Faith In Fiction | A Big Announcement

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces.” 

Those words still resonate in my mind seven months after they were spoken by President Roosevelt. This nation’s leader had announced in that speech that "our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger" and that our country is at war. Immediately after the speech, my father, a Baptist preacher, had led our family in prayer for the nation, for the military and military families, for strength and wisdom, for revival in churches at home and abroad, for faith and for world unity. As he closed the prayer, he looked at each of his eight young adult children and our mother, and gave us a verse to memorize and hold onto in the months to come:

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:3-4)

Early the next morning, my brothers, Dan (age 25), Don (age 23) and Dennis (age 18) went to the recruiting depot and joined the military. Now, in the heat of wartime, all three of them are overseas awaiting whatever may come. We have entrusted each of them to the Lord, not knowing if they will return to our small town in western North Carolina or if they will be called home to His heavenly palace. 

In a few minutes, today, July 17, 1942, another speech will take place, but this time, I will be the one delivering it. As I walk up the long, steep, winding gravel driveway to my home, I hear a noisy band of Carolina chickadees singing their familiar high-pitched call. Chick-a-dee-dee! Chick-a-dee-dee! Oh, how I will miss that lovely sound. I have mixed feelings about my announcement, excited for the future yet fearful of my parents’ reaction. I brace myself, take a deep breath, pray for wisdom, recite Psalm 56:3-4 and then enter the front door. The smell of cornbread, pinto beans and collard greens overwhelms me and teardrops fall onto my cheeks. This comforting aroma, too, I shall surely miss.

My mother takes the news hard, bursting into tears. My father takes her hand, lowers his head, then gives me his blessing with Scripture:

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let ALL that you do be done with love.” (I Corinthians 16:13-14). 

I regret that I waited until now to tell them but I couldn’t bear to do it earlier. Leaving town in just a few hours, at the tender age of 22, I will be one of the first women, aside from nurses, to serve in the U.S. military. I had submitted my application to join the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on May 27th, the first day applications were available. I’m honored that of the thousands of women who applied for military support jobs, I have been chosen to be in the first women’s army auxiliary training class at Fort Des Moines, starting this coming Monday. 

Am I ready to embark on this exciting, yet demanding, new adventure? My commanding officer has already warned me that the male army officers who will train me oppose women in the military and that I must bridle my tongue about any duties, intimidation, humiliation and words they may fling at me. Curbing my assertive and defensive personality will be an enormous challenge for me. 

I pick up my suitcase, packed since yesterday evening, and take one last lingering gaze around my bedroom, then bow my head to pray a psalm that I expect to repeat many times in the future,

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

As I walk into the dimly lit kitchen, my senses are flooded once again with the incredible smell of my mother’s southern cooking. Saying goodbye to my parents is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and we embrace in a hug that seems to be never-ending.  

Tears fill my eyes as I walk out the door and hurry down the driveway, eager to board the train headed to Des Moines. I pray that taking this risk of joining the U.S. military will teach me to take such bold risks for the Kingdom of God. As I march to the train station, I can’t help but sing:

Onward, Christian soldier, marching as to war 
With the cross of Jesus, going on before
Christ, the royal Master leads against the foe
Forward into battle, see his banner go

From this moment on, I am a soldier. The women in my military unit will be trailblazers and each of us has committed to being the ‘role model’ woman soldier to pave the way for women to serve in the military not only during this war, but in future generations as well. Eighty years from now, in the far off year of 2022, when this war and the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps are just a history lesson, my hope is that my military service will be but a footnote to my life story. My longing is to be remembered as a ‘role model’ soldier in the Lord’s army, faithfully serving the King of Kings for my entire life.