Mass Militaria & Antiques

Marie B Stack

US Army – Women’s Army Corps (WAC) – 1342nd Service Unit

    Marie B. Stack was born in Cook County, Illinois, in 1920. She graduated from high school in Harvey, Illinois, and later married and divorced before enlisting in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1943 at the age of 23.

    Training and Early Service

    On June 5, 1943, Marie enlisted in the WAC in Chicago, Illinois. By September 1943, she was listed as a Private attached to the 1342nd Service Unit, stationed at the Holabird Ordnance Depot in Baltimore, Maryland. In November 1943, the depot was redesignated the Holabird Signal Depot as the installation shifted its mission toward communications training.

    During her time at Holabird, Marie and other members of her unit performed administrative, clerical, and general office duties. These responsibilities ranged from handling intelligence-related paperwork to organizing soldiers’ documents for assignments, roles in which WAC personnel played a crucial part.

    Marie’s service at Holabird came to an end on March 8, 1944, when she and 29 other enlisted women of the Holabird Signal Detachment, WAC, were ordered to transfer to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. No surviving records place Marie at Fort Oglethorpe, but if the orders remained in effect, her stay there was brief before deployment overseas.

    Overseas Service – European Theater of Operations

    On March 31, 1944, shortly after arriving in Europe, Marie was assigned to brief training while attached to WAC Detachment, Headquarters Special Troops, ETO USA, APO 887.

    The first known morning report listing Marie with this unit is dated May 6, 1944. From that point forward, and for the remainder of the war, she held the position of Secretary to the Executive, Secretary General Staff, Headquarters, Communication Zone, European Theater of Operations (ETO).

    Initially stationed in London, England, Marie served as part of the WAC Detachment, Headquarters Command, ETOUSA. In this role, she contributed directly to the critical administrative and communications work supporting the buildup to Operation Overlord. During the months leading up to D-Day, originally scheduled for June 5, 1944, and later postponed to June 6 due to weather, Marie worked long and demanding hours alongside the Secretary General Staff and the Office of the Commanding General. For approximately three months, she supported the coordination of the D-Day landings and the subsequent Allied advance into Europe.

    Notably, between June and August 1944, Marie advanced rapidly in rank, rising from Private to Technician Fifth Grade (T/5) within a single month.

    Service in France and Bronze Star

    In August 1944, Marie was transferred to Detachment A, WAC Detachment, FECOMZ, located near Valognes, France. There, she again played an essential role in the execution of administrative and communications duties supporting ongoing operations.

    Although Marie does not appear in additional morning reports for the remainder of the war, her Bronze Star citation indicates that she continued her exceptional service overseas through May 8, 1945 (V-E Day).

    On July 25, 1945, Marie’s devotion to duty was formally recognized when she was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Her citation reads:

    “Technical Sergeant Marie B. Stack (ASN A-610306), Woman’s Army Corps, Army of the United States, for meritorious service in connection with military operations as Secretary to the Executive, Secretary General Staff, Headquarters, Communication Zone, European Theater of Operations, from April 1944 to 8 May 1945. Sergeant Stack consistently displayed exceptional ability, keen knowledge of the operation of the headquarters, and constant cooperation in the integration of the work of the various sections in the Secretary Staff. Her outstanding tact and diplomacy contributed largely to the efficient and successful operation of the Office of the Commanding General during the planning and execution of the invasion of Europe. Her position required the devotion of much of her own time to her mission with the Secretary, General Staff, and at all times she accomplished this mission cheerfully and with important contribution to the operations then in progress. Sergeant Stack’s outstanding service reflects great credit upon herself and the Armed Forces of the United States. Entered military service from Illinois.”

    Marie’s award was one of only 565 Bronze Stars awarded to women during World War II, out of nearly 400,000 Bronze Stars presented by the U.S. military during the conflict.

    Postwar

    Little information is available regarding Marie’s life after the war. It is unknown exactly when she returned to the United States or whether she participated in occupation duties with the WAC. However, her Bronze Star citation confirms that she continued her exceptional service through V-E Day.

    Marie is listed on the local veteran honor roll in her hometown of Harvey, Illinois, preserving her legacy of service during World War II.