Barbara J . Bishop Colonel Barbara Janet Bishop , USMC , was Director of Women Marines from January 1964 until her retirement in August 1969 . Prior to this assignment , she completed a tour of duty in Naples , Italy , as Military Secretary to the Commander in Chief , Allied Forces , Southern Europe . Early years . Colonel Bishop was born in Boston , Massachusetts , on October 2 , 1920 . She received her early schooling in Everett , Massachusetts , graduating with honors from Everett High School in 1938 . Throughout her high school years she was a student of art , attending the Scott Carbee School of Art evenings , and during summer vacations studied landscape painting . Education . In September 1938 , she entered Yale University where she completed a six - year course in five years , and was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art , January 30 , 1943 . Later , after serving on active duty with the Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946 , Colonel Bishop earned her Master of Arts Degree at the University of Chicago from September 1946 to June 1948 . She accomplished her thesis on five Florentine Cassone panels exhibited in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts , and was working on her doctorate when she was recalled to active duty by the Marine Corps in 1948 . Marine Corps career . Colonel Bishop began her Marine Corps career by enlistment in the U . S . Marine Corps Women ’ s Reserve on February 18 , 1943 at Boston . She was assigned to active duty on April 10 , 1943 , reporting as a private to the Marine Corps Women ’ s Reserve Officer Candidates ’ Class at the U . S . Naval Reserve Midshipmen ’ s School ( WR ) , at Northampton , Massachusetts . She was appointed a Cadet in the Women ’ s Reserve on May 4 , 1943 , and June 1 , of that year , was commissioned a Marine Reserve second lieutenant . She was thereupon assigned as a detachment officer with the Marine Training Detachment at the U . S . Naval Training School , Indiana University Bloomington . From October 1943 through March 1945 , she was attached to the Marine Aviation Detachment at the Naval Air Station , Atlanta , Georgia , as an administrative officer . In April 1945 , she joined Aviation Women ’ s Reserve Squadron 21 at the Marine Corps Air Station , Quantico , Virginia , serving as Squadron Executive Officer and Commanding Officer , respectively , until February 1946 . She then served with the Division of Aviation at Headquarters Marine Corps as Officer in Charge of Secret and Confidential Files until she was assigned to an inactive duty status , September 10 , 1946 , with the rank of captain in the Women ’ s Reserve . With the passage of the Women ’ s Armed Forces Integration Act in 1948 , a transfer of personnel to a “ regular ” status was effected and , at the same time , the Women ’ s Reserve received the title of Women Marines . Colonel Bishop was recalled to active duty while a graduate student at the University of Chicago in November 1948 , and reported for active duty and was commissioned a captain in the Women Marines , December 7 , 1948 . Assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps , she assumed duty as Officer in Charge , Secret and Confidential Files , Division of Plans and Policies . While there , she was promoted to major in February 1951 . In February 1952 , she was transferred to Hawaii where she served in the same capacity at Headquarters , Fleet Marine Force , Pacific , until September 1953 . On her return to the continental United States , she served as Commanding Officer , Women Marine Company , Marine Corps Base , Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . She was promoted to her permanent rank of lieutenant colonel in February 1955 with rank from January 1954 . Colonel Bishop returned to Headquarters Marine Corps in May 1955 to serve as Head , Women ’ s Branch , Division of Reserve , with additional duty as Deputy Director of Women Marines . From October 1956 through July 1959 , she was assigned as Commanding Officer , Women ’ s Recruit Training Battalion , Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island , South Carolina . During this assignment , she was cited for exemplary performance of duty in a letter of appreciation by the Commanding General of the Recruit Training Command . In August 1959 , she was named Assistant G - 1 , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico . She served in this capacity through February 1962 , and the following month reported for duty in Europe as Military Secretary to the Commander in Chief , Allied Forces , Southern Europe , Naples , Italy . On January 3 , 1964 , on assuming her new duties as Director of Women Marines , she was promoted to the temporary rank of colonel . Upon assuming her new post , Colonel Bishop became the fourth Director of Women Marines , succeeding Colonels Katherine A . Towle ( 1948 – 53 ) , Julia E . Hamblet ( 1953 – 59 ) , and Margaret M . Henderson ( 1959 – 64 ) . Prior to this , there were three directors of the Women ’ s Reserve , Colonels Ruth Cheney Streeter ( 1943 – 45 ) , Katherine A . Towle ( 1945 – 46 ) , and Julia E . Hamblet ( 1946 – 48 ) . Bishop died on January 28 , 2005 .