synopsis: Evans says that she is still in contact with several of the women she served with in the WAVES, including one woman from her officer candidate school class. Evans says that she met up with a WAVES veteran in Washington D.C. and others on an individual basis, but never attended an official WACS reunion. Evans says that she has occasionally noticed write-ups of WACS reunions in the Stars and Stripes military newspaper. Evans shares that she had heard of the short-lived WACS Museum at Fort McClellan through a National Archives workshop she attended. Evans also mentions that her neighbor also served in the WACS and joined when her husband became a prisoner of war in the Philippines and was part of the Bataan Death March.

Keywords: Military Women's Memorial (Arlington, Va.); Officer candidate school; Reunions; WAC Museum (Fort McClellan, Ala.); WACS; WAVES; Women Accepted for Emergency Service; Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Bataan Death March, Philippines, 1942; Engineering; Engineers; Father; Fayette County (Ky.); Friendship; Husbands; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Maryland; Neighbors; Parents; Pennsylvania; Philadelphia (Penn.); Prisoners of war; Professors; Stars and Stripes (Newspaper); Transylvania University; United States. Army; Veterans; Viaducts; Washington (D.C.); Williamsburg (Va.); Women veterans; World War II

Partial Transcript: And you're working in Frankfort now?

Segment Synopsis: Evans currently works as the Director of The Meeting House in Frankfort, which caters to the meeting needs of Kentucky state government employees. Evans says that she enjoys her job and has no plans to retire. Evans adds that she likes working with young people and being on the periphery of state government.

Keywords: The Meeting House (Frankfort, Ky.)

Subjects: Employees; Frankfort (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Meetings; Retirement; State governments; Women veterans; Work