From the Collection

In the Service with Ma and Pa

A military family—father, mother, and son—serves together in North Africa.

John and Maude Dach, “Ma & Pa,” at a military camp in North Africa, February 1944, The National WWII Museum, 2014.094.081

Top image: John and Maude Dach, “Ma & Pa,” at a military camp in North Africa, February 1944, The National WWII Museum, 2014.094.081

Given the short time frame between World War I and World War II, many sons followed in their fathers’ footsteps and joined the armed forces, sometimes even serving at the same time as them. In the case of Captain Richard Dach, MD, he not only followed in both of his parents’ footsteps by joining the US Army Medical Corps, he also served with them in North Africa. Captain Dach arrived in North Africa in August 1943 and was soon stationed at the same camp as his parents, Dr. John (a WWI veteran) and Maude Dach (née Averbeck). Unlike the many servicemembers who had to celebrate Christmas away from family, the Dachs had the small comfort of being together in 1943. This military family was able to stay together until early 1944, when Captain Dach was sent to Italy without them. All three would return to the United States safely by early 1945 and both men continued to work in the medical field as civilians.

Unfortunately, Maude Dach’s story has been lost since her time in the service. It is uncertain what her role was in the Medical Corps and what her occupation was once she was discharged. While only one photograph in the collection positively identifies her, there are several photographs in the collection of an unidentified woman in an Army Medical Corps uniform who might be Maude Dach.

Unidentified Army Medical Corps personnel, The National WWII Museum, 2014.094.093


View more photographs from the service of Captain Richard Dach.

Kylie Hewitt
Contributor

Kylie Hewitt

Kylie Hewitt is a Digital Archives Technician at The National WWII Museum.  She received her BA in Anthropology from Kansas State Univers...
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Mediterranean Theater of Operations

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