United States Congress | National Women’s History Museum Navy Bill Though thousands were willing to serve, only 305 of the nation’s top qualified women, coined “Marinettes,” were enrolled. Opha Mae Johnson, who worked as a civil service employee at Headquarters Marine Corps, enrolled on August 13, 1918, officially becoming America’s first woman Marine. When a “sizeable number of battle-ready Marines” were discovered “still doing clerical work in the United States,” the Corps sought help from highly qualified American women.1 In August 1918, after newspapers began running the application, thousands of women intent on playing their part in the war effort began flooding into recruitment offices. As the demand for manpower rapidly increased due to the mounting causalities on the front in France, it became impossible for the Corps to send anyone but under trained Marines overseas. In July 1918, just four months before the end of the First World War, Commandant Major General George Barnett requested permission to recruit female marines to serve in clerical positions. Though it seemed unprecedented, it was not the first time that women served in the Marine Corps. National Women's History Museum Marinettes World War I Swearing In - New York Recruiting Office - Aug 17, 1918įrom the collection of Marine Corps Women's Reserve (COLL/981), at the Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division Despite the reluctance of the top Marine Corps officials who had attended that dinner party, women across the United States were ready to serve the Corps. Ruth Cheney Streeter, future Director of the USMCWR, already believed that women had the capability of serving the military, and understood that the United States involvement in the war was all but inevitable. One can only speculate how Henderson would have felt about women serving in the Corps but, after the bitter fighting in the campaign for Guadalcanal, it became obvious that the United States Marine Corps would soon be facing manpower shortages that would need to be addressed immediately. It is reported that, before anyone could respond, a portrait of Fifth Commandant, Archibald Henderson (1820-1859), crashed to the ground before the guests. National Women’s History Museum Foundations of the Women's ReserveĪt a farewell dinner party on the evening of October 12, 1942, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Major General Thomas Holcomb, was asked his thoughts about recruiting women into the Corps. Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections
USMC Official Photograph | National Women’s History MuseumĪ photograph of women Marines in training at Mount Holyoke College - Apr 22, 1943
Learning Resources on Women's Political Participation.Women Writing History: A Coronavirus Journaling Project.
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