The Red Ball Express and the Women Who Ran It
Pfc. Myriam Justman speaks with some of the local taxi drivers she manages, Paris, 1945. Justman was fluent in French and could easily communicate with the local drivers contracted to support the transportation effort in the city. At the time of this photograph, she managed 25 cabs, including 21 during the day and four at night. During the height of the Red Ball Express, that number reached 40.
Smooth Operations
The women of the 29th Traffic Regulating Group were telephone operators, secretaries, stenographers, traffic experts, drivers, statisticians, and draftswomen.
Tech Sgt. Daphne Haselden and Brockie Daniels were both assigned to the Transportation Message Center as clerks to track incoming and outgoing messages. Sgt. Betty Glanville was responsible for checking the make-up of hospital trains in the Second Military Railway Service to support casualty evacuation. Pvt. 1st Class Myriam Justman handled logistics for a full fleet of French taxi cabs for local transportation. Pvt. Edith Quinn worked in the personnel office coordinating human resources functions, and had previously served as a Yeomanette in the Navy during World War I. Staff Sgt. Ann Barkley served as mess sergeant to feed the command and had the distinction of having been one of the first Transportation WACs. Tech Sgt. Mary McLean had the important assignment of serving as Maj. Gen. Ross' secretary.
Corporal Elizabeth Baker, Pvt. 1st Class Doris Perkins, and Sgt. Norma Geisler created map tracings and overlays of theater road networks to document the advancing American supply routes. Sometimes, they redrew the maps several times a day as new intel was received. The original Red Ball route extended from Saint Lo in Normandy to delivery areas west of Paris, but this quickly expanded as First Army advanced into Belgium and Third Army across France. WACs ensured that truck companies were kept up-to-date regarding the armies movement.
