WW2 Good Conduct medal for woman

[Avitas]

Hi there,

I picked up this rare WW2 USA Good Conduct Medal (which my girlfriend quickly got a hold of ) awarded to a female recipient and was wondering how to research these medals. The ribbon does not glow under blacklight so I am assuming it is ww2 issue, probably for this fine woman nurse, I assume, Eileen A. Kroll. I searched the net for info on her and found and obituary, but thats it. How rare are these medals awarded (and inscribed) with women? There can't be many of them. ANy help is appreciated on this subject.

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

Here is the reverse with the inscribed name. I have read that you could pay extra to engrave your name after the war on your medal.

[David S]

The Good Conduct Medal was intended for enlisted soldiers, not officers. So your search is not going to be easy. You could be looking at a myriad of jobs enlisted women held such as Lab Technician, Clerk, or a Driver . . . or something else.

Edited May 12, 2006 by David S

[Avitas]

Yeah, it is almost impossible unless someone from her family does a search on her and ends up in a military collecting forum! Anyways, thought I would post my regular non-engraved issue for comparison. Anyone else with a female name engraved Good Conduct medal to share?

Later,

Pat

[Avitas]

and the back with blank space for engraving.

[ehrentitle]

Try contacting the Women's Army Museum at Fort Lee, VA: http://www.awm.lee.army.mil/

If she was a WAC they might have something on her in their archives. I have my doubts that she was an Army Nurse since nurses were commissioned officers who wouldn't have warranted a GCM unless they had prior enlisted service.

Kevin

Edited June 1, 2006 by ehrentitle

[JBFloyd]

Many WACs got married after the war and changed their names, driving researchers crazy.

The Women In Military Service to America web site (http://www.womensmemorial.org/) might also offer some ways to track down Ms Kroll.

Kroll (born in 1919) enlisted from New Haven, Connecticut on 21 Oct 1943 as a WAC private. She apparently had some industrial experience (lathe or machine operator before enlisting. Her Army Service Number was A-130249.

[ehrentitle]

Here is her enlistment file from the National Archives website, basically the same info that JBFloyd posted, just a different format:

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER A-130249 A-130249

NAME KROLL#EILEEN#A########## KROLL#EILEEN#A##########

RESIDENCE: STATE 11 CONNECTICUT

RESIDENCE: COUNTY 009 NEW HAVEN

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 1163 NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT

DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 21 21

DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 10 10

DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43 43

GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private

GRADE: CODE 8 Private

BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION WAC Women's Army Corps

BRANCH: CODE 18 Women's Army Corps

FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #

TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

LONGEVITY ### ###

SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life

NATIVITY 11 CONNECTICUT

YEAR OF BIRTH 19 19

RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 1 White, citizen

EDUCATION 3 3 years of high school

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 478 SHIP FITTER or BORING MILL OPERATOR or ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR* (Lathe operator, heavy.)

MARITAL STATUS 6 Single, without dependents

COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 9 Women's Army Corps

CARD NUMBER # #

BOX NUMBER 0002 0002

FILM REEL NUMBER 1.2## 1.2##

[ehrentitle]

From Ancestry.com:

Name: Eileen Kroll

Veteran's Rank: T/5

Branch: US Army

Last known address: 950 South Sepulveda Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90049

Birth Date: 15 Sep 1919

Death Date: 18 Nov 1983

Veteran Service Start Date: 21 Oct 1943

Veteran Service End Date: 8 Feb 1946

Interment Date: 21 Dec 1983

Cemetery: Los Angeles National Cemetery

Buried At: Section C-406 Site 224

Cemetery URL: http://www.cem.va.gov/nchp/losangeles.htm

[Avitas]

Wow! Good detective work guys, now I know where to check if I come across some other named items. THis just adds so much to the medal now that I know more about the woman who earned it. My girlfriend is just tickled pink about the news,as it is her medal. Thanks again for the great work, and if anyone else has any awards with women recipients engraved on the medal please post them.

THanks,

Pat

[Hauptmann]

Hey Pat,

Good going on this one! And thanks to all the members who jumped in and helped. A great piece.

Another question on this one though... now that she's known... is there any easy way to find out what, if any, other medals she was awarded? I'm assuming she would have gotten the WAC medal... and the Victory medal, but any confirmation or way to find out about others?

Would be great to have examples of anything else she was awarded.

Again great find Pat... and now extremely important to you, I know. Can't think of a better birthday present than finding out the history on this one.

Dan

[ehrentitle]

Again, I recommend that you contact the Army Women's Museum at Ft Lee, VA. They used to be the Women's Army Corps (WAC) Museum and have a large body of records on WAC training in the US. With the year of basic training and the name of the person they may be able to track down a group photo of her class which would give you an idea of what she looked like. Kevin

Edited June 2, 2006 by ehrentitle