The European Theater
Gallery 7
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Women's Army Corp (WAC) uniform belonging to Sergeant Sarah R. Statham, a member of the 8th Service Command. Sergeant Statham, a native of Texas, enlisted in 1944. It wasn't until WWII that women were allowed to enter branches of the Army other than the Nursing Corps. The Women's Auxiliary Army Corps was created in May 1942 and in late 1943 it was redesignated the Women's Army Corps (which it remained until 20 October, 1978). |
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WAC branch of service collar disk. The head of "Pallas Athene" was approved as the insignia for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942. Pallas Athene was a goddess associated with a variety of womanly virtues. She was the goddess of handicrafts, wise in industries of peace and arts of war, and also the goddess of storms and battle, who led through victory to peace and prosperity. The design was retained by the Women's Army Corps when it was established in 1943. |
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German medal bar with the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, War Merit Cross, 2nd Class with Swords, and the Russian Front Medal. The Iron Cross and Russian Front Medals were awards of two brothers from the same family who were killed in Russia. The War Merit Cross, oddly enough, was awarded to their Mother in 1944, instead of the usual Mother's Cross. |
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Prisoner of War postcard mailed from New York by Doctor Gerhard Pfifferling to his wife Lena. Doctor Pfifferling was a German paratroop medical officer who had been captured in France in August, 1944. |
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Two childs toy soldiers made in Germany. They were made from pressed sawdust and glue, which was then hand painted. The toy soldiers came in a number of poses - this one is for a soldier on parade, carrying an infantry standard. The top Nazis had miniatures of themselves as well, Adolf Hitler in this case. His arm is made to swivel so he can salute.
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Helmet worn by a member of the Estonian 20th SS Division. Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler ordered that German helmets issued to foreign troops were to be repainted so as to elminate the German insignias, but this soldier repainted the SS runes as well as the Estonian national colors of blue, white and black on the opposite side. It is named inside to SS Grenadier T. Unt. |
