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Fannie Griffin McClendon Collection

Fannie Griffin McClendon (b.1920), of Lafayette, Louisiana, served in the United States Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and the Women's Army Corps (WAC) from 1942 to 1945 or 1946. She was a member of the the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, whose members were women of color, primarily African American, and was stationed in Birmingham, England and Rouen, France in 1945. In 1951 she joined the Women's Air Force (WAF) and served in Supply until 1971.

Fannie Griffin McClendon leaving Fort Huachuca. AZ, 1942
Fannie Griffin McClendon leaving Fort Huachuca, AZ to go to OCS at Fort Des Moines, Iowa; 1942
Four Enlisted WAACS Standing in Front of the Fort Des Moines Mess Hall, 1942
Four Enlisted WAACS Standing in Front of the Fort Des Moines Mess Hall, Iowa; 1942. From L to R: Fannie Griffin McClendon, Glover, Allen, unknown
Lieutenant Fannie Griffin, 1945
Fannie Griffin McClendon; Women's Army Corps; Brussels, Belgium; 1945
Lieutenant Fannie Griffin, 1945
Fannie Griffin McClendon; Women in the Air Force; circa 1951
Oral history interview with Fannie Griffin McClendon
McClendon talks about the segregation in the army during the 1940s and integration in the 1950s. She goes into detail about different racially motivated incidents that happened and gender-based discrimination that she experienced. McClendon talks about the famous people she encountered while in the army and her travels abroad. She goes into detail about her postal job in England and her experiences with planes in the air force. McClendon discusses her post-military life and racial discrimination outside of the military. She touches on politics, patriotism and living in different places all around the United States.

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