World War II Honoree

Minnie Myers Hampton

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Enid, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

VOLUNTEERED FOR MILITARY SERVICE IN 1944, AT AGE 21. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS (WAC) TRAINING CENTER. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, AND OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER DURING THE WAR. SHE SERVED AS A TELETYPE OPERATOR WITH THE 3341ST SIGNAL SERVICE BATTALION, IN PARIS, FRANCE, IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO). HER SIGNAL BATTALION WAS THE FIRST ACTIVATED WOMEN'S BATTALION IN THE U.S. ARMY, AND REACHED A PEAK STRENGTH OF 738 ENLISTED WOMEN AND 28 OFFICERS WHILE IN EUROPE. THE FACILITY SHE WORKED IN WAS BILLED AS THE LARGEST MESSAGE CENTER IN THE WORLD, OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, D.C. THE CENTER EXCHANGED UPWARD OF 1,000 MESSAGES A DAY, WITH THE WAR DEPARTMENT IN WASHINGTON ALONE. SOME 50,000 MESSAGES WERE HANDLED EACH WEEK, WITH SOME 95% BEING RADIO-TELETYPE AND TELETYPE. SHE WAS AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, WOMEN’S ARMY CORPS SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.