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Helen Sagl, WWII Military Records

Title: Helen Sagl, WWII Military Records

Collector: Sagl, Helen L., 1906-

Dates: 1942-1992 bulk 1942-1946

Quantity: 3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)

Collection Number: MS 0047

Language: English

Restrictions: None

Access and Use: For information on access or copyright, please see our guidelines or email archives@unl.edu.

Historical Records Statement: Please see our statement on historical records and materials.

Preferred Citation: Helen Sagl, WWII Military Records (MS 0047). Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries.

Alternative Format: None

Biography:

Helen Sagl was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1906. She attended the University of Nebraska and received a bachelor's degree in education in 1930 and a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology in 1935. She taught at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, before joining the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) in 1942 at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. She graduated from WAAC Officer Candidate School on 29 August 1942 and served as a member of the WAAC Fourth Company, First Regiment. In 1943, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corp changed names to become the Women's Army Corps (WAC). At the time of her discharge from the WAC, Sagl received the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps Service Medal. In April of 1944, Sagl attended the University of North Carolina Civilian Payroll School before returning to Camp Robinson, Arkansas. Also in 1944, Sagl spent two weeks at Fort Washington to attend the Adjutant General School, Civilian Personnel Class. In January 1945, she served at Camp Robinson as Civilian Personnel Officer. Sagl died on 13 January 1994.

Scope and Content:

The collection contains Sagl's personal and selected official correspondence, documents and publications created by or for the WAC, and materials created by the United States War Department that Sagl received during her service in the WAC. The correspondence records her experiences as a trainee and as an officer stationed in Texas and Arkansas during World War II. It particularly addresses the position of women in the United States during the war. For selected photographs of Helen Sagl, please see our HistoryPin collections.

Subjects:

Sagl, Helen L., 1906- -- Archives

United States. Army. Women's Army Auxiliary Corps -- History -- Sources

World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Female -- Sources

World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, American

Series Description: Series 1: Correspondence Boxes 1-2

The Sagl correspondence includes letters sent home to her mother, Lotta Sagl, and to her sister, Norma Sagl Steen, during her training and service in WAC. The letters detail information about her experience in Officer Candidate School at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, including the WAC program, uniforms, basic training, and recruiting and enlistment. The letters provide both personal details and information about the WAC program and World War II. There are letters that Sagl received from servicemen overseas. Several correspondents indicated their attitudes towards women in service. Other letters came from WAC officers and enlisted personnel Helen Sagl served with or commanded.

Series 2: WAC Military Records Box 2

This series includes official records from Sagl's time in the WAC regarding promotions, military quarters, pay and allowances, and separation papers. There are special orders and training documents from the Armed Services Forces and the Medical Enlisted Technicians School, and official Corps correspondence. The records include a number of printed documents created for the Corps, including handbooks and pamphlets on uniform regulations, drills, honor escorts, physical training, and recruiting. There are examples of songs and march lyrics created for the WAC along with WAC newsletters.

Series 3: Military Records and Associated Materials Box 3

This series contains records created by the War Department that were provided to the WAACs. There are special orders delivered to Sagl, such as army regulations on how to conduct correspondence and circulars on appointment of officers and recruiting. War department pamphlets and manuals outline topics such as courtesy and discipline and absence without leave. Federal and state organizational materials include a war rations book, U.S. Military Academy regulations, and a booklet titled "Boy Meets Girl in Wartime," printed by Arkansas Board of Health. Additional items include newsletters from the Army and Navy General Hospital, veteran association newsletters, and newspaper clippings about the WAC.

