Richenda Gansworth Accepted by WAACS
Miss Richenda Gansworth, daughter of L.N. Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, has been accepted and sworn in for duty with the Women's Army Auxiliary corps.
She has applied for overseas duty and expects to be called for training within the next two weeks.
Miss Gansworth attended Davenport schools and is employed at the Petersen-Von Maur store.
She is following in the footsteps of her father who made a name for himself as a welfare director in France during World War No. 1.
Source: The Daily Times, Davenport IA - April 30, 1943 (photo included)
Davenport WAC Now Serving in Algiers in "Mail Hospital"
Pfc. Richenda Gansworth, daughter of L.N. Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, member of the WACS is now stationed with the Allied Force headquarters, Algiers, N. Africa, it was learned today when a story was received from that unit describing work of the WACS in conducting a "hospital for mail".
There are 82 WACS in the unit from every section of the United States. This hospital is conducted for the purpose of putting together a pattern of order to get clues so that mail can reach soldiers in the Mediterranean theater. Daily the girls receive sacks and sacks of mail that has been undeliverable because the sender has failed to give the complete address for mailing these letters. The mail is sorted and every effort possible made to locate the soldier.
Pvt. Gansworth before entering the service in April 1943 was employed at the Petersen-Von Maur store. She had requested overseas service.
Source: The Daily Times, Davenport IA - June 16, 1944
IN ITALY -- Now serving in Italy with an army postal unit is Pvt. (f.c.) Richenda Gansworth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leander Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue. When allied forces advanced into northern Italy, Pvt. Gansworth and her unit were transferred there from North Africa, where they had been stationed for six months. She is attached to a division which sorts mail improperly-addressed and reroutes it back to the sender for correction. While in North Africa, Pvt. Gansworth told of her excellent living quarters, which was in a monastery rebuilt to house WAC troops. At present she is waiting for a short leave, during which she plans to visit the rest camp on the Isle of Capri. Entering the army in April, 1943, she received training at Ft. Des Moines, Ia., Drake university, Ft. Devens, Mass., and Ft Oglethorpe, Ga. Pvt. Gansworth was formerly employed by Petersen-Harned-Von Maur.
Source: The Quad-City Times, Davenport IA - August 2, 1944 (photo included)
Davenport WAC at Victory Services At Caserta, Italy
Richenda Gansworth, technician fifth grade in the WAC, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.N. Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, Davenport, was with thousands of Allied troops, men and women, who stood in a thanksgiving ceremony at Caserta, Italy, to mark the end of the war in Europe. The ceremony was held in teh shadow of the Royal place where the German delegates singed the unconditional surrender terms which meant the end of the war in Italy.
Cpl. Gansworth who entered the service in April 1943, has been overseas for some time, going first to North Africa before being assigned to duty initially. She was engaged in work in an army post office.
Source: The Daily Times, Davenport IA - May 17, 1945
The WAC postal company stationed in Caserta, Italy, of which T/5 Richenda Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, Davenport, and First Sgt. Noreen A. Miller of Marengo, Ia., belong, has been awarded a meritorious service unit plaque in recognition of the "superior performance of duty" of postal WACs in processing huge volumes of mail.
Members of this company can now wear a golden wreath patch on their uniforms.
Source: The Daily Times, Davenport IA - July 25, 1945
Two Former WACS Reenlist in Army; First in Davenport
The army recruiting office in Davenport has helped many World War II fighting men get back into uniform, but today, for the first time, recruiters here enlisted two former WACS.
They are Richenda A. Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, and Elizabeth Hawkinson, 2116 Jersey Ridge road, both reenlisting at their war service grade of technician, fifth grade.
Miss Gansworth is a veteran of 24 months overseas service in Italy, and Miss Hawkinson had nine months previous service as a surgical technician at Schick General hospital, Clinton.
They will leave Sunday night for Fort Snelling, Minn., where they receive final physical examinations.
Source: The Daily Times, Davenport IA - August 17, 1946
Married in Marlboro, Md.
Announcement is made of the marriage of Sergt. Richenda "Dique" Gansworth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.N. Gansworth, 2318 Carey avenue, Davenport, to Staff Sergt. Joseph Ayers Hoffman, son of Mrs. J. Bates of Sapulpa, Okla.
The bride attended the Davenport high school and during the war, joined the WAC, After training in several army schools, she served in North Africa and Italy. About two years ago, she enlisted in the WAC and has been on duty in Panama. She is now in the comptroller department of the air force personnel, Pentagon, Bldg., Washington D.C.
Source: The Quad-City Times, Davenport IA - March 6, 1950
