With Pride and Dignity
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Year Published: 1962
Format: 16mm
Description: "With Pride and Dignity" is a circa 1962 Department of the Army color film takes a look at the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), the women’s branch of the United States Army. It begins with a cold opening as a lieutenant colonel reviews WACs in formation as the narrator explains how we are all part of a team working together. The narrator explains, beginning at mark 01:32, how a relationship between a commanding officer and those in their outfit is similar to a teacher and student, with the young, enlisted personnel able to turn to a more experienced role model. In a flashback sequence starting at mark 02:40, the commander recalls when she joined the WACs in 1942 as black-and-white footage is shown and we learn about the organization’s beginnings and goal "not to fight of course but to free a man to fight." The narrator briefly recounts the WAC history and how in 1943 the WACs officially became "a component of the United States Army, standing on our own two high heels." Occasionally WACs came under fire with some of the women receiving the same recognition as their male counterparts, and at mark 03:54 we watch Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark pin a commendation on one of the women. WACs are shown marching in France following the end of World War II (mark 04:12) before returning to the film’s present day and a look at the roles WACs play in military offices and communication centers, or in medical or laboratory facilities. Many WACs also hold various communication positions (mark 07:55) and are given the opportunity to enroll in various classes "to advance themselves intellectually" (mark 08:43). The end credits roll over the sounds of the "Colonel Bogey March." The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942 by Public Law 554, and converted to full status as the WAC on 1 July 1943. Its first director was Oveta Culp Hobby, a prominent society woman in Texas. The WAC was disbanded in 1978, and all units were integrated with male units. The WAAC's organization was designed by numerous Army bureaus coordinated by Lt. Col. Gilman C. Mudgett, the first WAAC Pre-Planner; however, nearly all of his plans were discarded or greatly modified before going into operation because he expected a corps of only 11,000 women.[4] Without the support of the War Department, Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts introduced a bill on 28 May 1941, providing for a women’s army auxiliary corps. The bill was held up for months by the Bureau of the Budget but was resurrected after the United States entered the war and became law on 15 May 1942. A section authorizing the enlistment of 150,000 volunteers was temporarily limited by executive order to 25,000. The WAAC was modeled after comparable British units, especially the ATS, which caught the attention of Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. In 1942, the first contingent of 800 members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps began basic training at Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School, Iowa. The women were fitted for uniforms, interviewed, assigned to companies and barracks and inoculated against disease during the first day.
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Transcription
on Wednesday I hold a company formation which means that instead of going directly to their duty stations at the Pentagon and other nearby military agencies we first assemble in the company area our line is confession to the army where I'm the forward to these formation and the opportunity they provide to maintain that personal communication which is so important they also help to remind that they were left out of the team working together depending on each other [Music] my office door is always open but often little questions can't wait the women are free to approach me at any time and I encourage them to do so it always helps to get someone else's viewpoint or advice or to be reassured good to have someone older and wiser to turn to and that's one of the things commanding officers are for your relationship with the members of your command becomes much like that of pupil and teacher and you get a lot of satisfaction out of helping them watching them develop self-reliance maturity of judgment and self-discipline [Music] the friendships you make in the Corps lasts a long time and hardly a day passes that you don't receive a letter from one of your women who has been transferred to a new assignment and now and then a letter that turns back the clock to distant memories of your first days in the Corps dear Mildred received a letter today from daughter Ellen our first and she started her basic training she's terribly thrilled and so excited about it all and so impressed do you remember our first stage more than 20 years ago 20 years ago has it been that long yes I guess it has a fact July 1942 a brand new experience for every one of us and a challenge friendships that have stood the test of time and change January 1943 how excited we were that tremendous day we embarked for overseas and how proud and important we felt the first American women soldiers to sail away to war not to fight of course but to free a man to fight does their time to pass too much clothing have you ever talked to a soldier who had to fight outnumbered on some battlefield support denying alliance has real meaning for him and for those who before then came bad basic temblor first 1943 when the ability was dropped from the name Women's Army at Hilary Corps and we became the Women's Army Corps a component in the United States Army standing on our own two high heels it wasn't an that way but some of us did come under fire and when we did we was founded with a kind of courage that made our men proud of us soldiers like General Mark Clark and