Container List: Series 1: Personal CorrespondenceBox 1. Folder 1. Correspondence, 1942, July-Sept. Box 1. Folder 2. Correspondence, 1942, Oct.-1943, Feb. Box 1. Folder 3. Correspondence, 1943, Mar.-Aug. Box 1. Folder 4. Correspondence, 1943, Sept.-Nov. Box 1. Folder 5. Correspondence, 1943, Dec.-1944, Mar. Box 1. Folder 6. Correspondence, 1944, Apr.-June Box 1. Folder 7. Correspondence, 1944, July-Sept. Box 1. Folder 8. Correspondence, 1944, Oct.-Dec. Box 1. Folder 9. Correspondence, 1945, Jan-Apr. Box 2. Folder 1. Correspondence, 1945, May-July Box 2. Folder 2. Correspondence, 1945, Aug.-Oct. Box 2. Folder 3. Correspondence, 1945, Nov.-1946, Jan. undated Box 2. Folder 4. Correspondence, 1979, Nov. 29 Box 2. Folder 5. Correspondence, undated Box 2. Folder 6. Autobiographical notes, by Sagl (see photographs in Box 3, Folder 22) Series 2: WAC Military RecordsBox 2. Folder 7. Sagl, military promotion Box 2. Folder 8. Sagl, military quarters and property, 1943-1944 Box 2. Folder 9. Sagl, military pay and allowance, 1943-1945 Box 2. Folder 10. Sagl, military "mess" papers, 1942-1943 Box 2. Folder 11. WAC, graduate program, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, 1942 Box 2. Folder 12. WAC, separation papers, 1946-1948 Box 2. Folder 13. WAC Handbook, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, 1943 Box 2. Folder 14. WAC, War Department Handbooks, "WAC Life," 1945, May 3 Box 2. Folder 15. WAC, War Department, regulations, 1942-1943 Box 2. Folder 16. WAC, War Department, circulars, 1943, Jan.-Apr. Box 2. Folder 17. WAC, War Department, pamphlets, 1943-1945 Box 2. Folder 18. WAC, classification assignments, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, 1942, Sept. Box 2. Folder 19. WAC, special orders, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, 1942-1943 Box 2. Folder 20. WAC, special training memo, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, 1942, Sept. Box 2. Folder 21. WAC, Army Administration School, special orders, Denton, Texas, 1943, Feb.-1943, June Box 2. Folder 22. WAC, special orders, HQ CP Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, 1944-1946 Box 2. Folder 23. WAC, Medical Enlisted Technicians School, regulations, training, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, 1943-1945 Box 2. Folder 24. WAC, Medical Enlisted Technicians School, special orders, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, 1943-1944 Box 2. Folder 25. WAC, Armed Services Forces, special orders, Omaha, Nebraska, 1943 Box 2. Folder 26. WAC, Armed Services Forces, special orders, Dallas, Texas, 1943 Box 2. Folder 27. WAC, Medical Enlisted Technicians School, special orders, Durham, North Carolina, 1944 Box 2. Folder 28. WAC, Armed Services Forces, special orders, Ft. Sheridan, Illinois, 1946 Box 2. Folder 29. WAC, official correspondence, 1942-1943 Box 2. Folder 30. WAC, property receipts and statements, 1942-1945 Box 2. Folder 31. WAC, drill, honor escorts, parade regulations Box 2. Folder 32. WAC, service uniform regulations, 1942 Box 2. Folder 33. WAC, Army Administration School, regulations guide, Denton, Texas, 1943 Box 3. Folder 1. WAC, exercise manual Box 3. Folder 2. WAC, War Department, physical training field manual, 1943, July 15 Box 3. Folder 3. WAC, sheet music, songbook Box 3. Folder 4. WAC, song, march lyrics Box 3. Folder 5. WAC, newsletters, 1943, July, 1994, Dec. Box 3. Folder 6. WAC, pamphlets, programs, speeches Box 3. Folder 7. WAC, recruiting pamphlets Box 3. Folder 8. WAC, application form blanks Box 3. Folder 9. WAC, award examples Box 3. Folder 10. WAC, publication section "Company Commander," Ft. Des Moines, Iowa Series 3: Military Records and Associated MaterialsBox 3. Folder 11. War Department, special orders Box 3. Folder 12. War Department, army regulations Box 3. Folder 13. War Department, circulars Box 3. Folder 14. War Department, pamphlets, field manuals Box 3. Folder 15. Pamphlets, federal and state organizations Box 3. Folder 16. Post Civilian Welfare Fund, reports, receipts, 1946 Box 3. Folder 17. Introductory speeches, Civilian Personnel Conference, 1944, Aug. 7-9 Box 3. Folder 18. Newsletters, Army and Navy General Hospital, 1943-1944 Box 3. Folder 19. Newsletters, veterans associations, 1946, 1979 Box 3. Folder 20. Article, "The Way It Was With the WACS," by Joy Fincke, Readers Digest, 1958, Nov. Box 3. Folder 21. Newspaper clippings, 1942-1952 Box 3. Folder 22. Photographs, Sagl, WAC units, etc.



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