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14 The Pre»s-Courier Sunday, February 11, 1968Is It 50th, 25th or 20th?WomenMarines Mark BirthdayNEW YORK (UPI)Notmany women will tell their ages once they are past their teens. But the women Marines are. They’re telling the world that they’re 50 years old . . . also 25 . . . and in a way only 20.Actually, the age of these women in uniform depends on the year you count the birthdate of the Women’s Marine Corps-1918 when the first “yeoman-ettes” served briefly in World War I, in 1943 when the corps was established “to free a Marine to fight” in World War II, or 1948 when the women were given peactime status as a regular part of the Marine Corps.Of the three birthdays this year, the women will put the most stress on their second, on Feb. 13, marking the 25th year of continuous service of the corps.Seven of the present complement will observe the anniversary in South Vietnam; for the current war marks the first time the women have served in a combat zone.Corps Headquarters in Washington, D. C., when she arrived for duty last March:“We could see tracer fire to our left (as we landed at Bien Hoa). Our first briefing on security advised us that Charley (Viet Cong) rules the roads at night. We were told that for our day to day safety if we took a taxi to make sure we could lock the door from the inside . .She added that, so warned, she was cautious about leaving quarters but finally got so hungry for company and a good mean, “I said ... full speed ahead . . Sgt. Dulinsky, atrained artist, also wrote that she is painting combat scenes inher spare hours.The first woman to arrive in Vietnam, just ahead of Sgt. Dulinsky, was Capt. Vera Jones, who in her spare time is a volunteer teaching English to Saigon’s policewomen.In all, there are 100 women in the Far East—an order from the commandant in I960 permitted them to volunteer for duty there.■ Ohers are in Japan andThe women in Vietnam do not Okinawa. Washington headquar-bear arms but they know well lers said. But the 100 are athe sounds of battle. As M-Sgt. small part of the presentBarbara J. Dulinsky wrote to'complement of the corps with2,700 actives, 1,000 reservists. Their peak strength in W'orld War II was 19,000.As the women Marines have moved into duty in combat zones, will they one day then perhaps fight alongside their male comrades?“Oh, I would not think so,” said Col. Barbara J. Bishop, the fifth and current director of woman Marines. “For the same reasons we do not have many women freight handlers ortruck drivers. Women are just not equipped physically. No, I don’t think it’s a matter ofbeing emotionally able.”The Corps’ celebration is a summer-long thing, starting today (Feb. 11) with divine services Marine Corps-wide, with other commemorative events on Feb. 13, and onthrough March, April and May to mark the silver anniversary.On June 12, the women will mark the 20th birthday—thedate when the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act permitted Marines and their other service counterparts to “go regular.”Then on Aug. 12, they’ll mark the golden anniversary of the “Marinettes”, as those World War I women now have come tobe called, at a convention inBridgeport, Conn. Headquarters in Washington said at least 275 Marinettes are living.“When they were buildingHenderson we’d often slog to work in mud to our knees,” she recalled. “But if at any time IThe “Marinette” term upsets!felt tired, watching the girls I'd Mrs. Martrese Thek Ferguson 1)6 a tittle ashamed of myself. I of New York and Southampton. was m total charge of alll a retired lieutenant colonel and Ptiases of the base—housing, jone of two women Marines to serve in both world wars.recreation help memorale and, God also morals. I44We were ‘yeomanettes’, just suppose all told, some 6.000like the other Navy women,” she insisted, pointing out what often Is forgotten, that the Marine Corps Is an arm of the Navy.girls passed through Henderson. And we had only one summary court martial ... not a general one, mind you.”The military runs through herThe other veteran of two warsi family—her husband served in is Mrs. Lillian O’Malley Daly, World War I, two sons were of Princeton, N. J., who was a Marine and Navy officers, staff secretary to five comman- respectively, two brothers were dants and who in World War II Marines, and a niece is marriedserved as West Coast liaison officer at Camp Pendleton, Calif.“But it was ‘Fergy’ who did the job,” said Mrs. Daly, by telephone from her Princeton home.Mrs. Ferguson was a privatefirst class in World War I, ato a Marine colonel.“I think it would be ridiculous to consider women for the front lines,” said Mrs. Ferguson.“But I feel strongly they should go over there (into combat areas) to help release the boys.”messenger stationed in Washington. When World War II came, she went through officers’ training school, graduated at the top of the first officers’ class in the reserve, rose to theLt. Col. Ferguson wrote abook after World War II and offered it to a publisher. He turned down the book but wanted to buy the title — Sleep with 100 Marines.” Women Marines are proud*g*§ • *I:::4 4i J**«*trank of lieutenant colonel, and that they are a regular part of commanded anywhere from the Corps—not a feminine arm 2,100 to 3,500 women at a time!apart. Lt. Col. Ruth Broe, of the¥x.*•at the newly-built Henderson Hall Base, in Arlington, Va.“You ask what stands out in my memory? I think it was the complete dedication of the girls to their work.”Corps’ divisilt;m of information in Washington, recalled the instructions “of an old drill sergeant of mine.” He told us “there ain’t no sex in this here outfit!”
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