DAR Honors World War II Veteran Edith Linger

Edith Linger, 103, thought she was attending a regular meeting of the Hannah Benedict Carter Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution last Thursday.

It’s an organization her own daughter, Patty Beyer, had joined in October.

Edith Linger’s WAC photo

Except this was a special gathering of the nonprofit organization, designed to surprise and honor Linger and especially her service during World War II as a member of the Women’s Army Corps or “WAC,” the first New Canaanite to do so.

“I’m surprised—I didn’t know anything about all this, but I’m glad there’s some of us left in New Canaan,” Linger, a 1938 New Canaan High School graduate and resident of Canaan Parish, said from beside a table and easel featuring articles, photos and memorabilia from her time in the service. “I think I’m about the last one of a native of New Canaan that’s left. I have so many memories. I was so grateful to have been in the service. It was a great experience. I learned a lot. I really enjoyed it.”

Formed in 1942, WAC saw 150,000 American women join its ranks during World War II, working as mechanics, switchboard operators, bakers, postal clerks, drivers and repairwomen, fixing small arms and heavy weapons, and more.

Linger herself became an air raid observer in New Canaan prior to joining WAC in 1943. She completed training and was stationed in Ft. Mason in San Francisco, where she worked the night shift decoding allied messages.

L-R: Susan Boston, regent, and Patty Beyer, member of the Hannah Benedict Carter Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, on “Edith Linger Day”—April 11, 2024. Credit: Michael Dinan

The town declared April 11 “Edith Linger Day,” with a formal proclamation read aloud during the meeting, surprise visits from family and attended by leaders from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, of which she’s a member, refreshments and a video showing a 45-minute interview with the DAR. 

Susan Boston, regent of the DAR chapter, said she set up the gathering after learning from Beyer last fall that Linger had been in WAC.

“It’s so special” to have Linger in town and to honor her, Boston said, not just for her service in WWII but “also because I am a New Canaanite.”

Newspaper clipping from February 1945 featuring Edith Linger of New Canaan.

“I was born and raised here and Edith is history,” Boston said. “She actually knew my grandmother in the ‘40s, which I had no idea. She knew my dad—five boys, he had no father. So I’m honoring her for her service to this country, for this town, because she came back here with her husband, raised a family here and worked in Town Hall in the Town Clerk’s office.”

In fact, Beyer said, her mom—born Jan. 29, 1921—worked for 10 years as assistant town clerk, up to one month before she herself was born. Linger also taught Sunday school at St. Mark’s and volunteered to work May Fair (coming May 10 and 11) for many years.

Asked for her thoughts on Edith Linger Day, Beyer said, “I’m thrilled. I’m overwhelmed. It really is something truly, truly special for a very special woman. She spent her whole life living in New Canaan. My grandparents moved here when she was two years old. She went all through New Canaan schools.”