The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-13
WOMEN MARINES
NOTE BIRTHDAY
Cherry Point Women Re-
serves Plan Observance
OF Third Year
By GERTRUDE CARRAwAY

mammoth anniversary stage show,
Stars and Stripes in Your Eyes,
will feature the gala celebration
festivities being arranged here at
the Marine air station for Wedaes-
day in observance Of the third an
niversary Of the founding of the
Marine. Corps Women's Reserve,
possibly the last anniversary the
Lady Leathernecks will spend in
uniform before the reserve is dis
banded. -
1t. CIothier In Charge
1t. Carolyn Clothier, WR special
services officer, is in charge of the
anniversary program. S-Sgt. Alice
Allison is supervising the script
for the amateur show. Pfc Betty
Davis is chairman Of the decorat-
ing committee for the anniversary
ball. The birthday cake will be
cut by the senior enlisted girl
here.
During their three years in the
corps, women Marines, in the
words of Gen. A. A. Vandegrift,
commandment Of the corps, have
made "a most valuable coatribu-
ton to the corps" Those at Cherry
Point have rendered especially out
standing service in many diversi-
fled fields.
First Contingent
The first contingent of 18 women
arrived at Cherry Point during
May, 1913, following organization
Of the reserve the preceding Febru-
airy 10, under the direction of Col.
Ruth c. Streeter. The number of
women here rose to around 1900,
more than at any other one place
in the country at one time.
Most of the women preferred
jobs which directly relieved men
for combat. Work in the control
towers was in greatest demand.
So far as possible, they were as
signed to posts for which they
seemed best fitted, by natural ap-
titude, special training or post ex-
perience.
Helped Instruct
Though they did not actually
pilot planes themselves, they help
ed instruct men pilots with Link
trainers and other synthetic devices
by which flying is taught on the
ground. They were not permitted
to fire guns at the enemy overseas,
but they taught the fighting Leath-
ernecks aerial gunnery, aircraft
Identification, target theory and
Ninety per cent Of the wartime
celestial navigation.
parachute inspecting, repairing
and packing at Cherry Point was
done by the fair sex, clad in mems
dungarees. Eighty per cent Of the
work on the landing field control
towers was performed by women.
They operated blinker lights and
radio log stenographic positions
and aided with the microphones.
A 24-hour service was maintained
by women aerologists.
Motor Transport
Approximately half of the motor
transport work during the war was
undertaken here by the women re-
serves, and about half of the radio
operators were women. They took
over almost all of the photography
on the station at one period, whea
men were needed for combat.
"a pretty girl holds the mems
attention far better than male edu-
Gators can, especially on Monday
mornings one Of the men instruc-
tors commented.
First Woman Marine
Their World War II work was a
far cry from that of Lucy Brewer,
the first woman Marine. who serv-
ed in masculine attire as a Devil
Dog during the War of 1872. It
was also different from the service
of the Marinettes who acted in
limited capacities during World
War l..
Major Julia Hamblet is COM
maading officer of the women
Marines on this air station, succeed
ing last June Maj. Katherine D.
Lynch, who had served in that
capacity for the previous %
months.