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Sara Frances Dodge

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Sara Frances Dodge

The following article was found in the January 21, 1943, Lowell Tribune on page 2, column 3:

    LOCAL YOUNG LADY JOINS WAACs THIS WEEK

    Miss Sara F. Dodge has joined the Women's Auxiliary corps and left Chicago for the women's training center at Des Moines, Iowa, last Tuesday morning.
This February 4, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:

    Lowell's First WAAC In Training

    Ft. Des Moines, Iowa, Jan 30 -- Auxiliary Sara Frances Dodge, of Lowell, has begun training in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

    She was immediately assigned to a receiving center company for a week's elementary military training. Here she is issued clothing and equipment, instructed in rudiments of drill, and given army classification tests. These tests will help determine the job she will fill in the WAAC.

    For the following four weeks, she will be assigned to a basic company for more detailed training preparing her to replace a man in a non-combat army job.

    Miss Dodge is the daughter of Miss Emma J. Dodge of Lowell.

This March 11, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 6, column 3:

    Officers' Training Candidate

    Sara F. Dodge of Lowell, has been selected to attend officer candidate school at the First Women's Army Auxiliary Corps training center at Ft. DeMoines, Iowa.

    Selected on the basis of demonstrated qualities of leadership, competence and devotion to duty as an auxiliary, she is now being trained to assume the responsibilities and duties of an officer in the WAAC.

    Upon successful completion of the course, she will be commissioned a Third Officer, the WAAC equivalent of Second Lieutenant.

This April 8, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, column 2:

    Commissioned a Third Officer

    Ft. DesMoines, Ia. -- Sara F. Dodge, daughter of Mrs. Emma Dodge, of Belshaw, has been commissioned a Third Officer in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. She was selected for officer training on the basis of her ability and record of work as an auxiliary in the WAAC. Third Officer is the WAAC equivalent of Second Lieutenant.

    She will be assigned to an executive position in the WAAC corps immediately taking over a non-combatant army job releasing a soldier for combat duty, or participating in the expanded WAAC training program which eventually will replace a full field army with trained womanpower in behind-the-lines army jobs.

This May 6, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
    After being commissioned a second officer, equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant in the army, Sara Dodge, who joined the WAACS several months ago, is now stationed at Camp Rushton, La. She was a member of the 21st Officer Candidate class at Ft. Des Moines, Iowa.
This July 25, 1946, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 5:
    Capt. Sara F. Dodge arrived home Monday for a 6-weeks' furlough with relatives and friends in this vicinity. She will return to Manila, P.I. for another year's service in the W.A.C. offices there after her furlough.
This September 26, 1946, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 7, column 3:
    After spending a 45-day furlough with her mother, Mrs. Emma Dodge, and her brothers and sisters, Captain Sara Dodge has returned to Fort Sheridan, from where she will return to her work in the Phillipines. Captain Dodge was stationed in the Dutch East Indies and Australia for three years and expects to visit Japan before returning home at the end of a year's service.
This article was found in the March 6, 1947, issue of the Lowell Tribune, page 7, column 3:
    Captain Sara Dodge has returned to the States from the Pacific theatre where she was stationed for some time. She has been engaged in closing up army camps since her return to the States. She had been here visiting her mother, Mrs. Emma Dodge and other relatives.
From The Lowell Tribune, August 31, 1950, page 2, column 2:
    Mr. and Mrs. Sam Maniscalco and two children and Mrs. Lucie Powell and Edna Rae Powell left by auto Friday evening for Fort Riley, Kansas, where they will spend a few days with Major Sara F. Dodge before she sails tor Tokyo. Definite assignment is still unknown to Major Dodge, however her position will be one in a war office.
from The Lowell Tribune, Dec. 14, 1950, page 13, column 2:
    MAJOR DODGE ASSIGNED TO JAPAN LOGISTICAL COMMAND
    Yokahama--Maj. Sara F. Dodge, of Lowell, Ind., has been assigned to the Special Services Section of the Japan Logistical Command, with headquarters in Yokahama. She arrived in the Far East Command last September after duty at Fort Riley, Kansas.
    The Japan Logistical Command, whose mission includes the logistical support of the troops in Korea and the occupation forces in Japan (Navy, Army and Air Force), is commanded by Maj. Gen. Walter L. Weible.
    During World War II Maj. Dodge was censor for General Headquarters, Western Pacific Theater of Operations. Major Dodge is a graduate of Indiana State Teachers' College and before entering upon her military career, was engaged in social service activities in Chicago, Ill., and later in Detroit, Mich.
The following May 15, 1952, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 5:

    Major Dodge Given Special Appointment

    With U.S. Forces in Japan -- Maj. Sara F. Dodge of Lowell, a member of the Women's Army Corps, was recently appointed fiscal officer of the Japan Logistical Command Special Services organization.

    Her duties include the administration of welfare and entertainment funds for the command's headquarters.

    Before her present assignment she had been assigned to the special services hotel detachment. She has been in Japan since September 1950.

    During World War II she served in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines.

    Major Dodge attended Indiana State Teachers College, Terre Haute, and is a graduate of the intermediate teachers course. She entered the WAC in 1943.

This October 9, 1952, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:

    Lowell's "Annie Oakley"

    Yokohama, Japan -- WAC Maj. Sara F. Dodge, of Lowell, became something of an "Annie Oakley" after she found out what the little bar on the front end of her carbine rifle was designed for.

    Major Dodge, serving with Japan Logistical Command headquarters, was making a fair score on the rifle range but nothing to brag about. Then the range master noticed that the WAC officer was not looking down the barrel the way most shooters do.

    He explained to the major that using the front sight might boost her score a bit. Major Dodge thanked him and drew eight rounds of ammunition for rapid fire.

    The range officer then, for the first time in his experience, saw all eight bullets go into the bull-eye in rapid fire.

Last updated on March 8, 2006.

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