Sgt Barbara Adell McDonald Oral History Side A

title:

Sgt Barbara Adell McDonald Oral History Side A

creator:

McDonald, Barbara Adell (Matlack) (1933 February 22 - 2003 December 24)

subject:

Marine Corps

description:

Side 1 of 2. Barbara McDonald (formerly Matlack) was born in Westchester, Pennsylvania and had two brothers, one older and one younger. She graduated from Westchester Joint High School in 1951 and went into the Marine Corps in July of that year. Her father and brothers were active in scouting and she attributes her desire to serve through helping her mother with the work associated with scouting and the post-World War II patriotism in the community. She enlisted with her girlfriend, and they went to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina together. Upon completion of boot camp, she was sent to Cherry Point Air Base in North Carolina. She worked as a typist in a squadron office where her training was in the unit diary: keeping track of all the replacement drafts being sent to Korea as well as working as a court reporter for court marshals. Along with joining the Christian fellowship and drama club at Cherry Point, she had the opportunity to join the Drill and Pistol Team. She was able to compete in national and local competitions as a trailblazer for other women. Cherry Point was where she met her future husband working in the same squadron office as her. After being stationed at Cherry Point, she was transferred to Washington, DC in January 1952 where she worked on Leatherneck Magazine. Her memories of Washington include President Eisenhower's inaugural parade, which she had the opportunity to march in. Barbara and her husband got married in 1953, her husband had been discharged a year prior to her and she was released from the Marine Corps as a Sergeant after serving two years. She and her husband lived in Jacksonville, Florida, had two boys and she worked in her husband's business until she retired. She continued her involvement in Marine life in 1986 with the Women Marine Association. When she was discharged in 1953 McDonald had reached the rank of sergeant, and for her service she was awarded a National Defense Service Medal. A transcript of this interview is available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Binker, Mary Jo

date:

2001-03-07

type:

Audio

format:

Cassette

identifier:

622; 2001.622

source:

CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

060425

coverage:

Korean War (1950-1953) | 1951-53

rights:

Unrestricted