World War II Honoree

Pauline Estell Abell Hacker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Spokane, Washington

Honored By

Patty Flynn Erickson

Relationship

Cousin

VOLUNTEERED AT THE BASE HOSPITAL IN PEARL HARBOR WHEN THE BASE WAS ATTACKED BY THE JAPANESE IN 1941. SHE WAS SENT HOME AND BEGAN WORKING AT THE SPOKANE AIR DEPOT. ENLISTED IN THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS AS A PRIVATE AND ATTENDED OFFICER TRAINING SCHOOL. ASSIGNED TO ENGLAND. IN LONDON DURING THE BLITZ AND WAS WITH THE STAFF OF THE FIRST MILITARY GOVERNMENT GROUP IN BERLIN. LANDED AT GLASGOW IN JULY 1943. ATTACHED TO THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS NEAR LONDON AND IN OCTOBER 1944 WAS TAKEN INTO THE THEN HIGHLY SECRET ORGANIZATION OF THE U.S. GROUP CONTROL COUNCIL FOR GERMANY, WHERE SHE BECAME THE PERSONAL SECRETARY AND AIDE TO THE CHIEF OF THE AIR DIVISION, MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT W. HARPER. RECEIVED THE WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL (GERMANY) AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL.