Vera E. McCraney

October 5, 1944

Flagler County is sending another girl to the armed forces. VERA McCRANEY was sworn into the WAC at Jacksonville this week and leaves next week for Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. for her basic training. She expects to enter cooks and bakers school there, after which she hopes to be sent to foreign duty.

October 19, 1944

Also a card from VERA McCRANEY, now in the WAC at Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia. Vera relates:

"I received the paper in the first mail I got after arriving here and although I had just left home it was good to read the hometown news.

I had a nice trip up here from Jacksonville. Six other WAC's and myself had Pullmans on the train.

We were met in Chattanooga by WAC's and brought here with ten other girls from Georgia.

So far I have enjoyed every moment of my army career. I hope I can say that next week this time."

(You'll make it OK Vera, although the training may seem rugged at times. Anyway, we believe you have the stuff to make good.)

January 4, 1945

A nice letter from WAC Private VERA McCRANEY at Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, telling us that she is progressing in her army career and "The more I see of army life the better I like it - but a person has to have a broad outlook on life to really enjoy it." Pvt. McCRANEY has a brother in the navy in the Pacific now and lost a brother – Marion - also in the navy, off Guadalcanal in October 1942.

January 25, 1945

We have another nice long letter from WAC Pvt. VERA McCRANEY at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. The letter says, in part:

"Received The Tribune again today and, as usual, it made me think of the folks at home and again, as usual, I would liked to have seen everyone there. It gets lonesome here even if you do live with so many people. I am getting quite used to all the girls and I like all of them very much.

I still am in cadre training but have changed companies twice since I wrote to you. I am in Company Six now, but was borrowed by Company Five to type up their payroll. Now I am back in Company Six and I am doing Company Clerk and Mail Clerk work now. I was platoon sergeant before I left but I really enjoy the mail clerk work best of all.

I guess you have heard the news about all the girls coming to Ft. Oglethorpe from Hawaii and Puerto Rico for training? It is quite amusing to go into a company with a large number of these girls and hear them talking in Spanish. They talk so fast and with the most expression on their face and in their eyes. It is very interesting to listen and to look at them talking. They are very attractive girls and most of them have college educations and speak English with a slight accent. I haven't seen any of the girls from Hawaii yet but they are moving into this regiment - - suppose it will soon. It was in the paper today that they traveled over 5000 miles for their basic training here.

By the way, there are a number of girls from the Netherlands here also. They wear the olive drab uniforms until they finish their training and then they get a lovely blue uniform made like ours but they have different caps.

It is so nice hearing about all the fellows who are away from home and to learn about the kinds of work they are doing. Thanks again for sending The Tribune this way. I would write more often but, as you know, the army keeps you pretty busy.

Tell everyone around there hello for me, and that I would like to see them all."

(Thanks, Vera, for the letter. Yes, we read about the girls from Puerto Rico and from Hawaii in the WAC, but we didn't know about the girls from the Netherlands).

March 15, 1945

Another nice letter from VERA McCRANEY, private in the WAC at Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. Vera writes:

"Just a line to let you know that I continue to enjoy The Tribune and that I do appreciate it. How is everything in the old hometown today? I hope the weather is as nice as it is here. For the past few days the sun has been shining beautifully, but the last two days it has turned a little chilly. The lawns, the parade ground and the trees are becoming really green. It appears as if one can see them becoming greener each day. I like it here now and I imagine that it is really beautiful when all the trees get their leaves. It was autumn when I came here and all the leaves were different colors, therefore I am looking forward to seeing how it looks in summer, although I am told it gets very hot here in summer.

There isn't much news around here, however we are getting in a new company today of basic trainees. I didn't know there were still that many girls available for the army. They are really taking in the Medics - and I'm not kidding. Part of the new company are colored girls.

Formerly, the girls went to Reception first. There they learned a little about army life, were processed, and got used to the idea of arm life. But now they bring the girls right into the companies with their civilian clothes on - right off the trains almost - and we have to take over from there. It is going to be a big job, but we all think that it is a very interesting one. I imagine that we will be kept quite busy for the next few weeks.

Thanks again for the paper. I enjoy it very much."

April 26, 1945

WAC Pvt. VERA McCRANEY from Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., is spending a furlough here visiting her parents.

