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the blitz and landed on Leyte shortly after a beachhead had been secured, had "ayahs" to do their housekeeping and laundry in India, were surrounded by homesick American soldiers who in some cases had not seen an American girl in three or four years, bought perfume in the bazaars of Algiers and the shops of Paris, learned at least a smattering of the languages and customs of many far corners of the earth. It had, also, a profound effect upon the men of the American army, from generals who hadn't seen an efficient American secretary in three years to GI's who hadn't dated an American girl in the same number of years. With expert civilian and military clerical help practically unobtainable in all theatres of war, there can be little doubt that the presence of a few hundred Wacs in the higher headquarters of the various air forces contributed very greatly to the administrative efficiency of those headquarters. Officers like Maj. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer, commanding general of Air Forces in China-Burma-India, said of the Wacs things like this: "The Wacs have made a significant contribution to the efficiency and morale of these headquarters, and I cannot commend their efforts too highly."(1)

As to the over-all effectiveness of the program, from the standpoint not only of the job done but also to the administration and care of women in active theatres of operation, it is probably that the program was thoroughly efficient where- 


1. Letter from Maj. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer, Commanding General, AAF, in China-Burma-India, to the Director, WAC, on the occasion of the third birthday of the WAC, 15 May 1945.

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