Frances Virginia Gannon she was born in Washington, D.C. in 1929 and grew up in Mississippi. She received her BS degree from Mississippi Southern College in 1951. The daughter of a World War II Army officer, she said she had no intention of joining the military -- until she met an Army recruiter at her senior year in college. She noted that her hometown (Woodville, MS) had little opportunity for employment; she intended to stay in the Army for only four years. She was commissioned in August 1951, and attended WAC officer training at Ft Lee, VA that fall.
She served in assignments typical of WAC officers at the time, including service with WAC units, (including three commands) and recruiting duty. She initially turned down the opportunity for indefinite status, but later was able to change her mind. In 1967, as a lieutenant colonel, she was ordered to Vietnam as the fourth (of six) senior WAC advisors to the Vietnamese Women's Armed Forces Corps. She was in Saigon during Tet '68, and returned to the US in that summer to attend the Army War College. She and then LTC Shirley Heinze, also a Vietnam veteran, were the first women selected to attend the previously all-male college, graduating in 1968. She served next as the chief of WAC Recruiting. From 1972-74 she was the WAC Staff Advisor to US Army Europe.
Her last assignment was as director of evaluation for the Army intelligence school at Ft Huachuca, AZ, and retired in Sierra Vista as a colonel in 1977. Her awards included the Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Unit Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal (among others). Her sister, Josephine Chaffin, also served in the WAC.
In retirement Ginny was active in community and veterans affairs. She was a founding member Wac Veteran's Association Chapter San Pedro Ch. 95. She was inducted in the Arizona Hall of Fame.
Marriage to retired BG Vincent D. Gannon, Jr. (USMA '46) ended in divorce; Gen. Gannon died in 2002. Arrangements for COL Gannon are pending.
She served in assignments typical of WAC officers at the time, including service with WAC units, (including three commands) and recruiting duty. She initially turned down the opportunity for indefinite status, but later was able to change her mind. In 1967, as a lieutenant colonel, she was ordered to Vietnam as the fourth (of six) senior WAC advisors to the Vietnamese Women's Armed Forces Corps. She was in Saigon during Tet '68, and returned to the US in that summer to attend the Army War College. She and then LTC Shirley Heinze, also a Vietnam veteran, were the first women selected to attend the previously all-male college, graduating in 1968. She served next as the chief of WAC Recruiting. From 1972-74 she was the WAC Staff Advisor to US Army Europe.
Her last assignment was as director of evaluation for the Army intelligence school at Ft Huachuca, AZ, and retired in Sierra Vista as a colonel in 1977. Her awards included the Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Unit Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal (among others). Her sister, Josephine Chaffin, also served in the WAC.
In retirement Ginny was active in community and veterans affairs. She was a founding member Wac Veteran's Association Chapter San Pedro Ch. 95. She was inducted in the Arizona Hall of Fame.
Marriage to retired BG Vincent D. Gannon, Jr. (USMA '46) ended in divorce; Gen. Gannon died in 2002. Arrangements for COL Gannon are pending.
Frances Virginia Gannon she was born in Washington, D.C. in 1929 and grew up in Mississippi. She received her BS degree from Mississippi Southern College in 1951. The daughter of a World War II Army officer, she said she had no intention of joining the military -- until she met an Army recruiter at her senior year in college. She noted that her hometown (Woodville, MS) had little opportunity for employment; she intended to stay in the Army for only four years. She was commissioned in August 1951, and attended WAC officer training at Ft Lee, VA that fall.
She served in assignments typical of WAC officers at the time, including service with WAC units, (including three commands) and recruiting duty. She initially turned down the opportunity for indefinite status, but later was able to change her mind. In 1967, as a lieutenant colonel, she was ordered to Vietnam as the fourth (of six) senior WAC advisors to the Vietnamese Women's Armed Forces Corps. She was in Saigon during Tet '68, and returned to the US in that summer to attend the Army War College. She and then LTC Shirley Heinze, also a Vietnam veteran, were the first women selected to attend the previously all-male college, graduating in 1968. She served next as the chief of WAC Recruiting. From 1972-74 she was the WAC Staff Advisor to US Army Europe.
Her last assignment was as director of evaluation for the Army intelligence school at Ft Huachuca, AZ, and retired in Sierra Vista as a colonel in 1977. Her awards included the Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Unit Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal (among others). Her sister, Josephine Chaffin, also served in the WAC.
In retirement Ginny was active in community and veterans affairs. She was a founding member Wac Veteran's Association Chapter San Pedro Ch. 95. She was inducted in the Arizona Hall of Fame.
Marriage to retired BG Vincent D. Gannon, Jr. (USMA '46) ended in divorce; Gen. Gannon died in 2002. Arrangements for COL Gannon are pending.
She served in assignments typical of WAC officers at the time, including service with WAC units, (including three commands) and recruiting duty. She initially turned down the opportunity for indefinite status, but later was able to change her mind. In 1967, as a lieutenant colonel, she was ordered to Vietnam as the fourth (of six) senior WAC advisors to the Vietnamese Women's Armed Forces Corps. She was in Saigon during Tet '68, and returned to the US in that summer to attend the Army War College. She and then LTC Shirley Heinze, also a Vietnam veteran, were the first women selected to attend the previously all-male college, graduating in 1968. She served next as the chief of WAC Recruiting. From 1972-74 she was the WAC Staff Advisor to US Army Europe.
Her last assignment was as director of evaluation for the Army intelligence school at Ft Huachuca, AZ, and retired in Sierra Vista as a colonel in 1977. Her awards included the Legion of Merit (two Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Unit Award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal (among others). Her sister, Josephine Chaffin, also served in the WAC.
In retirement Ginny was active in community and veterans affairs. She was a founding member Wac Veteran's Association Chapter San Pedro Ch. 95. She was inducted in the Arizona Hall of Fame.
Marriage to retired BG Vincent D. Gannon, Jr. (USMA '46) ended in divorce; Gen. Gannon died in 2002. Arrangements for COL Gannon are pending.
Inscription
COL US ARMY
KOREA VIETNAM
LM FAMILY FAITH COUNTRY BSM
Gravesite Details
There is another memorial for her here: 194544416.
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