Eunice Desjardins served in the Women’s Army Corps, raised a family and, this month, marked a milestone few people reach. She turned 105.

On Monday night, the Fishers City Council made sure she did not celebrate quietly.

Desjardins was recognized at the council’s meeting, where she received honors from the Indiana House of Representatives and the Indiana Senate, along with a commendation from Gov. Mike Braun.

Her military service places her among a generation of women who changed the American armed forces. Congress created the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps on May 15, 1942, and the unit was granted full military status as the Women’s Army Corps the following year. More than 150,000 women served in the WAC during World War II — the first women other than nurses to serve in Army ranks. They worked as switchboard operators, stenographers, drivers and mechanics, and a small number were assigned to the Manhattan Project. The corps was dissolved in 1978, when women were folded into the regular Army.

Two officers honored for decades on the job

The council also recognized two members of the Fishers Police Department for long service.

Officer Todd Crowder was honored for 35 years in uniform. When he began his career, Fishers was a town of about 7,500 people, according to the 1990 census — smaller than many of the subdivisions that now fill its map.

Assistant Chief Mike Taylor was recognized for 20 years of service. He joined a department policing a community that was still a town; Fishers did not become a city with an elected mayor until Jan. 1, 2015. The 2020 census counted 98,977 residents.