Before World War 1, to be a woman in any branch in the military you had to become a nurse or disguise yourself as a man, Over hundreds of women served in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War dressed as men. Women had first started joining the military officially as members of the Navy in World War 1. Female marines would travel around to cities hanging recruiting posters in major cities like in New York. Women mainly chosen for this job were told that looked, “sharp” in their uniforms which would draw attention to others and have more men and women Every Morning the women in the marine corps in Washington D.
C would have to spend time starting at 7 o’clock on the Ellipse behind the White House. Here t5hey would have sergeants barking them orders to march and halt etc, etc. Surprisingly women were not that frustrated with doing this every morning some had even started is as ‘fascinating’.Even though women were not used to this new routine and it was very hard for them they loved it and thought it was amazing.
One of the females marines main purposes was to march in parades to get people in large cities to recognize the cause. Even though their training was hard and stressful women still had fun and got to know each other extremely well, Private First Class Florence Gertler had said in an interview, “Usually the girls who lived together had their social life together.The big event of the week was Sunday night supper. Our room and board did not cover the Sunday evening meal and since we were usually broke, particularly toward the end of the month, if one of us was asked out for a Sunday supper date we always tried to ring in a friend by double-dating.” As veterans of war female Marines would have the same benefits in the legislative law as the same as their male counterparts. Also like their male counterparts, the women who had passed away could be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The Marines first women enrolled was a woman named, (Private)Opha Mae Johnson was enlisted in 1918.
The Marine Corps was far more strict on what the women wore than other branches of the military like the Navy, they had forbidden any frills or fancy additions to the uniforms in the book American Women in World War 1 they served too. By Lettie Gavin a marine in the book had said, “The Navy Department girls were quite a bit more feminized, for instance, while the Navy girls wore lace collars and jewelry, the Marine girls, even on the hottest Washington summer day, were not allowed to turn down our colors or remove their neckties.” The male marines and men in other branches were not very serious with the idea of female Marines, the called them names like, “Lady Hellcats” and “Marinette’s” women had ended up being so annoyed with it they would tell them that they hated them and the name. Some of the marines would have simple jobs like correspondence connected with casualties, while other spread the word around the country by holding rallies and recruiting camps. Other would just have the title of being a Marine but would be a secretary for a military office or an assistant for general or someone with a high title.Though they weren’t full treated with respect, women were happily placed in the Corps, with the men being happy to have them aboard. They even tried to help them with their work, they did tease them, in good nature though and bits of petty harassment.On some occasions, the lady would entertain the wounded at nearby naval hospitals.The
