serviceyears branch commands death_date death_place birth_place allegiance awards placeofburial_label battles birth_date placeofburial rank image article_title name
1943-1945 united states marine corps united states marine corps women 's reserve 30 september 1990 morristown , new jersey brookline , massachusetts united states of america legion of merit place of burial world war ii 2 october 1895 peterborough , new hampshire colonel ruth cheney streeter.jpg ruth cheney streeter
 ruth cheney streeter
ruth cheney streeter

ruth cheney streeter -lrb- october 2 , 1895 -- september 30 , 1990 -rrb- was the first director of the united states marine corps women 's reserve -lrb- usmcwr -rrb- .
in 1943 , she became the first woman to attain the rank of major in the united states marine corps when she was commissioned as a major on january 29 , 1943 .
she retired in 1945 as a lieutenant colonel .
