WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS VETERANS' ASSOCIATION

Chesapeake Beacon

Chapter 114

(A Tax Exempt/Non-Profit Organization)

WEBMASTER

BYLAWS

EXEMPTION

WHAT WE DO

HISTORY

WACVA SPEAKERS BUREAU

WACVA SPEAKERS REQUEST FORM

PALLAS ATHENE

HONORARY CERTIFICATES

HOMELESS VETERANS

LEGISLATION

CHAPTER UPDATES

WACVA NATIONAL CONVENTION

IN SEARCH OF

CHAPTERS

MEMBERSHIP

AUXILIARY MEMBERSHIP

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

PALLAS ATHENE AWARD

UPCOMING EVENTS

ON-LINE STORE

WOMEN OF HONOR

CHAPTER CATALOG

NATIONAL EMBLEM SALES

LINKS

DONATIONS

Pallas Athene was selected as the insignia of the Women's Army Corps.  Designers from the Heraldic Section of the Quartermaster General's Office, Headquarters, Department of the Army;

    ...hit upon the idea of a head of Pallas Athene, a Roman and Greek Goddess associated with an impressive variety of womanly virtues...She was the goddess of handicrafts, wise in industries of peace and arts of war, also the goddess of storms and battle, who led through victory to peace and prosperity.  Accordingly, the head of Pallas Athene, together with the traditional US, was selected for lapel insignia, cut out for officers and on discs for enlisted women.

In 1947 at the first Pallas Athene Luncheon of the Women's Army Corps Veterans' Association, she descended to earth to greet the convention honoring her.  The first Pallas Athene appeared in full costume and gave a sophisticated, dignified and affectionate discourse about the WACs and a tradition was born.

Each year at the Women's Army Corps Veterans' Association annual convention Pallas Athene Luncheon, the goddess returns to earth to comfort, admonish, educate, and inform her members about the convention city, special legislation pertaining to Veterans, special events of special members of the association and a host of other subjects.

In her speech, Pallas Athene also refers to Mount Olympus and her various Greek and Roman mythological attributes - emphasizing her role as goddess of wisdom, contemplation, handicrafts, the professions, the arts, and war, but most of all her civic duties as guardian of the household.  The name Pallas characterized in goddess as the brandisher of lightning's and often her Palladium, or sacred image, holds the brandished lance high in the air.  As goddess of storms and thunderbolts, she was called Pallas Athene.  Her Latin name, Minerva, is connected with the Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin words for mind.  (The WAC's affectionately called her "Minnie").  At birth Athene sprang, full grown and dressed in armor, from the forehead of Zeus, King of the Gods, and represented the intellectual aspects of war.

She was the Goddess who caused people to awake and therefore, the Goddess of Wisdom.  As Goddess of Wisdom she pleaded for justice tempered with reason and mercy.  she was also patroness of arts and crafts being particularly skilled in spinning and weaving.

Athene's symbol was the Owl, which appeared as the aegis on her shield.  She is also associated with the cock, the serpent, and the crow.  The olive tree, which she created in a contest with Poseidon, the Sea God, was sacred to her.  (The Romans also showed the head of Medusa, the Gorgon, that turned to stone all beholders, as her aegis).

Pallas Athene's entrance to the convention luncheon is as dramatic as the hostess chapter can make it.  Her arrival at the luncheon is sometimes announced by clashing cymbals, trumpets, martial music, etc.  Usually she starts her journey to the speaker's table in darkness and the lights are raised as she slowly approaches it, where she addresses the audience.  Her speech is concluded with the words; "Bring me my nectar and ambrosia".  Dry ice is placed in a metal goblet so it vaporizes, and the Women's Army Corps Veterans Honor Guard ceremoniously presents a platter of fresh fruit to Pallas Athene.