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Object Description
| Title | [Letter from Adeline LaPlante to parents, 1942] |
| Date | 1942-09 |
| Item creator's name | LaPlante, Adeline Sears |
| Subject headings |
World War, 1939-1945 United States. Army--Women |
| Era | World War II era (1940-1946) |
| Service branch |
Army--WAAC Army--WAC |
| Item description | Adeline LaPlante writes to her parents about the challenges of life in the WAAC. She discusses exams and a peer-rating system her platoon uses. She also provides information about her schedule and expenses. |
| Veteran's name | LaPlante, Adeline Sears |
| Veteran's biography |
Adeline Sears LaPlante (1919-2006) of Easton, Pennsylvania, served as a recruiter and as a public relations officer in the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) and the Women's Army Corps (WAC) from 1942-1945 . Adeline Sears LaPlante (1919-2006) was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, on 19 November 1919. She attended the University of Rochester and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree . LaPlante joined the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) in September, 1942. She attended Officer Candidate School at the WAAC Training Center at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and was commissioned in October, 1942. In January, 1943, LaPlante attended recruiter training in Atlanta, Georgia, before being assigned as a WAAC recruiter in Charlotte, North Carolina. While stationed in Charlotte, LaPlante preformed her recruiting duties by traveling to various cities and towns throughout North Carolina. In September, 1943, LaPlante attended Intermediate Officer Training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and Daytona Beach, Florida. She was transferred to Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, in November, 1943, and worked in public relations. LaPlante met her future husband, Roy LaPlante, there and they married in March, 1944. She was discharged from the WAC in August, 1945, as a 1st Lieutenant. LaPlante died on 21 November, 2006. |
| Type | image |
| Original format | correspondence |
| Original publisher | [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] |
| Language | en |
| Contributing institution | Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries |
| Source collection | WV0395 Adeline Sears LaPlante Papers, 1942-1945 |
| Collection summary | This collection includes letters, postcards and Christmas cards from LaPlante to her parents about her career in the WAAC and the WAC from 1943-1944. The collection also contains a photograph album, and news clippings from LaPlante's time in the service. |
| Box | 1 |
| Folder | 1: Letters, 1942 September-December |
| Finding aid link | https://libapps.uncg.edu/archon/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=504 |
| Rights statement | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Additional rights information | IN COPYRIGHT. This item is subject to copyright. Contact the rights holder noted above for permission to reuse. |
| Object ID | wv0395.4.002 |
| Digital publisher | The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University Libraries, PO Box 26170, Greensboro NC 27402-6170, 336.334.5304 -- http://library.uncg.edu/ |
| Full-text transcript |
P.M. Oct. 3, 1942 Friday nite Dear Mother and Dad' This has been the toughest week to date. We haven't had one minute to breathe in' believe it or not we don't even have time to go to the john on some days. As a typical example'Monday, when we did have 15 min. free between class and mess call we had a fire drill; immediately after mess' with about 20 free minutes' we we[sic] called to our inspection of the ranks. They are clamping down on long hair; it must clear the collar by 2 in. Lots of the girls are getting those horrible shingles; they look just like men from the rear and I think it's too bad inasmuch as we look mannish enough as it is. Its about 9:45 now'lights are out and I'm in the day room. It's crowded with people' every chair taken, and a big poker game is going on'.Enclosed is a money order for $25. I'd like to open an account at the bank if you could give me some way in which to sign something to get it started. Then I could just sign deposit slips. I had a snap taken of me counting my first earned money' $41'."(about 80' deducted for bills). They haven't paid us for our furlough yet' some girls from other areas got it and we're going to investigate'.Today we were in a dress review; they took newsreel pictures of it; so when you see the waacs[Women's Auxiliary Army Corps] parading along you'll know I'm in it this time. It's really a thrilling thing, but an awfully tense feeling too. This was the WAAC band's first formal appearance. Our platoon is inclined to break ranks now and then which we'll have to correct'.35 m.p.h. seems awfully slow to drive for the distance out here. Perhaps it wouldn't be worth it' all I do is get gold bars that day (October 17). I haven't any idea where I'll go next' after my two weeks additional training here. Perhaps I'll even stay here longer altho I'd like to be on the move'.Our winter uniforms'olive drab' are quite gorgeous. They won't be issued to us until Oct. 10, the recruiting girls who have left here already have them'.This photo was taken for the public relations dept. I don't like them especially, do you? Don't let the paper have it, please. I understand that it can be sent to them from here if the Publicity dept. wants some publicity after graduation'.Tomorrow I'm going to the city again. We get a tetanus shot and I certainly dread seeing that needle. I'm staying overnite at a hotel; studying all day Sunday in there. It's much too noisy here to do much' and we have exams everyday next week. It's our worst week' 2 exams combine 10 courses which requires an awful lot of cramming'.I'm not doing too well so far with the exams; got a D on my first (when I was sick I took it). They grade by the curve which means 5% get F's automatically. But you can still pass, so''. They really need the officers and from what I can gather the main thing is to take the 6 wks. without breaking 3 girls (from other companies) are mental cases at the hospital' but I believe that they had mental histories before they came here. We've lost two girls from our group of 93 (the smallest yet) ' one has been in the hospital 3 wks with audemia[edema?]; the other fell 5 day ago and hurt her tail bone (or something)'.While I think about it'some of these 3rd officers are very cocky and smart and overbearing. Why do women have to get that way? The men dislike some of them intensely'. Tomorrow we get ""rating sheets"" to rate 16 girls each in our respective platoons. We rate each other on everything'character, poise, leadership, womanlyness[sic], ability to command, sincerity, etc. They go a lot by these sheets, too' our company kept a girl from being commissioned by putting her at the bottom of 16 lists. The army theory is to teach us to judge others inasmuch as we must judge those under us some day'. Got a cute letter from Tom Dougherty, Notre Dame. He read in the Hazleton paper about my getting in the waacs. Imagine! Any weekend that I want to meet him in Chicago or come to Notre Dame is fine, he says. He'll show me or rather ""promise"" me a nice time' ""always something on fire""'.Think I'll shower now and go to bed. It's 10:15. Will finish this tomorrow'.Oh yes, Colliers, Oct. 10, has a very true article on the waacs'.and I like it' this army life'even though it's not soft. Saturday morning It's 9:20; we've already had breakfast, cleaned our barracks, had personal inspection and barracks inspection. At 9:45 we're having another parade' at 11:00 we go for our gas masks' at 12:05 is lunch; at 1:05 we get immunized (they say it hurts like fury when the needle goes in and for about ten minutes after; reaction may come next weekend). We're leaving for Des Moines as soon after 2 as we can. It will seem good to get back into civilian clothes. You've no idea what a lift it gives'.There's another girl from Rochester here. She graduates next week' was a junior when I was a sophomore'.Just went up to get my bag' am going to get a luggage cover for it. It has been much admired. Afternoon 3:45 Am now at the Brown Hotel in Des Moines. A spiffy little room'twin beds' balcony for $4.50. It's pouring out' it also rained for the parade' so I'm wearing my uniform so that I can wear my raincoat (no mixing of uniforms allowed)'. Am going to the stores in a minute'.This is wonderful' to get away like this. Guess I'll get started. Love- Adeline Had my shot and feel fine. If you come out, I think you'd like this Hotel. The Des Moines is the Hotel' rather stay there? The coat and things arrived' after it got hot. |
| OCLC number | 900817085 |
