Friends of the Army Women's Museum Association

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor and remember all the brave service members who have served and sacrificed in defense of our nation. We pay special tribute to the women who answered the call to serve, from the early pioneers of the WAAC and WAC to the women serving in uniform today. Their courage, dedication, and patriotism helped shape the history of our military and our country.
We remember all who gave their lives in service, all who carried the burdens of war, and all whose stories continue to inspire future generations. Their legacy of honor, strength, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Today, we honor all service members — past and present — and especially remember the fallen heroes who gave everything for our freedom.

05/20/2026

The AWM enjoyed a visit from two WAC Veterans. Joan (1973-1997) and Sue (1974-1997 and 2006-2009) stopped by to visit the museum as part of a multi-month road trip to Canada and beyond. It is always such a pleasure to meet vets and hear stories of their service. Safe travels Joan and Sue!

05/15/2026

On May 15, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation officially establishing the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), opening new opportunities for women to serve their country during World War II. Thousands of courageous women answered the call, serving with dedication, skill, and patriotism in support of the United States Army.

The creation of the WAAC marked a turning point in Army history and laid the foundation for generations of women who would continue to serve in uniform. Today, we proudly honor the legacy, service, and lasting impact of these remarkable trailblazers.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day

Mary Ann Bickerdyke was delivering medical supplies to Union soldiers in Cairo, Illinois in 1861 when she decided to take charge of their nursing care. It wasn't long before she became a trusted agent amongst soldiers and their leaders. Lemuel Adams, an officer with the 22nd Illinois, said "I have seen Mother Bickerdyke sit all night by the cot of a sick and dying soldier. She never seemed to tire, and could do more work than any two nurses I ever saw." She served as a nurse at Gayoso General Hospital as seen in this Muster Roll, but by the end of the Civil War, Bickerdyke had also helped to build 300 hospitals and aided the wounded on 19 battlefields.

05/08/2026

National Student Nurse Day - May 8th

Pictured here is Ruth Tanaka, a cadet nurse at the Seton Training School for Nurses in Colorado in 1945. Upon graduating from the Cadet Nurse Corps program, Tanaka was commissioned as an Army Nurse in 1949. She served with the 97th and 98th General Hospitals in Frankfurt, Germany where she was known for treating polio patients. She also had assignments to Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Brooke Army Medical Center, St. Luke's Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, the 21st Evacuation Hospital in Korea, William Beaumont Hospital, Fort Ord Army Hospital, and Letterman General Hospital. She retired after twenty years of service and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery alongside her brother, John Tanaka, who was KIA in France in WWII.



Cadet Nurse photo courtesy of UC Berkeley

04/26/2026

Oatlands Military Weekend (4/25-4/26).

04/25/2026

Stop by today, April 25th and tomorrow, April 26th and see our display at Oatlands!

🌿 Happening TODAY at Oatlands! 🌿

Join us for an unforgettable Living History Weekend and experience history in action across our beautiful landscape!

Bring the whole family and enjoy:
✨ Hands-on activities for all ages
🎭 Living history demonstrations
🎤 Engaging speakers
🍴 Food trucks and refreshments
🌸 Gardens and grounds in full spring bloom

Step into the past, explore powerful stories, and spend the day outdoors in one of Loudoun’s most beautiful settings.

📍 Oatlands
📅 Today!

We’d love to see you here! Oatlands.org for more info
❤️

04/22/2026

The Army Women’s Museum supported a new mural on the history of the Women’s Army Corps and specifically the service of WAC Cryptographers at Arlington Hall Station in World War II. The mural is at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, an organization within the State Department that is currently housed in the historic Arlington Hall buildings. The AWM provided historical context and imagery for the mural and spoke at its unveiling last week. We are honored to support everyone looking to share the history of Army women!

04/17/2026

We were sad to hear the unfortunate news of the passing of LTC Betty Jean Stallings on 11 March 2026. LTC Stallings joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1963. After graduating from the Quartermaster Officer Advanced Course in 1969, she volunteered to serve in Vietnam. She spent a year as logistics officer at Long Binh. LTC Stallings served as a Comptroller at the Pentagon followed by her final assignment with the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General. She retired from the Army in 1984; however, Stallings’ service continued. She served as parliamentarian of the WAC Veteran’s Association and the Vietnam Women Veterans Association, was a founding member of the Military Women’s Memorial in Arlington, and she supported the movement of the WAC Museum to its current location at Fort Lee as the AWM. We offer our condolences and thank her for her service and sacrifice.

04/13/2026

The Fort Lee Museums and Ordnance Training Support Facility had a great weekend at Jamestown’s Military Through the Ages! Our display included educational support items from the Quartermaster Museum, Army Women’s Museum, and Ordnance facility as well as morse code and catapult-building interactives! We loved speaking with visitors about which U.S. historical figure they would have liked to meet, with the most people saying George Washington – fitting in the year of our 250th anniversary as a nation! Come see us at our upcoming outreach event at The Oatlands Living History Event in Leesburg on April 25th – 26th!