Heading: (World War II - Women's Army Corps diary)
Author: Lis, Frances M.
Title: Diary kept by a WAC who served in North Africa and Italy during the Second World War, rising to the rank of Sergeant
Place Published: Various places
Publisher:
Date Published: 1943-1944
Description: Diary created for servicemen (and in this case women), with title "My Life in the Service", and sections for Identification; Service Record (Transfers and Changes in Rank); Citations, Awards and Decorations (Ms. Lis received a Bronze Battle Star & several campaign ribbons); "My Buddies in the Service"; Officers I Have Met; and "The Diary of My Life in the Service". Diary measures 14.2x11 cm (5½x4½"), blue cloth lettered in red.After filling out the preliminary information (obviously over a span of time, with her service record of particular interest), Lis has devoted 62 pages of the diary section to details of her life over nearly a year and a half, closely written but overall quite legible, presenting an invaluable record of a woman's experience in the Women's Army Corps, her daily life, and loves - she met "Smitty," a lieutenant, at a base dance in Algiers: "...Lt. Earle P. Smith Jr. decided to cut in on Lt. Streamer, & from then on Lt. Smith & I just danced and danced. Had made a date with him just before it was time for me to go home - and since then its been 4 to 5 dates a week with him - we'd usually go to the American Red Cross Officer's Club in Algiers..." Things do change, and on July 11, "exactly 14 months after my arrival here... we're restricted. No calls, no passes, we're restricted. We're to leave for Italy - exactly where - doesn't say. Cause rumors says all sorts of things." They were soon on a ship, in some discomfort, "Have to carry our life preservers wherever we go - even to sleep, since makes a good pillow. I already decided to sleep on the floor cause you swing too much in the hammocks." They soon landed in Naples, and then to their base in Casserta. At the end is a lengthy list of names of friends and acquaintances, with their addresses, and a Dates to Remember section, from which we learn that on March 7, 1944, Frances and Smitty were engaged. Wartime diaries by women in the service are quite uncommon - this is the first one we can recall handing at PBA. It is particularly compelling in its detail and the story it tells.Among the stops on her way to and from the theatre of war were the Azores and Bermuda.

Some wear and creasing to covers; very good.