Briefing Document: Ruth Eldeanne Warlick

Subject: Biographical Information and Military Service of Ruth Eldeanne Warlick

Date: October 26, 2023 (Based on the prompt date)

1. Overview: This document outlines the life and military service of Ruth Eldeanne Warlick, a woman born in Texas in 1917 who served in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) during World War II. Her life is marked by her transition from rural Texas to wartime service and ultimately, her tragic disappearance in a plane crash.

2. Key Biographical Details:

Birth: Ruth Eldeanne Warlick was born on March 2, 1917, in San Saba County, Texas. Her parents were Ida Elizabeth Sewell and James Wyre Warlick.

Family: She had two brothers and a sister. The 1920 and 1930 census records place the family in San Saba County, Texas.

Early Life and Education: She was raised in rural Texas and completed four years of high school.

Pre-Military Work: Prior to her military service, Ruth worked in various civilian jobs:

1940: Waitress in a café in Brady, McCulloch County, Texas.

1942: Sales clerk in Abilene, Texas.

1943: Employee at the Convair Plant in Fort Worth, Texas. This shows a shift towards more industrial wartime employment.

Enlistment: On March 19, 1944, Ruth enlisted in the U.S. Army Women’s Army Corps in Dallas, Texas. Her enlistment record lists her as a single, white female from Texas, with four years of high school education. Her Army Serial Number (ASN) was A-809574.

Quote: "Ruth E. Warlick asn-A-809574 a single white female born Texas in 1916 residing in Tarrant County, Texas working as a sales clerk with four years of high school education enlisted from civilian life into the US Army Women's Army Corps at Dallas, Texas on 19 March 1944."

3. Military Service:

Rank and Unit: She served as a Private First Class (Pfc) in the U.S. Army Women's Army Corps, specifically assigned to the Troop Carrier Command.

Deployment: By May of 1945, she was in West Africa and was en route to Robert's Field in Liberia.

Disappearance: On May 30, 1945, Pfc Warlick was aboard a Douglas C-47B (tail number 44-76406) transport aircraft out of Accra Airfield, Ghana, on a routine mission to Liberia. The plane, carrying 17 other WACs and three crew members, sent a distress message and crashed off the coast of Drewin, Côte d'Ivoire.

Quote: "Private First Class Ruth E. Warlick A-809574 US Army Women's Army Corps Troop Carrier Command was a passenger aboard Douglas C-47B 44-76406 out of Accra Airfield, Ghana on 30 May 1945 on a routine transport mission to the Robert's Field, Liberia where she would find her new assignment, along with 17 other WACs also on the aircraft."

Quote: "The Douglas C-47 disappeared off the Atlantic coast of Drewin , Cote D'Ivoire after sending a distress message. A witness observed the plane hit the water at a 45 degree angle."

Fate: No wreckage or bodies were ever recovered. All 21 personnel aboard the aircraft were declared Missing in Action (MIA).

Memorial: Pfc Ruth E. Warlick is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial in Carthage, Tunisia.

Quote: "No wreckage or bodies were ever found and all 21 aboard the C-47 were status as MIA. Pfc Warlick is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial at Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia."

4. Main Themes:

Rural to Global: Ruth Warlick's life journey reflects a common trend of individuals moving from rural settings to contribute to the war effort, in this case, on a global scale.

Women in Service: Her story highlights the vital contributions of women in the military during World War II, even in support roles that placed them in perilous situations.

Sacrifice and Loss: Ruth's experience emphasizes the tragic reality of wartime service, where even routine transport missions could result in devastating losses.

Unresolved Fate: Her status as MIA underscores the uncertainties and unresolved grief associated with wartime disappearances.

5. Important Facts:

Ruth Warlick's life is an example of the transformative power of historical events and the personal sacrifices made during World War II.

Her disappearance off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire highlights the dangers and sacrifices made by individuals during wartime service, even in what would be considered 'support' roles.

Her memorial on the Tablets of the Missing in Tunisia serves as a reminder of the many who remain unaccounted for from the war.

6. Conclusion: Ruth Eldeanne Warlick's life story is a compelling narrative of a young woman who left her rural upbringing to serve her country during a global conflict. Her tragic disappearance emphasizes the sacrifices made by countless individuals during wartime. Her story serves as a reminder of the personal cost of conflict and the enduring need for remembrance.