Pvt. Nancy Quartarella

In 1943 artist Francis V. Kughler, Hudson River Museum Director H. Armour Smith and Women’s Army Corps recruiter Joanne Coates conceived a plan to encourage women of Yonkers to enlist in the army and honor their contribution. Every Yonkers woman who joined the WACs would have her portrait made in oil or pastel by Kughler.

When Nancy Quartarella enlisted, she had three siblings and a brother-in-law in the service. She was the second youngest sister of five: her older sister Laura has a WAC portrait hanging to the left. The youngest, Mildred, was just a teenager during the war.

Both of their older brothers served in Europe. Nicholas was in the Army Air Force in Italy. Thomas was in the Coast Guard during the war and went on to become a master sergeant in the Army, retiring in 1965.

Nancy Quartarella was a beautician before the war, but in the WAC, trained as a medical technician. She told the Herald Statesman: “with so many members of my family in the service, I’m certainly happy to be one of them.”