Women in the Corps
12 Aug 1918
World War I - 305 "Reservists (Female)" were admitted into
the Marine Corps to perform clerical duties, and thereby, "Free
a Marine to
fight."
13 Aug 1918
Opha Mae Johnson, the first woman Marine, enlisted in
Washington, D.C.
30 Jul 1919
Major General George Barnett, Commandant, issued orders
for the separation of all women from the Reserve.
7 Nov 1942
General Thomas Holcomb, Commandant, approved the
formation of the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (USMCWR).
Mrs. Ruth Cheney Streeter of Morristown, NJ, was commissioned a
major in
the USMCWR and sworn in as the first Director of the Women's Reserve
on
29 Jan 1943. She achieved the grade of colonel prior to resigning
her
commission on 6 Dec 1945.
Feb 1943
World War II - women's continuous active service began. The
first enlisted class of 722 women completed training at Hunter
College, NY,
on 25 Apr 1943; the first officer class with 75 women graduated
from training
at Mount Holyoke College, MA, on 11 May 1943.
Jun 1944
Women Reserves constituted 85 percent of the enlisted
personnel on duty at Headquarters Marine Corps, and from one-half
to
two-thirds of the personnel manning all major posts and stations
in the
United States. At their peak, there were over 19,000 women, approximately
the strength of a Marine Division, in wartime service in the Marine
Corps.
Dec 1945
Two-thirds of the Women Reserves had been separated or
transferred to inactive status as part of the postwar demobilization.
In 1946,
the Marine Corps elected to retain a small nucleus of trained women
to set
up a postwar Reserve to avoid having to start from scratch again.
12 Jun 1948
Congress passed the Women's Armed Services Integration
Act (Public Law 625) which authorized the acceptance of women into
the
Regular component of the Marine Corps. Women could not exceed two
percent of total service strength or hold permanent rank above
lieutenant
colonel. The Director of Women Marines would hold the temporary
rank of
colonel.
3 Nov 1948
Colonel Katherine A. Towle, who had been the second
Director of the Women's Reserve, was discharged from the Marine
Corps
Reserve and accepted a Regular commission as a permanent lieutenant
colonel. The next day she was appointed the first Director of Women
Marines, with the temporary rank of colonel.
1949
The 3rd Recruit Training Battalion was formed at the Marine Corps
Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC with Captain Margaret M. Henderson
as the
first commanding officer. The Women Officers' Training Class was
established at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, in Jun 1949 under
the
command of Captain Elsie E. Hill.
Aug 1950
Korean War - For the first time in history, Women Reserves
were mobilized.
1 May 1953
Julia Hamblet became Director of Women Marines--as a
colonel. She held this post until 1 Mar 1959.
1965 - Vietnam War
A strength increase was approved and by 1968 there
were 2,700 women Marines on active duty. Opportunities expanded
as well.
From 1965 to 1973, women Marines carried out an increasing variety
of
duties both stateside and overseas. The Marine Corps also began
opening
up career-type formal training programs to women officers and advanced
technical training to enlisted women.
18 Mar 1967
Master Sergeant Barbara J. Dulinsky, who had volunteered
for duty in Vietnam, reported to the Military Assistance Command
in
Saigon--the first woman Marine ordered to a combat zone. A total
of 28
enlisted women and eight women officers served in Vietnam.
8 Nov 1967
President Johnson signed into Public Law 90-130, a bill which
repealed the limits on the number of women in the services, permitted
permanent promotion to colonel, and provided for the temporary
appointment of women to brigadier general if filling a flag rank
billet. In his
words, "Our Armed Forces literally could not operate effectively
or efficiently
without our women..."
1974
The Commandant approved a change in policy permitting the
assignment of women to specified rear echelon elements of the Fleet
Marine
Force, but they could not be deployed with assault units or units
likely to
become engaged in combat.
1975
The Marine Corps approved the assignment of women to all
occupational fields except infantry, artillery, armor, and pilot/air
crew.
30 Jun 1977
The Office of the Director of Women Marines was
disestablished.
11 May 1978
Colonel Margaret A. Brewer was appointed to a general
officer's billet as Director of Information, with the rank of brigadier
general,
thereby becoming the first women general officer in the history
of the Marine
Corps.
Feb 1985
Colonel Gail M. Reals became the first women selected by a
board of general officers to be advanced to brigadier general.
1990-1991
Approximately 1,000 women Marines deployed to Southwest
Asia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Jun 1992
Brigadier General Carol A. Mutter assumed command of the 3rd
Force Service Support Group, Okinawa, becoming the first women
to
command a Fleet Marine Force unit at the flag level.
23 Jul 1993
2nd Lieutenant Sarah Deal became the first woman Marine
selected for Naval aviation training. She received her wings on
21 Apr 1995
and is now serving as a CH-53E pilot.
Jun 1994
Brigadier General Mutter became the first woman Major General
in the Marine Corps and the senior woman on active duty in the
armed
services.
1 Oct 1994
Restrictions on women's assignments were reduced to only
units whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the
ground.
Jul 1996
Lieutenant General Mutter became the second woman in the
history of the armed services and the first woman Marine to wear
three
stars. She assumed duties as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower
and
Reserve Affairs.
Today, 768 women account for 4.3 percent of all Marine officers
and 8,051
women make up 5.1 percent of the active duty enlisted force in
the Marine
Corps. These numbers continue to grow, as do opportunities to serve.
Ninety-three percent of all occupational fields and 62 percent
of all positions
are now open to women. Significant changes noticeable in training,
as
women are now receiving combat training and graduating from many
formerly male-only special skills schools, and in the Fleet Marine
Force,
where women are showing up in non-traditional jobs and previously
restricted units and deploying shipboard. The "firsts" for women
in the
Marine Corps in the past several years are too numerous to list
separately.
The bottom line: Women in the Marine Corps today, like their
distinguished
predecessors, continue to serve proudly, honorably, and capably
in
whatever capacity country and Corps requires.
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