On July 20, 1942, Frances Keegan Marquis joined the first
Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) officer training class at the
Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School. Chosen from some 30,000 applicants, she was one of 440 in her class, of whom 90% had attended college and 99% had successful civilian careers. She said she joined because "for eight years ... this country had neglected its obligations and 'when there was an opportunity to do something, I felt that I who had talked so much about it, had to do it.'" and was assigned to WAAC headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Command of first expeditionary WAACs Over the 1942 Christmas holidays, Marquis became the first woman to command a troop train, From there, this company of almost 200 sailed to North Africa, reporting to
General Dwight Eisenhower's headquarters in
Algiers on January 27, 1943. Describing the 149th,
Ernie Pyle stated, "When a WAC takes over a switchboard from a soldier, efficiency goes up about 1000 percent." As the first to command an American women's
expeditionary force, Frances Keegan Marquis became the subject of considerable attention. In the summer of 1943, she met with England's King
George VI, discussing the work of the WAACs and British-American relations after the war. Nationwide news reports carried her photo; discussed her appearance (curly brown hair in a bob, twinkling blue eyes), demeanor ("dignity of assurance", "undertone of confidence", emphasis on a sense of humor), feminine attributes (nose powdering, lemon pie making); and mentioned her prior career. Upon arrival in Algiers, it was discovered that the 149th's vehicles had been issued to a male unit and items ranging from kitchen equipment to typewriters had disappeared. Army historian Mattie Treadwell stated that an obvious problem was the auxiliary system itself. It was infeasible to deny Army commanders the ability to command the women working for them and to apply differing rules for women. Army men in a war zone received such additional benefits as extra pay, government life insurance, veteran's medical care if injured. WAACs in the war theater did not. Pressing issues were incapable of resolution within a meaningful time frame. A staff member commented, "The Corps was placed in the position of a small businessman who overnight was told he must increase his business more than eight times, and to do it at once even before he knew what he was to produc[e], out of what materials, when or how the product was to be made, and with practically no organization to assist."
Transition to Women's Army Corps Although headlines asserted that Marquis was a popular commander, According to Sergeant Vida Ganoni's memoir, a little over two weeks after their arrival in Algiers, on February 11, 1943, an announcement of promotions caused an uproar. Those not promoted felt that Marquis' decisions were based on favoritism, not ability. With the July 1, 1943 enactment of legislation converting the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps to the Women's Army Corps (WACs), the women were given the summer to decide whether to apply to join the Army upon the September 1943 changeover. During this time, changes such as more dispersed housing assignments and the unit's absorption into the 6666th or 6667th Hq Co, WAC—which applied to all women in the theater—caused significant unhappiness in the ranks that identified themselves as close-knit 149ers. The final break occurred when a popular sergeant was suddenly relieved of her duties. Some sided with the sergeant, others with the commander: the "unity of the 149th collapsed". Treadwell's Army history attributed the situation to administrative difficulties and the lack of a WAAC staff director for the theater—a one-time mistake. When General Eisenhower learned that a large number of the 149th did not plan to continue as WACs, he requested that a highly competent senior WAAC officer be sent immediately. In view of the troops' state of mind, this officer, then-
Major Westray Boyce, acted swiftly. "The previous company officers and key cadre were returned to the United States in a body, since it appeared impossible to place individual responsibility or to restore the women's lost confidence; all later proved successful in a variety of duties in the United States." Noting "the almost insurmountable difficulties attendant upon life and conditions in an active theater of war" that confronted Marquis upon arrival in North Africa, Colonel R.Q. Brown, commander of the Headquarters Special Troops, highly recommended Marquis for any future position, staff or command.
Recruiting tour Upon her return to the States in October 1943, Marquis was assigned to assist in the WAC recruiting drive with speeches and interviews describing her time in North Africa. to active obstruction from the
War Manpower Commission afflicted WAC recruiting, but a slander campaign proved a largely unstoppable blow. Although many sources spawned and fed bad jokes and ugly rumors about military women, contemporaneous and historical accounts have focused on the work of syndicated columnist
John O'Donnell. According to an Army history, even with its hasty retraction, O'Donnell's June 8, 1943, "Capitol Stuff" column did "incalculable damage". That column began, "Contraceptives and prophylactic equipment will be furnished to members of the WAACS, according to a super secret agreement reached by the high ranking officers of the War Department and the WAAC chieftain,
Mrs. William Pettus Hobby…." This followed O'Donnell's June 7 column discussing efforts of women journalists and congresswomen to dispel "the gaudy stories of the gay and careless way in which the young ladies in uniform … disport themselves…." that column repeated the admittedly unsubstantiated falsehood that large numbers of WACs had been sent home pregnant from North Africa. While still abroad, Marquis participated in a counteroffensive with newspaper and radio interviews discussing her troops' life in the military, including their commitment as volunteers, qualifications and training, assignments, long work hours, supervised social life, and housing in a convent. In one of her first press conferences upon returning to New York, Marquis told fascinating stories of the WACs in North Africa and responded with a strong denial when asked "how many WACs were really sent home for disorderly conduct and pregnancy." Marquis was sent on a well-publicized nationwide tour, speaking to women's groups, WAC trainees, and business groups about the WACs' overseas experiences. in Tunisia. Vastly outnumbered and equipped with World War I era rifles, the Zouaves beat back German and Italian forces in a 36-hour battle. When this North African victory helped turn the tide for the French, the Americans promised them modern supplies. By November 1943, a modernized, American-equipped French Army—notably including the Zouaves—was ready to invade Europe from North Africa. During this period, the WAACs played a part in strengthening ties with the French: in July General
Henri Giraud, commander of the French forces, reviewed Marquis' troops (finding them "inspiring") and later in the summer of 1943, the WACs and their French counterparts (one of whose officers was the wife of Colonel Gross) paraded together with a 1st Regiment Zouave color guard. Along with her WAC and overseas service ribbons, Marquis' Zouave medal became part of her uniform. At this event, the society's board of directors presented her with a medal honoring her contributions to French-American friendship. == Post-war volunteer work ==