It has been estimated that during World War Two as many as 250,000 to 750,000 Latinos and Latinas were enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces; this is a short notice concerning a group of Latina Wacs who were recruited in Texas:
“A group of women of Latin-American extraction took the Army oath before more than 6,000 persons in San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium to become the second section of the Benito Juarez Air-WAC Squadron, named for the hero who helped liberate Mexico from European domination in 1862.”
“Led by an honor guard from the first Latin-American WAC squadron, the new war-women, marched into the auditorium to be sworn in and to hear words of greeting from Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby (1905 – 1995) and from Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower (1896 – 1979).”
Pictured above is 2nd Lieutenant Carmen Maria Lozano (1921- 2015) of Puerto Rico. The first Hispanic WAC was Carmen Contreras-Bozak.
Click here to read about some of the Puerto Ricans who served with distinction during the war.
Click here to read about the need for Army women during the Korean War.
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