May 3, 1945

Also a nice long letter from VERA McCRANEY, in the WAC at Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. Vera was here on furlough a short time ago with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. M. McCraney.

Private McCraney says, in part: "I surely hated to leave so soon but the time just slipped away so quickly before I realized it, it was time to come back to the fort.

The weather here has been slightly on the dreary side since I've been back - raining, cold, and damp but today the sun is shining, however it is still quite chilly.

I had a paper waiting for me and I have gotten another one since. Thanks again for sending it to me. I know if I enjoy it so much and am so close to home I can imagine how the boys overseas enjoy it and look forward to it. I am hoping that my address will change before too much longer and that you will be sending it to me 'Over there.' Must close now. Say hello to everyone for me."

June 7, 1945

Pvt. VERA McCRANEY with the WAC at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., is here on a 15-day furlough, visiting with her parents and friends.

August 30, 1945

Pvt. VERA E. McCRANEY has gone to the ETO with the 1st WAC Special Service Company. We had been looking for her change of address because she told us when she was home last that she expected an overseas assignment soon.

October 18, 1945

Another letter from Pvt. VERA E. McCRANEY of the WAC who was at that time stationed at Salzburg, Austria:

"Just received my first Tribune since I have been overseas and believe me it was a very welcome sight. I have been telling my folks how much I have missed it since my address has changed so much. Thanks, heaps.

I suppose that you have heard by now that I, am in Austria. I met Harold Higginbotham over at the Red Cross dance the first week that I was here and have seen him several times since then. We had a swell time talking and catching up on the news back home - neither of us could really believe that we were both in the same town. Last time I saw Harold he was talking about maybe he would be going home before too much longer.

Our company is moving out of Austria - we are stationed with the Third Army and have to move somewhere into Germany. We have three platoons besides the Headquarters platoon - I'm with the Headquarters platoon still doing Company Clerk work. Each platoon is moving to different places and will put on shows at all these places.

We have to keep up the business end of the company of course, such as the morning reports, pay roll, and stuff like that, but it is interesting 'cause we will get to travel around to all the different platoons and see their shows and get the pay roll signed, etc. One platoon is at Berchtesgarden, one at Wasserburg, one at Garmisch and we will be at Starnberg. They are centered around Munich (or Munchen as the Austrians call it) and Headquarters is directly in the center of the other platoons:

All the other girls left early yesterday morning but we are staying here to close up the deals around here. It has been awfully nice here in Salzburg and we hate to leave. This is a very nice place here and the GIs have been so nice to us-it really has been a pleasure to stay here.

How is everyone around the hometown? If the rumors are correct, all WACs are supposed to be discharged by the 14th of February. All the fellows laugh when I tell them that I only have 13 points but I laugh right back and tell them that I will probably be out of the Army before they are. If I had to wait for enough points to get out, I guess I would be over here for quite a while.

The weather here has been dreary for 28 days we only saw the sun on three different days and in the meanwhile it rained, hailed, snowed, sleeted, and everything. For the last two days though the sun has shown and, we look out of our window and see the snow-covered mountains - it is really beautiful.

Went down town to the PX for my rations yesterday and it was really something. All the little kids around town were sitting around the door and as the G. I.'s came out they would grab at their sleeves or coattails and say, "Choc’lete?" They are so pitiful that you can't hardly refuse them but I'll bet they had more candy and chewing gum at the end of the day than the G. I.'s did. That is the first time that I have bought my rations up town. We had our own little PX down here at the billets but they say that every week it is the same thing.

Well, I must close for this time as it is almost time for chow. Thanks again for The Tribune. I enjoy it so much. Tell everyone hello for me-and be good.”

December 27, 1945

We extend our thanks to, the following for their nice Christmas greetings: Roland Wilson, USS Wasp at Naples, Italy; Ralph Novak, USS Caratret, in the Pacific; Lee Drazba, with a USA unit in the Philippines; Wilfred Hunter, USS Furse, in the Atlantic. Also a card from Dell Bradbury in California who did not state whether he is yet in the army or not, but who did say "I am coming to Florida soon."

From Cpl. VERA McCRANEY in Germany; Pfc. Carroll Leggett, then in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., in Ashburn General Hospital; and Coast Guardsman Russell Thompson at Atlantic City, N. J. Thanks a million for remembering us.