Bleecker S. Houston was born on August 12, 1917, in Charlotte, North Carolina. On February 24, 1941, she was appointed (probationary) Senior Typist in the Office of the Quartermaster, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington D.C. Later, she was transferred to the Office of the Post Engineer, Richmond Quartermaster Depot, Richmond, Virginia. Here she served as secretary to the Post Engineer and as acting Chief Clerk. In January, 1942, she left Virginia to join the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Her training was based in Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and she became a member of the 21st Officer Candidate Class. Her WAAC rank was equivalent to 2nd Lieutenant in the Regular Army.
Her official entrance into military service was January 16, 1943, shortly before a bill was passed (on July 1, 1943) changing the WAACs from auxiliary soldiers serving alongside the Regular Army to serving with it. After this bill was passed, the members of the Women's Army Corps were assigned ranks identical to the ranks in the Regular Army.
From 1944 to 1945, Bleecker Houston served as Assistant Executive Officer G-1 section, U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (under Chief of Staff Major General R. J. Marshall), and later G-1 section, U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific. On September 24, 1945, she was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritous achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Southwest Pacific area from May 16, 1944, to September 2, 1945. She left the service on the January 31, 1946, as Captain, and then continued to work in government secretarial work. Her later positions included: Assistant Fiscal Officer, Headquarters Virginia Military District (1951); Accounting Clerk at Headquarters, Virginia Military District (1953); and Assistant Office Manager, Office Services, Department of Welfare and Institutions (1974).
From the guide to the Bleecker Houston papers, Houston, Bleeker, 1941-1990, 1941-1958, (William Clements Library, University of Michigan)
