(Posted 11-3-99)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Deborah Durkee, 336-334-5371

WOMEN VETERANS PROJECT CONTINUES WITH ORAL HISTORY

GREENSBORO--A project to honor women in the military began a year ago at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a collection of war memorabilia. Today the project has grown to include a collection of oral histories.

Interviews with 90 North Carolina women veterans of World War II have been collected by the staff of UNCG's Jackson Library. The goal is to conduct at least 125 interviews before the women, who are in their 70's, 80's and 90's, are no longer around to tell their stories. Because three interviewees have died since the interview process began in early 1999, a sense of urgency hangs over the project. It's an urgency hard to meet because of a lack of funds.

"We've applied for grants, but so far have received none," said Betty Carter, UNCG archivist. "We'd like to continue and bring our collection up to the present to show how the military has changed; how women have changed; and how they have influenced each other."

Women veterans will be honored at a luncheon in the UNCG Alumni House at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, in celebration of Veteran's Day. The veterans will share their memories over lunch and then view the Women Veterans Historical Exhibit, which will be on display through November on the first and second floors of Jackson Library.

Some of the stories in the oral history tapes reflect the difficulty women had as they stepped into their pioneering roles as military women.

"Free a man to fight" was the call to service on some of the recruitment posters that will be on display in the collection. As honorable as that sounds, it doesn't reflect the resentment some felt toward women in military service during WWII. For every soldier who was freed to fight by a military woman taking his job, a family was left without a father, husband or son. So, although the women served their country, they didn't receive the accolades or the respect given the men.

That's one reason the project was started, to give these women the accolades and respect they're due. Carter hopes to maintain this unique collection for use by scholars of women's studies, military history and social studies.

"With the University's  background as Woman's College, and with the many alumnae who served in the military, UNCG seems the appropriate place for this collection to reside," Carter said.

The collection contains memorabilia from members of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service -- Navy), WAACS (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps), WACS (Women's Army Corps), SPARS (Coast Guard Women's Reserve), Army Air Force veterans, Army and Navy nurses, Women Marines and the Red Cross.

Included in the collection are letters, papers, photographs, published materials, uniforms and medals. The library also houses a collection of WWII era posters, including those recruiting women to serve and general posters for subjects such as: war bonds, war jobs, men's recruitment posters, safety, secrecy, home front issues and conservation.

Presently the collection focuses on WWII veterans, but hopefully will be expanded to include women veterans of the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf wars. The project has a Web site: http://library.uncg.edu/depts/archives/msspapers/womvets.html

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