Carmen Contreras-Bozak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carmen Contreras-Bozak
Tech4 Carmen Contreras-Bozak First Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Women's Army Corps
Birth name	Carmen Contreras Torres
Born	(1919-12-31)December 31, 1919 Cayey, Puerto Rico
Died	January 30, 2017(2017-01-30) (aged 97) Land o' Lakes, Florida
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	Women's Army Corps
Years of service	1941–1945
Rank	Technician Fourth Grade
Unit	149th WAAC Post Headquarters Company
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Battle Stars
Other work	Founder – chapter of WAC Veterans Founder – chapter of the Society  of Military Widows

Tech4 Carmen Contreras-Bozak was a pioneering woman who made history. Born on December 31, 1919, she became the very first Puerto Rican woman to join the U.S. Women's Army Corps (WAC). She served during World War II, working as an interpreter and in many important office jobs. She passed away on January 30, 2017, at 97 years old.

Early Life and Moving to New York

Carmen Contreras Torres was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico. She was the oldest of three children. She grew up in the central mountains of the island and went to school there.

Later, her parents divorced. Her mother, Lila Baudilia Lugo Torres, moved the family to New York City. In New York, Carmen went to Julia Richman High School. After graduating, she worked for the National Youth Administration. She also worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C. There, she was a payroll clerk after passing a special government test.

Serving in World War II

During World War II, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was created. This happened on May 15, 1942. Its goal was to use the skills of women to help with national defense. The Army needed women who could speak Spanish and English. They wanted them for jobs like decoding messages, communications, and interpreting.

In 1942, Carmen Contreras joined the WAAC. She went to Fort Lee, Virginia, for her training. Carmen bravely volunteered to be part of the 149th WAAC Post Headquarters Company. This was the first group of women to go overseas. They sailed from New York in January 1943, heading for Europe. Carmen was the first person of Hispanic background to serve in the WAC. She was also the first of about 200 Puerto Rican women who would join the Women's Army Corps during the war.

Her unit arrived in Northern Africa on January 27, 1943. They served in Algiers, at General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s main headquarters. The women who served abroad faced different rules than male soldiers. They did not get extra pay for serving overseas. They also could not get government life insurance. If they got sick, hurt, or captured, they had less protection. If captured, they were seen as "auxiliaries" helping the Army, not as regular soldiers. This meant they did not have the same protections under international law as male soldiers.

Because of these issues, the Army decided to make the Women's Corps a full part of the regular Army. On July 3, 1943, a new law was signed. This law made the Women's Army Corps an official part of the U.S. Army. It became effective on September 1, 1943.

Carmen Contreras was promoted to the rank of Tech 4. This rank is similar to a Sergeant (E-4) in today's Army. Her job was to send secret messages. These messages went between Eisenhower's headquarters in Algiers and the battlefields in Tunisia.

After returning home, Carmen went to Valley Forge General Hospital in July 1945. She needed treatment for an eye infection she got in Algiers. There, she met Theodore John Bozak, who was recovering from war injuries. They fell in love and got married. Carmen Contreras-Bozak and her husband had three children: two sons, Brian and Robert, and a daughter, Carmen.

Later Years and Legacy

Carmen Contreras-Bozak lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for many years. She worked at the post office and also as a real estate agent. She was very active in helping other veterans. She started a local group for WAC Veterans. In 1998, she also founded a group for military widows.

Later, she moved to Tampa. She lived there until she passed away in January 2017. She was 97 years old. Carmen Contreras-Bozak was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This is a very special place, and she was laid to rest next to her husband, Theodore John Bozak.

Awards and Decorations

Tech4 Carmen Contreras-Bozak received several military awards for her service:

Images for kids

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  Carmen Contreras-Bozak in uniform during World War II.

See also

• Carmen Lozano Dumler
• Carmen García Rosado
• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Puerto Rican military personnel
• Puerto Rican women in the military
• Puerto Ricans in World War II
• History of women in Puerto Rico