WOMAN KOREAN WAR ARCHIVE - FEMALE MARINE CORPS SERGEANT - 1950s USMC "WAR GAL"

Description

Archive of papers related to LORRAINE ALEXANDER, who in the early 1950s served in the U.S. MARINE CORPS, starting as a Private and rising to the rank of a Staff Sergeant.
Consists of:
Lorraine Alexander's Armed Forces Military ID, which has her photo, fingerprints, and physical statistics - Blonde, Blue Eyes, 5'6", 130 pounds.
An 8x10 photograph of Platoon 6-A, Third Recruit Battalion, a female battalion. Dated Nov. 9th 1950. Photograph taken at Marine Corps Training Center, Parris Island, South Carolina.
Official USMC document/letter appointing Lorraine Alexander as a Private First Class in the Marine Corps. Dated 14 December 1950.
Official USMC document/letter appointing Lorraine E. Alexander as a Corporal. Dated 21 May 1951.
Official USMC document/letter appointing Lorraine E. Alexander as a Sergeant. Dated 23 November 1951.
Two official separation papers dated October 1953. (Honorably discharged, she did not reenlist.)
Honorable Discharge certificate, dated October 1953.
Certificate of Good Conduct award, dated October 4, 1953.
A document from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts honoring Lorraine Alexander for serving in the Korean War. It is Signed by the Governor of Massachusetts (likely autopen). Undated.
Certificate of Service card - showing period of active duty as 5 October 1950 to 4 October 1953.
A personal and sentimental letter to Lorraine "Lo" from another female Marine. From the letter: "If circumstances be so that we don't see each other after our TOUR, I'd like you to know that knowing you has brought me uncountable wealth. / Millie." Millie added a handwritten note to the letter, ending it with: "WAR GALS!".
A letter from the President of The University of Maryland, Harry Clifton Byrd, on his Office of the President stationery. HANDWRITTEN and SIGNED. It is addressed to Corporal Alexander. "Dear Corporal Alexander / Enclosed are four tickets to the football game Saturday for the four girls I was placed in front of Monday morning. Hope to see you all at College Park. / Sincerely, H.C. Byrd". This letter comes with its envelope, postmarked 1952, sent to Quantico, Virginia.
Another letter from the President of The University of Maryland, H.C. Byrd, on his Office of the President stationery. HANDWRITTEN and SIGNED. It is addressed to Corporals Alexander and Walters. In it Byrd says he is enclosing four tickets for the University's final football game of the season, against West Virginia. The letter is undated.
A ticket stub for a University of Maryland vs. North Carolina game on October 20, 1951. The game was played at BYRD stadium. The ticket states: "President's Box" on the left edge. Perhaps this was included with the second letter?
A document relating to "mustering out" payment for Lorraine E. Alexander, SSGT, USMC.
A 1960 invoice for a wedding dinner for 76, including a 75 piece 2-tiered wedding cake. Sent to Miss Lorraine Alexander. Her wedding perhaps?
Condition: Some creases, closed tears, folds,  a bit of foxing, and other signs of age and handling, but everything remains solid, clean and clear.
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About Women in the Marines during the Korean War (from the USMC website):
"In 1950, fewer than five years after World War II ended, the United States found itself once again confronted by a war for which it was unprepared. As before, a downsized military establishment rushed to call up, draft and recruit manpower, but recruitment numbers fell short of military requirements.
And just as in previous wars, the services turned again to American women, asking them to leave their homes, jobs and families to serve their country.
In March 1950, at the beginning of the Korean war, there were only 28 regular officer and 496 regular enlisted women Marines.By June 1950, the women Marines were authorized to comprise 100 officers, 10 warrant officers and 1,000 enlistees. Officers were trained at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, while enlisted women were trained at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.
In addition to the administrative type roles they served in the past, they broke into additional fields such as: fire control instrument repair, motor transport, photography, air control, aviation operations and intelligence, operational communications, and public information"
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About the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion (from the USMC website):
"Within the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, there are four companies, each company containing an average of six, 60 to 80 recruit platoons.
The 3rd RTBN. was initially formed on Aug. 7, 1940, and existed throughout World War II until it was deactivated on Jun. 18, 1947. The battalion was reformed the following year and was used to train draftees from Aug. 2, 1948, to Jan. 8, 1949, when it was again disbanded.
In February 1949, the battalion was reactivated and was used exclusively to train women marines until May 7, 1954, when a separate women's training battalion was formed (4th Recruit Training Battalion), and male recruits and instructors from 4th RTBN. were redesignated as the 3rd RTBN."
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