The Latest from Cactus Tactical: Women In Military History

In World War 2 we saw the rise of women in the Marines and they were dubbed Lady Leathernecks. These women were such an inspiration they were visited by Eleanor Roosevelt where she referred to them as "the real women of America". In the year 1943, the Marine Corps Women's Reserve was established and the first woman enlisted was Private Lucille McClarren. Women continue to be an integral part of our Military and have a rich history in the service.

In the second stanza of the Woman's Leatherneck song “We’re one for all and all for honor. And we’ll work to keep our country strong. We’re the Women Marines Association. Come, Marines, and join us in our song.” they call for unity and honor. While the ladies gave it a feminine boost by adding "Lady" to the term “leatherneck” it has become a term of admiration and respect. The slang is derived from the leather stock once worn around the neck by Marines. Beginning in 1798, “one stock of black leather and clasp” was issued to each U.S. Marine annually. This stiff leather collar, fastened by two buckles at the back, measured nearly 3-and-a-half inches high. The stock was dropped as an article of Marine uniform in 1872, but by then it was a part of American vocabulary, a word preserved, like so many words, beyond its original meaning.

A native of Selma, Ala., and a newcomer to Monroe, Francis Lanier was called a leatherneck. She served as a captain during WWII. In 1943, at the age of 27, she became a Marine, entering into a proud sisterhood known honorably as the “Lady Leathernecks." She took her basic training at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and in a short time rose in the ranks to captain, company commander and PX officer at Camp Elliott and Camp Pendleton.A graduate of Huntington College in Montgomery, Ala., she qualified as the first woman candidate to enter Officer Candidate School in the Woman’s Marine Corps. She was only the third female captain and company commander of Company C, the largest of the four companies with 245 women under her command.

Over the years women in the Marines have become more prevalent fulfilling roles in engineering, communications, logistics and other intregal parts of service.

To learn more about the Lady Leathernecks, there is a great article here: Women Marines in History.

Labels: marines, military, military history, women in marines