World War II started on September 1, 1939, and ended on September 2, 1945. This six-year war was the most significant global event of the twentieth century and had a profound influence on both U.S. and world history. In this essay, I will discuss Alice Tetsuko Kono, one of many women who served in the Women's Army Corps in World War II. Alice Tetsuko Kono was born in 1924 on the Hawaiian island of Lanai to Japanese immigrant parents. Kono was cleaning her parents' house in Molokai, Hawaii, when she learned of the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. That same day altered the trajectory of Kono's life, as it did for many other young people of her generation. Kono believed that joining the army would be the most effective method for her to help stop the war and keep people safe. However, at that time, women were not allowed to join the army until 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the federal government stated that women might pursue specified military careers. The embargo …show more content…
While on vacation in Honolulu, Kono came across WAC recruiters. She informed her parents that she was joining the WACs, also referred to as the Women's Army Corps. Kono recalls her parents' conflicting emotions about the announcement of her joining the army. She reported that her father said, "Go ahead!" but her mother said nothing since she feared losing her daughter. After telling her parents about signing up for the WACs, she completed her registration and physical tests in Honolulu. That same month and year, Kono, along with 58 other Hawaiian women, reported for duty. From there, they took the train to Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, for training. She attended the Military Intelligence Language School in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and served from 1944 to 1946 as a Military Intelligence Service linguist. However, Kono died on March 27, 2014, at 90, after accomplishing her goal of protecting her