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Kathryn B. Cerwinski Photograph Album

 Collection
Identifier: WV 0710

Content Description

Photograph album titled “Evolution of Kathryn B. Cerwinski from Civilian, First Class to Tech/Sgt, WAC, June 30, 1943 to March 20, 1946,” Other than the first four images, which show Cerwinski “fresh out of basic” at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, and around 26 photos of Cerwinski on furlough, the entirety of the album is devoted to her time with Headquarters Detachment at the WAC Third WAC Training Center, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, between 1944 and 1946. This includes portraits of Cerwinski and other officers (many identified), a photo of Cerwinski shoveling coal (captioned “firing furnaces”), and images of a rare Georgia snowstorm, including a snapshot of a Mexican-American WAC captioned “Theresa Moreno Mexican First Snow Theresa Has Ever Seen,” together with photos of Christmas parties, the mess hall, the 3rd WAC Training Center Band on Parade, WACS posing and hanging out together, and more. Towards the end of the album are eight photographs measuring 8 x 10”, including two press photos and images stamped “Official WAC Photo” on the back. These include a photo of Al Jolson’s visit to Fort Oglethorpe; a photo of a “Pre-Christmas Tea” held in December of 1944; a photo of Lt. Col. Elizabeth C. Strayhorn, Commandant of the Third WAC Training Center (this photo inscribed by Strayhorn to Cerwinski; an additional, smaller photo inscribed by Strayhorn is also present); an inscribed photo of Colonel Westray Battle Boyce, second director of the Women’s Army Corps. The album also includes several smaller identified photos of WAC higher ups including Col. Oveta Culp Hobby, the first director of the Women’s Army Corps. There is also a mimeographed list of members of Cerwinski’s detachment and a program for a dinner at the camp.

Dates

  • 1943-1946

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical / Historical

Kathryn B. Cerwinski served in the United States Women's Army Corps (WAC) from 1943-1946. She completed her basic training at Fort Devens, Massachusetts and was then stationed with the Headquarters Detachment at the Third WAC Training Center, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, between 1944 and 1946.

Extent

0.42 Linear Feet (1 Photograph Album.)

Language of Materials

English

Metadata Rights Declarations

  • License: This record is made available under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Creative Commons license.

Condition Description

The condition is fair.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.

Processing Information

Processed by Victoria Hinshaw.

Title
Kathryn B. Cerwinski Photograph Album
Status
Completed
Author
Victoria Hinshaw
Date
2023 February
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
P.O. Box 26170
320 College Ave.
Greensboro NC 27402-6170 US
336-334-5246