Evening star., 1943-05-03
253 Woman Marines
Stage 'Coming-0ut'
Review in D. T..
First Hunter Graduates
Attract Wide Attention;
J Are From District Area
By LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

By LEWIS F. ATCHISON.
A contingent of 253 eye-filling
woman marines, the first of their
sex to wear the olive-green uniforms
of the Nations oldest fighting arm
descended on marine headquarters
at the Navy Annex Building today
and 10 minutes later the situation
was well out of hand. Seven were
from the Washington Metropolitan
Area.
Commanded by Sergt. Anita
Alence of Brooklyn, N. Y, in the
absence OF commissioned officers,
who will graduate tomorrow from
the Naval Midshipman's School at
Mount Holyoke, Northampton,
Mass, the women made a smart ap-
pearance. Supposed to accelerate
the war effort their appearance to-
day had the opposite effect. They
stopped the works completely as
clerks paused to hang out of win
dows and even congregated on the
steps Of the main building for a
better look at them
The women attracted enough gold
braid to ransom king. There were
enough colonies to play football
game. with at least one single-star
general coaching either team. Lieu
tenants were thicker than bleacher
fans, and the number of non-coms
who, surprisingly, discovered tasks
requiring their immediate attention
in the vicinity was almost alarming.
Holcomb Reviews Contingent.
1t. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, COM
mandant of the marines. reviewed
the contingent. Maj. Ruth Cheney
Streeter, commander of the women,
did not attend, having left for to-
morrow's exercises at Mount Hol-
yoke The general did not seem en-
tirely satisfied with their appear
ance, personally adjusting the coat
of one crestfallen private and STEP
ping back frequently to confer with
an aide while nodding at the new
comers
Before he passed the second
platoon there was hurried, whis-
pered conference among subordinate
officers and presently non-coms
bustled up and down the long.
straight line, relieving the rockies
of fountain pens and pencils. pocket
fitting makeup kits and other femi-
nine gadgets. All reported ready
to go to work.
Representing the Metropolitan
Washington area were Helen Ka-
tona. 4550 Connecticut avenue NV;
Alice Kirby, 1910 Bay street Sc:
Jeanne Berberich, POLL Klingle road
NV: Esther Nelson, 430 Buchanan
street NV: Cleo Veitenthal, $40
Thirteenth place NV: Jacqueline
Allen, 800 Denwood avenue. Takoma
Park, and Mary Lynch, 4l0 South
Wakefield street. Arlington.
Graduated at Hunter.
This group. members of the first
class graduated from Hunter Col
lege. New York. now a naval train
ing school, have been assigned to
the Headquarters Company. Service
Battalion, under Maj. E. E. Barde,
for clerical work. They will serve
with the Paymaster, Quartermaster
and Adjutant and Inspector Depart
ments, and also in the Plans and
Policies, Personnel and Reserve Di-
visions. A few will serve as drafts
men, fingerprints and chief clerks.
Other women from the same class
have reported for specialized train
ing at various Marine bases where
they will attend schools for store
keepers, quartermaster, motor trans
port operators. link trainer in
structors. cooks, bakers and avia-
ton machinists mates. They will
work side by side with men Of the
co,ps. learning their jobs in order
to take over as quickly as possible.
thereby releasing more men for
active combat duty.
While Gen. Holcomb had no Of
fcial comment to make after the
inspection, Brig. Gen. L. w. T.
Waller, jr.. said he thought it was a
"fine looking group and looked as
though it had had some good
Marine training"
Brig. Gen. Robert L. Denig had
no comment but seemed pleased to
welcome the newcomers.