HAPPIEST WAC AND G.I. --Cpl. Hazel Ballou, Clarion, meets her son, Pvt. Philip Ballou, 20, at the M.P. gate of the WAC detachment of the far east service command in New Guinea.
WAC Corporal Meets Son Somewhere in New Guinea
Southwest Pacific—“Happiest WAC in the Pacific” was the verdict of Cpl. Hazel Ballou, of Clarion, serving with the far east air service command, somewhere in New Guinea, as she met her son, Pvt. Philip Ballou, 20, who is stationed at Guadalcanal. “Howza bout the proudest G. I.?” said Phil.
It was a storybook tale from the beginning. Cpl. Ballou sent her APO number to her son as soon as she landed. The public relations officer of the air transport command at Phil’s station found out where she was and that the ATC had an outfit near her. A short furlough and air passage were arranged.
The mother was at the M. P. guarded gate of the WAC area. She, too, had been granted time off duty, and the happy scene ensued. Philip, being a son, was allowed the run of the area, ordinarily so carefully restricted. Feminine soldiers in the mess hall perked up when they saw this handsome G. I. at their table. Picnics, trips to see New Guinea, meeting each other’s friends, followed.
Phil located a buddy whom he had not seen for some time. There being no hotels in New Guinea, his housing problem was solved. Best of all were the long hours in the WAC ‘Rec’ (recreation hall) where they talked of Stuart, a younger son and brother back in the States, and other members of the family and friends at home.
Cpl. Ballou is now on duty as secretary to the officer in charge of the organization and planning section of the management control division, headquarters, far east air service command. This division has to do with controlling and co-ordinating the plans and operations of all the various sections of the command.
The air transport command, with which Pvt. Ballou is serving, has to do with the transporting of cargo and personnel in and between different theaters of operation. He is assigned as a secretary and clerk in the classification section. This section determines the abilities and aptitudes of personnel, the manpower needs of each section in the command, and the proper assignment.
Following her enlistment, Cpl. Ballou received her basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and attended the army administration school at Alpine, Texas. From there she was assigned to Hunter Field, Ga., where she served as a reporter and secretary in the legal section up to the time of her training for overseas duty. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Miller, of Clarion. Stuart, her 17 year old son, is living with his grandparents. He is attending Clarion high school, and plans to join his mother and brother in the service as soon as he is 18. In civilian life, Cpl. Ballou was employed as a legal clerk and secretary in the law firm of Birdsall, Archard, and Nagle, also of Clarion.
In speaking of her military service, Cpl. Ballou says, “Philip I knew was going into the service in a short time, while Stuart would follow as soon as he was old enough. It seemed to me that enlisting was my move to effectively assist in the war effort and help bring our sons back home. I was in the Army 2 months ahead of Phil, who enlisted shortly after his graduation from Clarion High.” Prior to his overseas assignment, Phil received training at Camp Barkley, Texas.
Source: Mason City Globe-Gazette, March 28, 1945 (photo included)
Hazel Yvonne (Miller) Ballou Haupt was born Mar. 21, 1905 to William E. and Lida Foster Miller. She died June 29, 1995 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Clarion, IA.
Sgt. Ballou enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in World War II and served with the Far East Air Service Command in New Guinea.
Her son, Staff Sgt. Philip Ballou, was in the Air Transport Command stationed at Henderson Field in Guadalcanal in World War II.
Another son, Hospital man Third Class Stuart Ballou, served with the U.S. Navy in World War II and Korea.
Sources: “Ordinary Heroes”, Judge Newt Draheim - Chapter 65; ancestry.com
