At the climax of World War II, most United States citizens were anxious to do their part to help the U.S. and its Allies defeat offending nations, and Alyce Williamson is one of the few women who contributed by donning a Marine Corps uniform.
A slogan campaign to recruit females to the military read, free a man to fight, which made an impact, said Alyce. The attractive uniform of the branch was also very enticing, she added.
Alyce was already 26 years old and had been working as a bank clerk in Chicago for five years, when her cousins friend came to visit, dressed in a Marine uniform.
I had bright red hair and just knew Id look good in that uniform, said Alyce. I wanted to join the Marine Corps right then.
Alyce found herself on a train headed to Camp Lejeune, N.C., in the early part of 1944 for boot camp, after receiving her mothers approval.
Although I was legally old enough, it was common in those days to ask your parents permission to do things no matter what age you were, said the Ashton, Iowa native. As a small town girl, who attended the same school for 1-12, it was a great adventure for me.
Although women have had their share of hardships in the military over the years, Alyce seems to only recall positive experiences, partly due to her positive outlook on life. Read more at scoutnewspaper.com