Carmen Contreras-Bozak

First Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Women's Army Corps

What is Carmen Contreras-Bozak known for?

Carmen Contreras-Bozak was a prominent figure in US military history as the first Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Women's Army Corps (WAC). Born as Carmen Contreras Torres on December 31, 1919, in Cayey, Puerto Rico, she later moved to New York City with her mother after her parents' divorce. Contreras-Bozak's educational journey in New York led her to Manhattan International High School to complete her secondary education.

Contreras-Bozak was part of the 149th WAAC Post Headquarters Company, making history as the first Hispanic and one of about 200 Puerto Rican women who served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Her bilingual abilities were sought after for important roles such as interpretation and cryptology. She served overseas in Algiers, located at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's theatre headquarters, primarily responsible for the transmission of encoded messages between Eisenhower's headquarters and the battlefield in Tunisia.

Her service was recognized with the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and two battle stars. After the war, Contreras-Bozak continued her service, advocating for veterans, founding a chapter of WAC Veterans, and a chapter of the Society of Military Widows.

After returning home, while receiving treatment for an eye infection at Valley Forge General Hospital, she met her future husband, Theodore John Bozak, a combat-wounded patient. They eventually married and had three children– two sons, Brian and Robert, and a daughter, Carmen. Contreras-Bozak passed away on January 30, 2017, in Land o' Lakes, Florida. Her commitment and service to her country truly make her a notable alumni of the Manhattan International High School.

For further reading, you can dive into her detailed life and achievements on her Wikipedia page. Get to know more about her birthplace, Cayey, a beautiful town in Puerto Rico here.