Capturing the Women's Army Corps: The World War II Photographs of Captain Charlotte T. McGraw

The Impact of McGraw’s Photos on the Home Front

23 The impact of Captain McGraw’s work cannot be overstated . As the army’s only official photographer of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and then the Women’s Army Corps, Charlotte McGraw’s work was very important during World War II and has served as a wonderful historical record of the era. The extraordinary volume of her photographs—over seventy thousand—speaks for itself. However, it is the pictures themselves that had the greatest impact. Captain McGraw contributed to the WACs’ ability to recruit more women to join the army to “free up a man to fight” and to help the greater cause with their unique skills. Captain McGraw herself is an example of this; soon after she joined the military, her talent and experience as a photographer were immediately recognized and utilized. Her photographs of WAC medical technicians showed the importance of the work these women were doing and eventually convinced thousands of women, many already trained in the civilian sector, to help in the military’s general hospitals all over the country. There were many people who were concerned about what would happen to their daughters, sisters, and even wives if they joined the WAC during the war. Where would they be sent? What would it be like? What would other people think of them? These were concerns that The Impact of McGraw’s Photos on the Home Front Algiers. 24 • Chapter Captain McGraw’s photos helped to allay. The photos that were released to the newspapers showed WACs working in conditions that at times were austere, but they were safe and secure nonetheless. In many of the photos Captain McGraw captured the women’s spirits and high morale even as they did tasks they were not always accustomed to doing. Captain McGraw’s photographs also showed the WACs themselves that although conditions could be challenging, they would find a way to make the best of it. The WACs worked hard, but Captain McGraw made sure that these women knew they also would be afforded the opportunity to do some sightseeing and shopping for a bit of rest and recuperation . Some WACs serving overseas were able to benefit from their host country’s traditions. Captain McGraw ensured that the public, families, potential recruits, and the WACs themselves knew that it was possible to have some normalcy even in the middle of a war on foreign soil. Perhaps this would make the women on the home front somewhat envious? Captain McGraw’s pictures of WACs’ living quarters and their daily life showed the public that these women were not on the front lines and in fact were very well taken care of by the army. The photographs showed how WACs ingeniously made their homes “cozy” even though they lived in canvas tents and slept on army cots. The WACs being photographed were sometimes posed so that Captain McGraw could relay the message the army wanted to convey . Thus, her subjects were always neat in their attire, and their makeup and hair appeared perfect so they looked none the worse for the work and service they were providing in harsh environments. We know from numerous firsthand accounts of these women who served in the Southwest Pacific, Indian/ Burmese, African, and European theaters that life was not always easy for them. Some were sent to the tropics with winter uniforms and contracted skin diseases as a result. Others were sent to very cold climates, where some reported that they could never get fully warm. Nevertheless, the images Captain McGraw produced Top to bottom: Manila; WAC billets in Leyte. Impact of McGraw’s Photos • 25 did not convey these realities. Instead, her photographs showed some of the more positive aspects of service in the army and the normal routine of WACs’ lives. Whether they were eating three regular meals a day, relaxing at a United Services Organization (USO) show, or picking up their mail, life could be considered ordinary. Captain McGraw’s photographs are a priceless treasure . These images, which were used extensively for publicity by the War Department and always carried a positive message, had a profound influence on public opinion and attitudes about women serving in the army in World War II. Today, her collection is valuable not only in preserving the history of women in army service during the war, but also in helping to uncover previously unknown details about that history. Undoubtedly Captain McGraw...