Women's Army Corps leader makes history with star rank

In June 1970, Col. Elizabeth Hoisington made history with her promotion to brigadier general. She was the first woman from the Women's Army Corps to attain star rank, and one of the first two women promoted to that rank in the U.S. Army.

Hoisington was born in 1918, the daughter of Col. Gregory Hoisington. Her military service began in World War II, when women, with the exception of nurses, were not officially allowed to serve in the military.

She enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942, which became the Women's Army Corps in 1943. The corps was created to fill an acute manpower shortage. As WACs, women served in clerical and hospital work, sold liberty and war bonds, were parachute riggers, aerial photo analysts, and even trained servicemen in aviation gunnery.

After completing basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, Private Hoisington went to a Women's Army Auxiliary Corps aircraft early warning unit in Bangor, Maine.

Commissioned in May 1943 through the Officers Candidate School as a third officer, she soon became an Army officer when the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps became the Women's Army Corps a month later.

Serving in command positions in France, Germany, Japan and Fort Monroe, Va., -- and in a variety of key administrative positions at the Pentagon; Headquarters, Sixth U.S. Army; and in Europe -- she became the director of the Woman's Army Corps and served in that position from 1966 to 1971.

In 1967, Hoisington visited Fort Sheridan here in Illinois as part of her duties as the Women's Army Corps director. The director was the primary adviser to the secretary of the Army on WAC matters and was responsible for ensuring that the Army's staff agencies issued appropriate plans and policies concerning the supervision, morale, health and safety of WACs.

The director ensured conformity in regulations and policies by inspecting WAC units and personnel worldwide, including units serving in Saigon and Long Bihn during the Vietnam War.

During her tenure as director, WAC officers began to attend senior service colleges, the WAC student officer program was initiated, and the strength of the Woman's Army Corps increased by several thousand.

Although Hoisington retired as a general on Aug. 1, 1971, she was frequently quoted as saying: "From private to first sergeant, that was my greatest promotion."

The Women's Army Corps continued until 1978, when it was discontinued in favor of having women serve as part of the regular army.