Mary Louise Rasmuson

She enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, where she started as a private in an experiment using women as military professionals.

The Army had opened twenty-six new military occupational specialties (MOSs) for active duty enlisted women and fifty for WAC reservists.

Congress had granted active duty credit for WAAC time to women with further military service, and it had corrected inequities for WAC reserve officers.

[1] The Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System was renamed in her honor in 2023.

[5] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

Lt. Col. Mary Louise Milligan receives the Legion of Merit from Maj. Gen. Willard S. Paul, Director of Personnel and Administration, 1946.
Col. Mary Louise Milligan is sworn in as Director, WAC, by Maj. Gen. Herbert M. Jones, Adjutant General, Department of the Army, on 3 January 1957. Secretary of the Army Wilber M. Brucker is also present.
Col. Mary Louise Milligan shakes hands with WAC deputy director, Lt. Col. Lucile G. Odbert, at her reappointment as WAC Director, 3 January 1961. Her mother is on her left.
Col. Mary Louise Milligan Rasmuson and Lt. Gen. Russell L. Vittrup, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Department of the Army, at her retirement at Fort McClellan, 30 July 1962.