Seoul, South Korea, February 1960: A young Republic of Korea Women’s Army Corps recruit learns maintenance and assembly of a U.S. 30-cal. carbine during a class on weapon maintenance at the WAC Training Center. Shortly after the war began in June 1950, the Korean army started training some 500 volunteers as women soldiers. The Women’s Army Corps was officially founded Sept. 6, 1950, and the total number of women soldiers increased to about 1,000 by July 1953 when the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. During the war, some WACs outfitted in army fatigues and boots and carrying carbines and M-1 rifles saw combat side by side with the men, but most were employed in psychological warfare, reading propaganda messages across the front line to communist North Korean soldiers. At least a dozen ROK WACs were either killed or missing in action.

Read more about the ROK WAC Training Center and the history of the service here.

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