Description: Meyer (history, Coll. of William and Mary), formerly trained as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy, fills a void in the historical debate on women in the military. Her volume draws from oral histories, archival records, and popular media coverage of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) to provide a platform for a discussion of the contemporary debates about women's roles in the military and in wartime. Founded to fill a clerical labor shortage in the army during World War II, WAC attempted to provide women a way to serve their country. Derided in the press and society at large as prostitutes for soldiers, WACs had to adhere to a stricter and more antiquated moral code than civilian counter parts. African American women viewed admission into WAC as a victory in the racial struggle. Meyer also examines historically the issue of lesbianism. While not a history of WAC, her volume offers solid historical context. Recommended for all academic and large public libraries.

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