Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC)

The Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), established in 1942 during World War II, was a U.S. military program that allowed women to serve in non-combat roles to support the war effort. Women in WAAC worked as clerks, nurses, radio operators, and drivers, freeing male soldiers for combat. Initially considered a civilian organization, it was later integrated fully into the Army as the Women's Army Corps (WAC), granting women full military status and benefits. WAAC marked a significant step toward gender inclusion in the U.S. military, expanding opportunities for women in national defense.