The Journey to Mollie's War: WACS and WWII

Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society
Sunday, November 10, 2019 at 2:00 PM at the Lincoln Learning Center
611 East Third Street, Sterling, IL

Cyndee Schaffer will present "The Journey to Mollie's War: WACS and WWII"
Members of the Women's Army Corps (WACs) were the first women other than nurses to serve overseas in World War II. Cyndee Schaffer's mother, Mollie Weinstein Schaffer, was one of them. Drawing upon excerpts from Mollie's letters written home during the war, this presentation provides a glimpse into the life of a woman in uniform during this crucial time in history. This presentation details Mollie's experiences from basic training in October, 1943 to the dramatic moment when the Statue of Liberty came into view upon her return in November, 1945. It traces the footsteps of the women who served in London before D-Day and during the post D-Day German buzz bomb attacks. The WACs were transferred to Normandy, and then to
Paris after its liberation by the Allies. After VE Day they served in Versailles. Finally, they traveled to Frankfurt, Germany, as part of the Army of Occupation before returning to the United States.
Cyndee Schaffer collaborated with her 91-year-old mother to write a book based on the letters that her mother sent home while serving as a WAC in Europe during WW II. Schaffer is editor of the Midwest Writers Association's monthly newsletter. She received a BS in math education and has been a high school math teacher in the inner city of Chicago, IT consultant testing computer systems, and finally a published author.

Everyone is invited to attend and light refreshments will be served!

The program is free, donations are accepted.
For more information call Terry Buckaloo at 815-622-6215