Free a Marine to Fight: Women Marines in World War 2Contents: early planning; the first Women's Reserve (WR); early training: Holyoke and Hunter; training: Camp Lejeune; Reserve Officer's Class; specialist schools; uniforms; style; officer Winter and Summer dress; Summer service; Summer dress; handbags, shoes, and hose; utilities and exercise suits; grooming, handkerchiefs, and undergarments; aviation; matching skills to need; WR employment; administration of women; assistants for the WR; authority; assignment and housing; punishment; overseas; WR Band; epilogue: war's end. Maps and photos. |
Common terms and phrases
Army asked assigned aviation barracks battalion boot camp Camp Lejeune candidate class Captain Cherry Point clerical clerks Colonel Streeter Colonel Waller commanding officer Corps Women's Reserve courtesy of Mary courtesy of Sarah Defense Photo USMC demobilization Department of Defense Director of Women dress uniforms en's green Hawaii Headquarters Headquarters Marine Corps Henderson Hall Hunter College June large number Lentz Lieutenant Major Streeter male Marines March Marine Band Marine Corps Women's Marine women MCWR military month Mount Holyoke naval Navy number of women Officer Candidate Classes Officer Candidates officer class officer training officers and enlisted Parris Island personnel Photo courtesy platoon post exchange procurement rank recruit depot rine Corps Ruth Cheney Streeter Sarah Thornton schedule Seabees senior woman served skills SPARS Specialist Schools station tion Towle units WAAC WACS WAVES women Marines women officers Women Reservists Women's Reserve Section World War II worn
Popular passages
Page 31 - SEC. 504. Members of the Women's Reserve shall be restricted to the performance of shore duty within the continental United States only and shall not be assigned to duty on board vessels of the Navy or in combat aircraft.
Page 2 - There's hardly any work at our Marine stations that women can't do as well as men. They do some work far better than men.... What is more, they're real Marines. They don't have a nickname, and they don't need one. They get their basic training in a Marine atmosphere, at a Marine Post. They inherit the traditions of the Marines. They are Marines.
Page 1 - War for the purpose of making available when needed for the war effort, the knowledge, skill, and special training of the women of the Nation.
Page 12 - But the top official of the Marines had a more direct response early on. In 1943, when word of such open hostility from male Marines toward women reached Marine Commandant Thomas Holcomb, he wrote a pointed directive to male officers: Information reaching this Headquarters indicates that some . . . officers and men of the Marine Corps treat members of the Women's Reserve with disrespect . . . coarse or even obscene remarks are being made without restraint by male Marines in post exchanges, moving...
Page 31 - Guard or in aircraft while such aircraft are engaged in combat missions and shall not be assigned to duty outside the American area and the Territories of Hawaii and Alaska, and may be assigned to duty outside the continental United States only upon their prior request.
Page 6 - T have a big request to ask.... As I have no sons to give to the Marines, I would be more than happy if you. . . .would recommend my daughter to the newly-formed Marines Women Reserve Corps. While I appreciate that her age may be a little young, she will be 18 this June....
Page 5 - United States citizenship; not married to a Marine, either single or married but with no children under 18; height - not less than 60 inches; weight - not less than 95 pounds; good vision and teeth. (24) For enlisted or "general service...
Page 40 - Like most Marines, when the matter first came up I didn't believe women could serve any useful purpose in the Marine Corps .... Since then I've changed my mind.
Page 40 - Marines was never equaled — never, that is, until it was announced that the women Marines were going home. Then, with a complete reversal of attitude, many of those same Marines declared that the women in their offices were essential military personnel and absolutely could not be spared from the office.
Page 15 - ... school uniform section of a large New York department store and for eight months had helped the WAACs in the design of their uniform. She came on duty immediately, early in January, and, following consultation with the Depot Quartermaster in Philadelphia, was detailed to New York City to oversee the construction of model uniforms for the Women's Reserve by the Women's Garment Manufacturers of New York.