Helen VanGuilder WWII WAAC
Shared by Sandy Chamberlain

The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was a group of women who served in the United States Army during World War II. The WAAC was created to free up men for combat by taking on administrative duties.

Formation

The WAAC was established in 1942 in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor

The WAAC was created as an auxiliary unit, but was later converted to an active duty branch of the Army in 1943

The WAAC's first training center was located at Fort Des Moines, Iowa

Roles

WAACs performed a variety of roles, including aircraft spotting, mail sorting, and printing V-mail cards

WAACs were deployed all over the world

Challenges

The WAAC faced opposition from some quarters, including the defense industry and those who thought women shouldn't serve in uniform

Black WACs faced additional challenges, including being given menial jobs and court-martialed

Legacy

The WAAC's contributions were recognized with the passage of legislation that established a lasting presence of women in the Armed Services

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army before 1978. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States as the WAC on 1 July 1943. Its first director was Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby. The WAC was disbanded on 20 October 1978, and all WAC units were integrated with male units.

Tioga Point Museum has been gifted some letters written by Sgt. Helen Van Guilder while she served in the WAAC during WWII. Helen was from Sayre, Pennsylvania. She shared interesting thoughts and feelings as she served her country. From her excitement of entering training to her excitement about being able to come home to the U.S. again is palpable to the reader of her letters.

On March 23rd in 1943 she was “on her way”, leaving from Penn Station, NY. On March 24th her father received word that she had arrived safely at Fort Oglethorp, Georgia and would be undergoing processing for the next 2 days. After that she would be assigned to basic training and able to send her address for those 4 weeks.

In May of 1943, she wrote of having a large piece of chocolate cake but assured her mother that it was only “almost as good” as hers. She talked about celebrating her birthday and lamenting that her grades weren’t as good as she’d hoped. She said the WAAC’s couldn’t complain about food, that they ate well. She mentioned how much they enjoyed potatoes as they often had “substitutes” like rice or macaroni. She said they sure couldn’t complain because they were all putting on weight!

One letter of interest from June, 1944 shared that her boss was “in a peck of trouble.” She couldn’t elaborate but expressed her utmost sympathy for him! She also added a p.s. to this letter requesting some things from home, including Arrid, a garter belt, starch , soap and gum. She commented more than once about soap being hard to get.

By August of 1945 Helen was anxious to get home and mentioned the “red tape” of the military. A letter from September 29th, 1945 from England mentions not being sure when she would actually get to the U. S. but “will see you again. Loads of love to all. Helen”

More can be learned about Helen’s time in the WAAC by visiting Tioga Point Museum website. To view the letters on website scroll down to Virtual Collection then choose Archives and enter Helen Van Guilder.

The Tioga Point Museum is open Tuesday and Thursday all year but hours are seasonal so please check our web page or Facebook page for current hours or call at 570 888 7225.

Sarah Ovenshire

Feb 8
2 min read

Spotlight on early settlers: Sarah Ovenshire Tozer portrait in our north room

Sarah Ovenshire was born on Jul. 27, 1831, in Athens township, the youngest of seven children of Samuel Ovenshire (1791-1868) and Sarah Bidlack (1796-1865). The Ovenshire farm was on present-day Sheshequin Rd. near the intersection with Orange Hill Rd. The farm adjoined that of Col. John Franklin.

Sarah married Ralph Tozer in Athens township on Nov. 29, 1853. Ralph Tozer was born on Nov. 9, 1829, in Athens township, the second of eight children of Guy Tozer (1799-1877) and Wealthy Kinney (1801-1868). His family moved to present-day 301 N. Main St., Athens, in 1836.

Ralph and Sarah both attended the Athens Academy in the 1840s. Ralph later studied law and was admitted to the Bradford county bar in 1853, but he never practiced.

The Tozers left Athens in 1855 and lived outside of Bradford county for most of the next 28 years. They lived in Luzerne county, PA; New York City; Memphis, TN; and Bethlehem, PA. Ralph worked for various mining companies.

The Tozers returned to Athens in 1883. Ralph Tozer ran a coal business until 1892.

Sarah Ovenshire Tozer had joined the Athens Universalist Society in 1854, shortly before she moved away. After the Tozers returned to Athens, both Sarah and Ralph contributed financially to the church.

In the mid-1890s Ralph was active in the Athens Village Improvement Society and its spin-off, the Tioga Point Historical Society. He was on the Executive Committee of the historical society when it was organized in 1895. He was also a "contributor to the cabinets" of the museum.

Sarah Tozer died of stomach cancer on Jun. 9, 1892. She was buried in Tioga Point Cemetery.

Ralph Tozer died on Mar. 25, 1908, at the Arnot-Ogden Hospital in Elmira after undergoing surgery. He was buried with his wife Sarah in Tioga Point Cemetery.

Murray, Louise Welles. A History of Old Tioga Point and Early Athens. Raeder Press, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1908

Gazette, Athens, PA

Proceedings and Collections of the Tioga Point Historical Society Vol. 1 No. 1. Athens, Penna: Printed for the Society, 1896

Louise Welles Murray scrapbook, Tioga Point Museum

Athens Universalist Society record books

Bradsby, Henry C. History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania. S. B. Nelson & Co., Chicago, IL, 1891

Bradford Argus, Towanda, PA

Katie Replogle 8/14/2025