Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Vivian Mildred Corbett Bailey Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: WAC (Women's Army Corps)
- Service Unit/Ship: Company 3, 1st Regiment, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps; Women's Detachment Fort McClellan; Women's Detachment 2 Fort Benning; Officer's Administration Course; Fort Bragg Separation Center
- Location of Service: Fort Des Moines, Iowa; Fort McClellan, Alabama; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/108519
The limited job opportunities for African American women in the 1940s led Vivian Bailey to follow in her cousin's footsteps and pursue a commission in the Women's Army Corps (WAC). Yet serving as a WAC during World War II meant that her service, just as in life, was constantly permeated by what she called "the cost of segregation." Throughout her time as a WAC, during which she eventually achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant, she served in multiple administrative roles at Ft. McClellan, Ft. Benning, and Ft. Bragg. Perhaps her most memorable experience was a chance meeting with General James Ulio, the Adjutant General of the Army from 1943 to 1946, when he put his manners before his rank by having Bailey disembark their train before he did, leading his welcome committee to salute Bailey first.
Interview / Recording
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PlayJob opportunities for African American women were limited; Bailey's cousin had enlisted in the WACs and she liked what she heard; Bailey was underweight when she went to enlist, but gained weight by eating lots of ice cream and just barely made the weight limit three weeks later. 00:02:27.0 - 00:03:24.0
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PlayDescribing experiences of how the military was completely segregated; separate housing, mess halls, ration tickets. 00:07:16.0 - 00:09:56.0
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PlayBailey's experience meeting and hanging out with the famous boxers Joe Lewis and Sugar Ray Robinson as they toured the country meeting with troops, while she was stationed at Ft. McClellan. 00:16:40.0 - 00:18:16.0
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PlayBailey's recollections of experiencing racial aggression during her service and how she reacted; her feelings towards being called racist terms; experiencing racism when trying to do her duties and when she was traveling to Adjutant General School. 00:19:08.0 - 00:21:24.0
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PlayMeeting Gen. Ulio on the train to Ft. Sam Houston on her way to AG School; Ulio sitting in the segregated seating in the dining car forcing the train car to have integrated seating; Gen Ulio asking her to disembark the train before him, despite his rank as a four star general; Bailey received salutes from his welcome committee before Gen. Ulio. 00:28:00.0 - 00:29:57.0
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PlayBailey resisting a white, superior officer coercing her into court martially a woman under her command; feeling proud that she did what was right and appropriate for the situation and what was in her power as an officer. 00:34:09.0 - 00:35:43.0
More Resources
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About this Item
Title
- Vivian Mildred Corbett Bailey Collection
Names
- Bailey, Vivian Mildred Corbett
- Veterans History Project
- Janice Agazio
- Riddle, Wanda L.
- Library of Congress
Home State
- Maryland
Headings
- - Bailey, Vivian Mildred Corbett
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army. Women's Army Corps.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Race
- Black or African American
Status
- veteran
Service History
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World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: WAC (Women's Army Corps)
- Service Unit/Ship: Company 3, 1st Regiment, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps; Women's Detachment Fort McClellan; Women's Detachment 2 Fort Benning; Officer's Administration Course; Fort Bragg Separation Center
- Location of Service: Fort Des Moines, Iowa; Fort McClellan, Alabama; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Dates of Service: 1943-1946
- Entrance into Service: Commissioned
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Video: Digital File [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2017-04-04)
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2017-04-04; 2017-10-12)
- Manuscript: Military Papers [6 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-1946)
- Manuscript: Clippings [8 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1943-2015)
- Manuscript: Correspondence [9 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 2009-2020)
- Manuscript: Military Papers [39 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1943-2020)
- Manuscript: Printed matter [2 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 2007)
- Photograph: Mixed (Multiple types of photographs) [45 items] -- Photographs (collected 1943-2018)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/108519
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Physical Form
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Fort Benning, Georgia
- Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Fort Des Moines, Iowa
- Fort McClellan, Alabama
- Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Service Unit/Ship
- Company 3, 1st Regiment, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
- Fort Bragg Separation Center
- Officer's Administration Course
- Women's Detachment 2 Fort Benning
- Women's Detachment Fort McClellan