Beatrice Coleman served as a mail clerk and company clerk while in the Army from 1943 to 1945.
A 103-year-old World War II Army veteran, Beatrice F. Coleman, celebrated her birthday in Hampton. The Lorraine Bethea Hospice Foundation organized a birthday party for her, marking the special occasion.
Beatrice enlisted in the US Army in 1943 and served for two years until 1945 as part of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, later known as the Women’s Army Corps. During her service, she worked as a mail clerk and company clerk.
At the time, there weren’t many employment opportunities for African Americans.
“There was nothing else for a Black woman to do,” Beatrice said. “That’s why I decided that my best bet was to join the Army.”
Carolyn K. Williams from the Lorraine Bethea Hospice Foundation highlighted Beatrice’s remarkable story, being one of the first African American women to serve in the war at the age of 103. Williams also mentioned the significance of honoring Beatrice’s legacy through the birthday celebration planned by her family.
“She sorted and made certain that the troops that were in that particular area received their mail,” Beatrice’s daughter, Cheryl Brown, explained. “She’s a spitfire, and she just absolutely loves life. She loves her family.”
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