Julia M. Jackson Woods scrapbook, 1942-1947 (Women's History)

Julia M. Jackson Woods scrapbook, 1942-1947

This scrapbook was created by Julia M. Jackson Woods (1911-2000), an African American woman from Louisville, Kentucky, who enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in November 1942. The scrapbook contains greeting cards, newspaper clippings, and ephemera from Woods' service, as well as more than 20 insignia and patches collected from various units, including her own sergeant stripes. The scrapbook documents the social side of military base life - cards from USO groups and friends, marriages, dances, and other interracial interactions between otherwise segregated regiments stationed at the same bases. A few items at the end of the volume relate to Woods' postwar life in Louisville. Woods served in the all-Black 32nd Post Headquarters Company of the WAAC. She did much of her training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, near the Mexican border; she also served stints in Des Moines, Iowa and Midland, Texas. A clipping on one of the initial pages of the scrapbook notes that Jackson was one of Louisville's first volunteers to join the WAAC. She was discharged on August 14, 1943. After the United States Congress authorized the creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), she enlisted in the WAC on May 1, 1944. She ultimately reached the rank of sergeant and served in the military police force. The Army discharged her on December 24, 1945. After her service, she married Thomas Harry Woods (1914-1961) and was hired as the head of the all-Black Western Kentucky Vocational Training School Department of Cosmetology in Paducah, Kentucky, by 1946.

Pages

Page Status Needs Review

36

Christmas card with nativity WAC Thanksgiving Menu[...] Graduation Exercises Class 44-45-B {First graduation Class of Calased Cadets From Midland Texas}

Last edit about 1 year ago by Bdemps87

Page Status Needs Review

37

[1st page on the left] [In text] Chas. H. Dowman Colonel, Air Corps

Comanding Midland, Army Air Field

STAFF DEPARMENT OF TRAINING Army Air Forces Bombardier School Lt. Col. Howard E. Watkins, A.C. Deputy For Training & Operations Lt. Col. Harry E Phelps, A.C. ...Comandant of Cadets Major Joseph E. Stiles, A.C. ...Director of Flying Major Carl W Allen, A.C. ... Secretary Major Frank E. Lightburn, A.C. ... Director of Ground Training Capt. Jack H. Clause, A.C. ... Commanding, First Training Squadron Capt. Vernon E. Wilson, A.C. ...Commanding, Second Training Squadron CLASS 44-45B

[2nd page on the right] PROGRAM Saturday, 4 Nobember 1944 9:00 A.M. POST THEATER

Invocation...Chaplain Toomey Selected Numbers...M.A.A.F. Bend Administering Oath of Office...Major Allen Introduction of Speaker...Colonel Dowman Address...Chaplain Toomey MAAF, Midland, Texas Awarding of Comissions...Colonel Dowman Awarding of Wings...Colonel Watkins Awarding Trophy to Outstanding Cadet...Colonel Dowman Air Corps Song...Class Star Spangled Banner...Audience-Bend Benediction...Chaplain Swope (Additional Information on reverse)