The "Song of the Women's Army Corps" is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

marching song written by

Jane Douglass White Jane Douglass White (April 14, 1919 – April 26, 2008), born Ruby Jane Douglass (sometimes spelled Douglas), was an American Women's Army Corps officer, music educator and songwriter. A University of Oklahoma graduate, she wrote several songs du ...

, with lyrics by White and fellow soldier Camilla Mays Frank. Originally written during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as "The WAAC is in Back of You" by White before her induction into the service, the song's lyrics were adapted later by White and Frank to better reflect post-war women's army service, and was adopted by the Women's Army Corps as its official song in 1951.

"The WAAC is in Back of You"

Bristow, Oklahoma schools vocal music supervisor Ruby Jane Douglass was driving from the U.S. Army recruiting center in Oklahoma City in August 1942. According to Douglass, the clicking of the car's tires against the road surface made a rhythmic martial marching sound, like a song. Inspired by her induction into the new Women's Army Auxiliary Corps that day, when Douglass got home that evening, she wrote the song.

"The WAC is a Soldier Too"

As a newly promoted WAAC second officer in the army's Special Services branch, Douglass was sent to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to discuss

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...

's musical contributions to inspire WAC morale. She was unimpressed with professionally written tunes like "I'm Wacky Over Something in Khaki" and "I'm Doing the WAAC WAAC WAAC Walk." One composition made her feel "so ill I tore it up and put it in our permanent file." Unsurprisingly, Douglass preferred her own song and while in New York arranged for its copyright and publication as "The WAAC is a Soldier Too".Copyright 1943, Kaycee Music Company, Inc. RKO Building, Radio City, NY, NY

"Song of the Women's Army Corps"

After the war's end, the corps was continued in active service. In 1948, the

Women's Armed Services Integration Act Women's Armed Services Integration Act () is a United States law that enabled women to serve as permanent, regular members of the armed forces in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and the recently formed Air Force. Prior to this act, women, with the exc ...

granted women permanent status in the regular and reserve forces of all service branches. The Women's Army Corps looked for an official song, similar to the army's " The Army Goes Rolling Along" and the navy's " Anchors Aweigh." The previous versions of White's tune lyrics weren't considered applicable to a peacetime WAC. Douglass, now using her married name, Jane Douglass White, worked by mail with fellow WAC veteran Camilla Mays Frank to update the lyrics. In 1951, their latest revision "Song of the Women's Army Corps" was accepted by the corps as its official anthem, and on March 21, 1951, the newly constituted 14th Army Band (WAC) debuted the song on the Mutual Broadcast System to a national audience. When creating the 1954 film ''

Francis Joins the WACS ''Francis Joins the WACS'' is a 1954 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Ted Richmond, directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Donald O'Connor, Julie Adams, ZaSu Pitts, Mamie Van Doren and Chill Wills in t ...

'', the official song was chosen to play under the opening credits, a women's chorus singing the revised lyrics.

Notes

References

External links

"The WAC is a Soldier Too"
played by members of the WAC Band Brass Quintet {{DEFAULTSORT:Song of the Women's Army Corps American military marches Songs about the military Songs about soldiers United States Army traditions American patriotic songs Women in the United States Army