World War II Honoree

Helen L. Freudenberger

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Coyle, Logan County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE ON JULY 9, 1942. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT THE WOMEN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS (WAAC) TRAINING CENTER AT FORT DES MOINES, IOWA. SHE WAS THE FIRST OKLAHOMAN TO BE SWORN IN THE WAAC AFTER IT WAS FORMED, AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST CLASS OF WAAC OFFICER CANDIDATES. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER DURING THE WAR, INITIALLY AS A MEMBER OF THE WAAC AND THEN WITH THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS (WAC) WHEN IT REPLACED THE WAAC ON JULY 1, 1943. HER FIRST JOB WAS AS A DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS A WAC, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN IN EARLY 1944, AND ALSO STATIONED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN APRIL 1944. SHE SERVED IN ARMY AIR INTELLIGENCE PREPARING SUMMARIES OF AIR ACTIONS AROUND THE WORLD FOR REVIEW BY THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. AWARDED THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946, WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.