The WAC from Walla Walla

Although three generations of Jud Canovas have distinguished themselves in service to their country, from Bull Run to World War I, the line of military Canovas seems to have ended when a daughter, Judy, is born instead of a fourth Jud. On the same night, lightning in the town square destroys the statue of Jud Canova I, and over the years, Judy's recurring mishaps delay Gramps Canova's efforts to restore it, until finally his nemesis, Col. Mayfield, convinces the town council to put a Mayfield hero on the empty pedestal. Despite the Mayfield-Canova feud, the grown-up Judy develops a crush on young Lt. Tom Mayfield, and when Tom says he needs to ask her about a hayride, she joyously assumes he wants to ask her for a date. Needing a dress for the occasion, Judy visits the town's only dress shop which is run by the sophisticated Doris Vail, who is Judy's rival for Tom's affection. When the unfashionable Judy chooses an outfit that is hanging in the shop's unfinished window display, Doris points out that it is a special outfit, only available from a woman down the street. After introducing herself to the woman, a WAC recruiting sergeant, Judy learns that the dress she admires is really a WAC uniform. Meanwhile, two men identifying themselves as Prentice and Redington of International Amalgamated arrive in town and want to hire Tom for a project. As a military officer on active duty, he rejects their offer, leaving them to report their failure to their boss, who then decides to handle the matter himself. As Judy is leaving the recruiting sergeant, Tom sees her and states how proud he is that she has joined up, and then asks if he can borrow her family's wagon to use for the hayride. Broken-hearted that she was not asked for a date, Judy decides to attend the hayride on her own, and that evening, she and Doris end up sitting on the wagon with Tom, who is oblivious to their rivalry. When Doris teases Judy about mistaking a WAC uniform for a chic dress, the embarrassed Judy explains that she was set straight by the recruiting sergeant, but enlisted after Tom expressed pride in her. In the morning, when Judy reports at the train station with the other new recruits, Doris is among them, having enlisted with the hopes of also winning Tom's approval. For the naive Judy, basic training is difficult, as Doris' incessant tricks often get her into trouble. During compass training, Doris alters the directions on Judy's instruction sheet, causing her to wander into an area w