MF144 Women in the Military
Document Type
Oral History
Interviewer
Phyllis von Herrlich
Interview date
1-6-2002
Time
00:48:15
Files
Download Full Text (1.6 MB)
Streaming Media
Abstract
Marion Townsend, interviewed by Phyllis von Herrlich, January 6, 2002. Townsend talks about joining the service in 1942; twenty-eight when she joined the Navy; Hunter College for boot camp training; lived in dorms; went to store keeper school; ordered supplies; was in for two years; trained with just women; didn’t get trained to shoot a gun; it was either get out or go to Japan; naval reserve for two years; type a certain WPM to pass store keeper school; went to Gates Business College; went to the University of Maine for a year then to Farmington; teaching for thirty-seven years; wants women to join the military; her rank was third class store keeper. Text: 35 pp. transcript. Time: 00:48:15.
Listen:
Disciplines
Military History | Oral History | United States History | Women's History
Birth date
June 22, 1914
Location
Readfield, Kennebec County, Maine
Death date
March 30, 2004
Location
Readfield, Kennebec County, Maine
Nation of origin
United States
Home state/Territory
Maine
Gender
Female
Ethnicity
European-American
Occupation
Teacher
Branch of service
U.S. Navy
Service Unit
Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES)
Dates of service
November 4, 1944-March 20, 1946
Date of entry
November 4, 1944
Service entry
Enlisted
Location of Service
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Wars & Conflicts
World War II
Entry Rank
E-1 Seaman Recruit
Other
Store Keeper 3rd Class
Other
Store Keeper 3rd Class
Names
Lee Townsend [brother]; Mary Hock [youngest sister]; Ruth Townsend [sister]; Alice Couture [sister]; Lucille Gordon; Lucille Williams; Bob Williams
Locations
Readfield, Maine; Maranacook Lake; Augusta, Maine; Hunter College, New York; Lewiston, Maine; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Millersville, Georgia; Boston; Waterville, Maine; Farmington, Maine; Lincoln, Maine; Portland, Maine; Winthrop, Maine; Mount Vernon, Maine; Orono, Maine; Wshington, D.C.; Scarborough, Maine; Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Panama; Island Falls, Maine
Headings
Women in the Military; Gender Relations
Collection name
Women in the Military
Collection number
MF144
Item number
NA3243
Recommended Citation
Townsend, Marion Adell, "Marion Townsend, interviewed by Phyllis von Herrlich" (2023). MF144 Women in the Military. 56.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mf144/56
Rights and Access Note
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for non-commercial uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For more information, contact Special Collections.
Rights Statement
