A History of the Women Marines, 1946-1977

Despite the acknowledged contribution made by the 20,000 women Reservists who served in the Marine Corps during World War II, there was no thought in 1946 of maintaining women on active duty or, for that matter, even in the Reserve forces. This volume recounts the events that brought about the change in thinking on the part of Marines, both men and women, that led to the integration of women into the Corps, to the point where they now constitute eight percent of our strength. A History of the Women Marines, 1946-1977 is almost entirely derived from raw files, interviews and conversations, newspaper articles, muster rolls and unit diaries, and materials loaned by Marines. There was no one large body of records available. In the course of the project, more than 300 letters were written to individuals, several mass mailings were made, and notices soliciting information were printed in all post and station newspapers, Leatherneck, Marine Corps Gazette, Retired Marine, and the newsletters of Marine Corps associations. More than 100 written responses were received and some women Marines generously loaned us personal papers and precious scrapbooks. Especially helpful in piecing together the events between World War II and the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act were the scrapbooks of former Director of Women Marines Colonel Julia E. Hamblet, and former WR Dorothy M. Munroe. Taped interviews were conducted with 32 women, including former Director of the Women's Reserve Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter. Researching this history was a challenge. Women's units were extremely difficult to find. Only those labeled "Women Marine Company" were easily identified. At times, days were spent screening the muster rolls of all the companies of all the battalions on a base looking for one with personnel having feminine first names. More recent unit diaries were even less useful since they are not signed by commanding officers and initials are used rather than first names. To add to the problem, the Corps had no system that permits a researcher to find a married woman when only her maiden name is known, or vice versa.