This memorable memoir describes the enlistment life of a dedicated American WAC whoserved resolutely in England when it came under relentless attack by the German air force, thebloody battlefields of France immediately after D-Day, and obliterated Germany after VE Day.From Mollie Weinstein’s first days of basic training in Daytona Beach in 1943 to the climacticmoment when she saw the Statue of Liberty as her troop ship approached American shoresupon returning home in 1945, the collection of conscientious, loving letters to family andfriends written whenever time permitted provides an intimate glimpse into Mollie’s personallife as well as the lives of fellow women in uniform during the most terrifying, nay, horrifying,war in world history.“MOLLIE’S WAR – The Letters of a World War II WAC In Europe”, by Mollie Weinstein Schafferand Cyndee Schaffer (daughter). McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers: 2010, 281 pages, sc;$19.99.Readers of this reviewer’s reviews have long realized how biased he is of several Americanand British military publishers, i.e., Casemate, Schiffer, McFarland, Naval Institute Press, andOsprey. But even among these, none had thus far matched McFarland in publishing anendearing family collection of letters such as this. McFarland focuses mainly on selling tolibraries, utilizing direct mailing to connect with enthusiasts in niche categories, i.e., militaryhistory, film, chess, and every other imaginable subject. But this time it has outdone even itselfin not only providing readers a superb introductory scholarly treatise on the growth anddevelopment of the WACs, authored by Leisa D. Meyer; but also an enthralling, enjoyablecombined biography-autobiography-compendium of personal letters dealing with theexperiences of a young woman volunteering, then contributing magnificently, as Americafought three nations in an Axis simultaneously.Writes Mollie in her Preface, “My book tells the story of the everyday life of an enlistedwoman between October 1943, when I was finally accepted into the WAC, and November 1945,when I was honorably discharged. This book is possible only because my sister Rebecca (Beck)saved most of my letters and the letters that had been sent to me by various friends (which Ihad mailed to her for safekeeping). Somewhere in this host of letters, my sister reminded methat I once dreamed of writing a book. More than 60 years later, my sister is gone but some 350letters remain. I am grateful to my daughter, Cyndee, for all work in choosing and editing myletters. I am also grateful to my other daughter, Roberta, son Joel, granddaughter Ariel and
grandson Jordan for their assistance in my project.”
Mollie was one of the first groups of WACs to land in Normandy after D-Day in the summerof 1944. She was also one of the first groups of WACs to enter Germany after May 3, 1945. Shewas present for the re-dedication of the only standing synagogue in Frankfurt on RoshHashanah in 1945. “I never returned to Europe to see how England, France and Germanyrecovered from the war. All in all, being a WAC during World War II shaped the rest of my life.
My experiences in the European Theater were enough to last a lifetime.”