Italy made it a point to give that courage of soldiers recognition [Music] and finally team VE Day Victory in Europe oh how proud we were as we marched with our men Donna Jean Philippe in Paris as part of the greatest victorious American army in our nation's history [Music] today's women are a lot like we were the uniform the trimmer and maybe a lot of them are a bit smarter they have to be today's requirements are higher than ever but otherwise the women today are much as we were the same bright faces ready smile the same eagerness for challenge the same wonderful prize [Music] in the Pentagon alone watts perform more than 20 different kinds of jobs in the Army as a whole the total is more than 100 they filled vital positions in the offices and communication centers in both the department the Army and the Department of Defense some are receptionist for top ranking general where they take care of important appointment calendars and handle correspondence which might someday be among the treasured documents in the National Archives some are aspiring to the graphic art we're working with others they participate in a free exchange of ideas getting the job done they are advanced in their occupational specialty according to their skills those with an inclination toward clerical work learn to operate business machines and an army service school and after graduation are placed in key positions in busy command headquarters and participate support activity like so many of their counterparts in civilian life many watts or stenographers and those with top-secret clearances are selected to work and top-level Defense Department agencies reporting every word that is said at vital decision-making conferences learning of history before it happens in today's fast-moving world the opportunity provides in the field of medicine are as varied as they are expecting many waxwork in medical administration pharmacy or as dental or x-ray technician or even in laboratory assistants in the expanding field of medical research they'll make a rewarding on the career of the popular hobby of photography others for fie for a variety of jobs in the realm of celluloid in the laboratory and as camera wielding photographers covering assignments for the information officers in the field of information many waxwork on army newspaper staff where they write stories for release to the civilian prep others are radio journalists writing their own copy for transmission over the airway or spinning discs for older audience [Music] communication told the army together and in today's modern defense establishment the rapid and continuous flow of information to America's far-flung outposts here's an indispensable part of national security many rats play a major role in communications working as they do and taste relay centers both in the United States and overseas [Music] but it's not all work in addition to 30 days lead time each year where I've received frequent passes days off for relaxation and for sightseeing after a day's work many relax from the comfort of the dayroom best army taught for the company living room here they watch television read keep from a traditional feminine art or simply engage in small talk the army affords many opportunities for service women to advance themselves intellectually off-duty educational programs offer courses leading to a college degree [Music] most military installations feature several post clubs as many of these social centers lively combos provide the necessary background for an evening of dancing and entertainment but a busy day and an entertaining evening like all good things must come to an end including the evening of dancing with mr. wonderful [Music] as for me a typical day ends with trying to catch up on personal correspondence answering letters for both new and old friends dear Mary you're most welcome letter came this morning and brought with it such a happy surge of memories those early days of the WAC were wonderful wonderful times Mary the time of youth is always wonderful of course but it was more so as we shared I'm so delighted to hear of Alan's enthusiasm for the core but how could it be otherwise the way you raised her the patriotism and sense of duty you instilled in her toward her family her church her country you're right Mary you don't have to worry about Elam the Women's Army Corps is filling with girls just like her truly wonderful young women with high ideals and a sense of dedication and direction that put real meaning into the word serving with pride and dignity the Corps has so many examples of fine young American womanhood they make me play very part of the uniform I wear and the army it represents how to be a member of the Women's Army Corps [Music] this is our beautiful national Capitol in Washington here is a monument named after our first president the Thomas Jefferson Memorial the memorial to Abraham Lincoln and just across the Potomac River in historic Virginia is the proud banner that was once the home of Robert Lee Fort Myer where I'm stationed was part of Aliyah state and no matter how many times you pass through its gates on the way to work you never fight lose the thrill of this intimate brush with history my name is Mildred Bailey I'm a lieutenant colonel in the Women's Army Corps a title and organization of which I'm understandably proud [Music] there are three companies of women at Fort Myer I'm their commanding officer a combination of housemother Dean of women and a half dozen other things all rolled into one for more than 250 women on duty in the Washington area that first Argentine as do I see to live off-post most of the officers and senior enlisted women do I've always admired sergeant Bennett admire the poise your air of self-confidence the way she talks and a proud way she carries herself to me she typifies the pride and dignity of the women in today's Women's Army Corps
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