MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Share #1 Posted March 10, 2012 Hi All, I thought I would share with you these recently acquired USMC Women’s Reserve uniforms. These were donated to the thrift shop I volunteer at. All are named to the same women: Name - Nancy Simons SN – 48879 Through some digging on Ancestry, I was able to find the following article dated July 7th, 1947 from the Pottstown Mercury (Pottstown, PA). Being as our shop is in PA, I’m fairly certain the Nancy Simons in this article is the same Nancy Simons these uniforms belonged to.The article is announcing Nancy’s engagement to Elihu Spencer Miller however in addition to this, it mentions that she served with the USMCWR for 29 months. From this article, I was able to find out additional information on her through Ancestry: DOB – 4/16/1922 (Northumberland, PA) DOD – 4/17/2001 (Roaring Gap, NC) No other information related to her service, so next step is to send away to NARA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted March 10, 2012 In any case, here are Nancy's uniforms. First up is her seersucker Summer Dress Uniform with Sgt rank insignia. Unfortunately, all buttons have been removed from the jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted March 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #4 Posted March 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted March 10, 2012 Next is Nancy’s Winter Service Uniform, minus her jacket (whereabouts unknown), but also with Sgt stripes. These along with the remaining uniforms, all contain a similar sewn in name tag identifying Nancy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted March 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #7 Posted March 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted March 10, 2012 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted March 10, 2012 Manufacturer’s tag dated 1943. Also includes Nancy’s SN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #10 Posted March 10, 2012 A second Winter Service Uniform, minus rank insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted March 10, 2012 Extra skirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share #12 Posted March 10, 2012 That’s all for now; I hope you enjoyed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted March 10, 2012 Share #13 Posted March 10, 2012 Great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted March 11, 2012 Thanks, FS! I'm really curious to see what NPRC is able to provide. Can anyone else share their feedback on records they have recieved for Women Marines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted March 11, 2012 Share #15 Posted March 11, 2012 Very nice uniforms! Thanks for showing these.....Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share #16 Posted March 11, 2012 Thanks, Kat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhunde.ret Posted March 11, 2012 Share #17 Posted March 11, 2012 Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share #18 Posted March 11, 2012 Congrats! Thank you, sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneboy Posted March 23, 2012 Share #19 Posted March 23, 2012 What à great collection. Lucky you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uplandmod Posted March 23, 2012 Share #20 Posted March 23, 2012 Awesome! I love these USMCWR Women! I just picked one of these uniforms recently, glad you were able to trace her history! Leonardo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share #21 Posted March 23, 2012 Thanks to you both! Hopefully NPRC can provide additional details, although I'm not holding my breath. I'm still waiting on a response for records I requested almost 2 months ago. They must be back logged due to all those people who purchased named items from the SOS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share #22 Posted June 19, 2012 With the release of WWII USMC muster rolls on Ancestry, I was able to find additional information on Nancy. Nancy enlisted March 16th, 1943. After training, Nancy was sent to MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Edmonton in North Carolina to provide support for MOTG-81 (Marine Operational Training Group). Nancy's MOS on the muster rolls is listed as Operations Clearance Clerk, which I assume is Flight Operations Clearance Clerk? Nancy made several rank advancements while at Edmonton: October 1943 - Corporal April 1944 - Sergeant By April 1945, Nancy was transferred to the Aviation Women's Reserve Squadron 21 at MCAS Quantico in Virginia. Here, Nancy's MOS continued as Flight Operations Clearance Clerk. By July 1945, Nancy reached the rank of T/Sgt. No additional muster rolls appear after this. One interesting note is in the April 1945 muster roll, Nancy was sent to MCAS Cherry Point to testify as a witness in a court martial. Of course, no details available on this. I did send away to NPRC for her records, however received a letter stating her file was transferred to NARA and would require a fee of $60 to be released. I have a few other records I've requested where I received the same response, so when funds permit, I'll send away for them. In the mean time, the muster rolls have surely provided information I previously didn't have! USMC Muster Rolls April 1943 - April 1944 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share #23 Posted June 19, 2012 USMC Muster Rolls July 1944 - July 1945 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted June 19, 2012 Share #24 Posted June 19, 2012 Very interesting finds! Would be interesting to find out about that court martial. Wonder what that was about. ....Kat PS. I like it even more that she was involved in Aviation! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasonK Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share #25 Posted June 19, 2012 Thanks for the kind words, Kat! Yeah, I'm curious about the court martial as well. Considering she was only a witness in the trial, we'll probably never know the details. I was quite enthused about the aviation link, as well. Makes it much more interesting group, not that it wasn't already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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