World War II Honoree

Pauline Estell Abell Hacker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Spokane, Washington

Honored By

Patty Flynn Erickson

Relationship

Cousin

SERVED AT THE BASE HOSPITAL IN PEARL HARBOR WHEN THE BASE WAS ATTACKED BY THE JAPANESE. ENLISTED IN THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORP AND SERVED IN ENGLAND DURING THE BLITZ AND WITH THE STAFF OF THE FIRST MILITARY GOVERNMENT GROUP IN BERLIN. QUOTE FROM TIME MAGAZINE; “PAULINE CAME TO ENGLAND AS AN OFFICER IN THE FIRST SEPARATE WAC BATTALION LANDING AT GLASGOW IN JULY 1943. SHE IS ATTACHED TO THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS NEAR LONDON AND IN OCTOBER, 1944, WAS TAKEN INTO THE THEN HIGHLY SECRET ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES GROUP CONTROL COUNCIL FOR GERMANY, WHERE SHE BECAME THE PERSONAL SECRETARY AND AIDE TO THE CHIEF OF THE AIR DIVISION, MAJ. GEN ROBERT W. HARPER. “THUS SHE HAS BEEN BOTH IN THE ORGANIZATION WHICH PLAYED SUCH A LARGE PART IN THE DESTRUCTION OF GERMANY AND IN THE GROUP WHOSE JOB IT IS TO PLAN ITS RECONSTRUCTION.” PAULINE RECEIVED SEVERAL MEDALS DURING HER SERVICE, INCLUDING THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL(GERMANY) AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL.