Catherine G. Katopes Collection

Details

Who's responsible?: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries (Repository)
How much has been digitized?: Only a part of this collection has been digitized.
What's in the full collection?: Personal correspondence from 1941-1945 (three file boxes); newspaper clipping of Catherine's friend from the State -Times Baton Rouge LA 1942; newspaper clipping on Catherine during her service as a WAC to her recruiting officer; 3 photographs of friends sent to Catherine; small envelope of 16 artist renderings in color of places in Coolangatta, Queensland and Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia.
Full biography: Catherine G. Katopes (1912-1979) of Syracuse, New York served in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and the Women's Army Corps from 1942 to late 1945. Catherine G. Katopes joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and was sent to basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, in September 1942. In early 1943 she was transferred to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where she worked in the Public Relations Office. In January 1944 she was transferred to Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis. Following her discharge in late 1945, Katopes returned to Syracuse, New York, where she worked for the Jesuit Order.
Topics: Women's History
Military
Branch of service: Army -- WAC
Army -- WAAC
Conflict: World War II era (1940-1946)
Subject headings: World War, 1939-1945
United States. Army--Women
Contributing Institution: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries

Pages

: Georgette L. Lutz in Paris; WAC Georgette L. Lutz poses in front of a brick building in Paris, France, in July 1945. She wears the WAC winter service uniform and garrison cap. Photo was attached to letter written 1 August 1945 to Catherine Katopes. Back of photo reads "Paris France July 1945 To Kay, with love Lutzie"

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Betty; Katopes relates her discouragement at learning she has washed out of Officer Candidate School, and describes the reasons for it, emphasizing the importance befriending the "right" people. She describes her job in Public Relations at Fort Oglethorpe, advises her friend on how to apply for WAACs, and comments on the lower caliber of applicants being accepted.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Charlie, Dena, and Jimmie; Katopes relates a rumor that the WAAC has approval to be integrated into the army and speculates as to the number of WAACS who will not re-enlist with the WAC. She also notes the number of WAACs receiving overseas assignments; qualifications and training for overseas duty; and a promise to her family she wouldn't volunteer. Other topics include her work as a first sergeant organizing a detachment and her new pay grade." receiving her paycheck.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dean and Jimmie; Katopes describes life at Fort Oglethorpe to her sister and brother-in-law, including her improved living quarters and bathroom facilities, listening to the marching band practice next door to where she works, and a WAAC receiving a disability discharge. Katopes describes the tedious process of processing furloughs, and explains that her responsibilities as first sergeant have kept her from writing.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jim; Katopes relates recent developments to her sister and brother-in-law, including many personnel transfers, getting her uniform altered, being acting first sergeant, and speculating as to her next assignment.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes describes Fort Oglethorpe at length, including details of the barracks, food, the public relations office to which she has been assigned, the daily schedule, and reuniting with acquaintances from Fort Des Moines.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes describes Basic Training at Fort Des Moines in detail, including a foot blister that confines her to barracks, physical descriptions and impressions of fellow WAACs; WAAC uniforms; loosing wieght; and specific rules and regulations.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes' describes her last week of basic training to her sister and brother-in-law. Activities including her company being filmed parading and doing calisthenics, seeing a live concert broadcast on TV, receiving winter uniforms and a Congressional bill that will prevent WAACs from wearing civilian clothing, and training classes.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes' describes activities at basic training at Fort Des Moines to her sister and brother-in-law, including her company escorting a visiting female English officer, parades, flags, attending OCS graduation exercises where the WAAC director spoke, attending class in air defense, and being filmed on parade for a Joan Crawford film.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes describes basic training at Fort Des Moines to her sister and brother-in-law, including the base movie theater, kitchen patrol, doing laundry, a typhoid vaccination, and a blister that prevents her from marching.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Dena and Jimmie; Katopes relays the details of the first leg of her train ride to Des Moines for basic training to her sister and brother-in-law. Most of the girls she has met were teachers. In the second half of the letter, Katopes is waiting to check in. She and the other women rode into the camp in trucks.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to Elva; Katopes discusses running into a friend in Washington; establishing a new detachment that male soldiers resent; new WAC off-duty uniforms; having African-American cooks in the mess hall; a Women's Reserve Lounge in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis; and the marriage of a WAC. Katopes posits that men will be ashamed of their discrimination against women in the army at some point in the near future.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to brother Charlie; Katopes discusses the details of her physical exam at Fort Ontario, New York, and its inefficiencies; waiting to be sworn in to the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, the American Legion convention in town, and her motivation to join the WAAC.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to brother Charlie; Discusses her difficulty being accepted into the WAAC [Women Army Auxiliary Corps], finally being allowed to take the army medical exam, her desire to join despite her sister Dena's expected unenthusiastic response, and her recent social activities.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to family; Katopes discusses the relaxed atmosphere of her new base in Memphis; male soldier's response to WACs; the layout of the base hospital; and the patients.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to family; Katopes discusses her assignment transfer to Memphis, Tennessee, and the assignment transfers of WAC friends.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to family; Katopes writes that Washington still has not assigned her anywhere, and mentions several things she hopes for in her next assignment. She provides Johnny with advice on being promoted in the Army, and notes that some stripes are earned while others are not. She inquires after Charlie who is stationed in Africa. She describes the USO show she attended as being geared more towards male audience members.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to family; Katopes notes the distance limit for travel away from Fort Oglethorpe has been increased, her detachment won a blue ribbon for marching, the outcome of a girl who went AWOL and the WAAC's lack of penalties for such action, and her pride at being a WAAC.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to friend Ginny; Katopes talks of the Army shifting people to various countries and hopes for a good assignment for her friend. She provides a list of folks assigned to a base in Florida, mentions several that have received overseas assignments, and mentions rumors that all personnel at her base will soon be moved as well. She writes of the new club being constructed, and looks forward to it serving more than just beer, Coke-Cola, and ice cream.

: Letter from Catherine Katopes to siblings; Discusses taking girls to the base clinic; performing inspections; serving gigs; the barracks "date room" new tennis and volleyball courts; assigning kitchen patrol; a WAC marriages; male soldiers' opinion of WACs; an altercation with a captain; receiving and sending mail; demotion of a fellow WAC.

Pages

In collections

Women Veterans Historical Project