Dec 12, 2010: Maude

[xoxoxoBruce]

Only a couple of weeks after the USMC announced they would accept women, early in 1943, Bernice Frankel signed up.

Arthur was due to start a new job, but she “heard last week that enlistments for women in the Marines were open, so decided the only thing to do was to join.” While she hoped for an assignment in ground aviation, Arthur noted that she was “willing to get in now and do whatever is desired of me until such time as ground schools are organized.” She added, “As far as hobbies are concerned, I’ve dabbled in music and dramatics.”

“personality appraisal” sheets. One such analysis described her conversation as “Argumentative” and her attitude and manner as “Over aggressive.” In a handwritten note, the Marine interviewer remarked, “Officious--but probably a good worker--if she has her own way!”

A year later she married Private Robert Aurthur, and worked her way up to staff sergeant, before being discharged after 30 months in 1945, with only one misconduct report.

That misconduct determination stemmed from Arthur’s contracting of a venereal disease, which left her “incapacitated for duty” for five weeks in late-1944.

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