Woman's Place In War - Weather Observer

A diligent member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) studies the weather using a theodolite, a piece of scientific equipment used for measuring angles and distances. Meteorological science was critical to the war effort, for routing ships full of supplies as well as for plotting raids and espionage behind enemy lines. The Women's Army Corps was founded in 1942 in order to supplement stateside production for the American Armed Forces. WAC members initially served as switchboard operators, mechanics/arms repairpeople, and bakers. Later positions expanded to office oriented assignments and drivers. The WAC program encountered a strong critical reaction, painting the women as, at best, taking jobs from men, and, at worst, as lesbians or consorts to servicemen. This necessitated a wide promotional campaign, which sought to portray the women as patriotic and to show them involved in the war effort. Clothing designers produced outfits based on the WAC uniform for commercial sale. About 150