Technician 5, US Army Women’s Army Minerva Donnell  

Born: September 26, 1906, Decatur County, Indiana
Died: January 31, 1965, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Technician 5 Minerva Donnell joined the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) when it was still the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in October of 1942.^1,2 The Technician rank was created especially for World War II to give additional pay to those whose civilian skills were useful to the army, the TEC 5 rank being roughly like corporal, though not quite equal to it.³ When the WAAC dropped ‘auxiliary’ and became part of the US Army actively, most of the women chose to remain and were sworn in again to represent this change.⁴ The auxiliary was dropped to allow women to serve overseas and ‘free a man to fight’.”⁵

Serving in the WAC meant overseas travel was possible and TEC 5 Donnell was sent not only to New Guinea but to the Philippines as part of the Signal Corps.⁶ Her laughing claim later in life was, “During the war, I replaced a carrier pigeon on active duty.”⁷ This may sound strange today, but “homing pigeons served the Army Air Force (AAF) very capably and valiantly … [transmitting] countless messages within numerous theaters of operation and, as a result, contributed much to the Allied war effort.”⁸

TEC 5 Donnell was released after her return to the US on November 30, 1945.⁹

Minerva Donnell was born on September 26, 1909, near Greensburg in Decatur County Indiana to Wilbur and Hannah Donnell. She grew up on the farm that had been in her family since her great-grandfather purchased the land.¹⁰ She was the oldest child of four girls and a boy, but growing up at that time was a risky business; her brother didn’t live a year and one of her sisters died at eleven.^11,12,13,14 Life on a farm in the early 20^th century wasn’t easy for anyone; Donnell’s mother died in 1916 and her father in 1922.^15,16

But the grit and determination that came with farming were in Donnell’s blood, she not only graduated from high school, she attended Hanover College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in only three years, and earned a scholarship to study in France for one year.^17,18,19

On her return, she took a job at the Ingleside Seminary in Burkesville, Virginia, a school set up for African-American girls to receive an education.²⁰ Teaching was not to Donnell’s taste, and despite the depression, she left teaching and went to Cincinnati, Ohio, finding work as a waitress, babysitter, governess, factory worker, and saleswoman.^21,22 One job was in a bookstore, and Donnell decided that this was the career for her: she signed up for a training course, and started work at the public library.^23,24

Donnell’s library career was put on hold when she joined the US Army where her grit and determination allowed her to easily fit into the Army’s ‘can do’ attitude. When she was released, she used the GI Bill to get a degree in Library Science from Columbia University.²⁵ She returned briefly to Cincinnati, but then moved west to Albuquerque, New Mexico before landing a job at the Medical Library of Walker Air Force Base in Roswell.^26,27,28 She excelled at her work, even being invited to give presentations when medical librarians gathered.²⁹

But after twelve years Donnell needed a new challenge and accepted a job at the Northern Regional Library of the State Library Extension in Espanola, New Mexico.^30,31 Sadly, Donnell would soon face a health challenge that neither her farm girl grit and determination nor her US Army ‘can do’ attitude could help her overcome.³² Minerva Donnell passed away on January 31, 1965

Images & Documents

Notes:

1. 1. “Donnell, Minerva.” Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946. NAID: 1263923. World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park. College Park, Maryland, U.S.A.
   2. “Joins WAACs.” Rushville Republican. Rushville, Indiana. 29 October 1942. p. 4.
   3. “Seeking Explanation of Duties of Army Tec 5” History Hub. Answer by: Jason, National Archives. Copyright 2020.
   4. “Donnell, Minerva.” US, Veterans’ Gravesites, ca.1775-2019: US Department of Veterans Affairs. Last Updated: 11 Jul 2020.
   5. “Women in the Army: A History.” US Army. 2023. para. 9.

   6 & 7. “New Librarian Assumes Duties.” Rio Grande Sun. Espanola, New Mexico. 30 May 1963. p. 4.

   8. Schwartz, David and Mark Kahn. “Homing in on Pigeons’ Contributions to World War II.” Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Published: 16 March 2021. para. 5.
   9. See note 4.
   10. “Donnell family: a history and genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Donnell, of Scotland.” Ancestry.com. North America, Family Histories. Entry of Wilbur Donnelly, p 112.
   11. “Donnell.” Year: 1910; Census Place: Fugit, Decatur, Indiana; Roll: T624_345; Page: 11a; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 1374358.
   12. “Hannah Donnell.” Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, Indiana; Birth; Year: 1914; Roll: 003.
   13. “Donnell family: a history and genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Donnell, of Scotland.” Ancestry.com. North America, Family Histories. Entry of Wilbur Donnelly, p 113.
   14. “Mary Donnell.” Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1919; Roll: 09.
   15. “Hannah Evans Donnell.” Find a Grave memorial page for Hannah Evans Donnell (20 Dec 1872–1916).
   16. “Wilbur Donnell, Last Will and Testament.” Probate Records; Author: Indiana. Probate Court (Decatur County). Notes: Will Records, Vol 5-7, 1897-1924.
   17. “New Librarian Assumes Duties.” Rio Grande Sun. Espanola, New Mexico. 30 May 1963. p. 4.
   18. “To Study in France.” Indianapolis Times. Indianapolis, Indiana. 11 April 1928. p. 6.
   19. “Donnell, Minerva.” The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at and Departing from Ogdensburg, New York, 5/27/1948 – 11/28/1972; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715, 1897-1957.
   20. “Donnell.” Year: 1930; Census Place: Burkeville, Nottoway, Virginia; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 2342187. For the goals of the Ingleside Seminary, please see the Ingleside Training Institute at https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=31042
   21. See note 17.
   22. “Donnell.” Year: 1940; Census Place: Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: m-t0627-03192; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 91-169B.
   23. “Library Training Course Opens.” Cincinnati Post. Cincinnati, Ohio. 19 January 1942. p. 3.
   24. “Join Library Staff.” “Library Training Course Opens.” Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio. 11 June 1942. p. 22.
   25. See note 30.
   26. “Donnell, Minerva.” Cincinnati, Ohio, City Directory, 1948.
   27. “Donnell, Minerva.” Albuquerque, New Mexico, City Directory, 1950.
   28. See note 17.
   29. “Medical Record Librarians Schedule Meeting.” Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 22 October 1956. p. 14.
   30. “New Librarian Assumes Duties.” Rio Grande Sun. Espanola, New Mexico. 30 May 1963. p. 4.
   31. “Donnell: Miss Minerva Donnell.” Albuquerque Journal: Obituaries. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 3 February 1965. p. 2.
   32. “New Librarian for Espanola.” Rio Grande Sun. Espanola, New Mexico. 23 July 1964. p. 1.

Compiled by: A. D. McLean, MA, MLIS. Central New Mexico Community College, retired 2022.

Featured Image:

“New Librarian Assumes Duties.” Rio Grande Sun. Española, New Mexico. 30 May 1963. p. 4.