Col Julia E. Hamblet, USMC Ret. Oral History

title:

Col Julia E. Hamblet, USMC Ret. Oral History

creator:

Hamblet, Julia E. (1916 May 12 - 2017 April 17)

subject:

Marine Corps Women's Reserve

description:

Julia Hamblet was born on May 12, 1916 in Winchester, Massachusetts. She spent most of her early life in the New England area, with some time spent in Akron, Ohio. She graduated from a private high school called Hartridge and attended Vassar College, receiving a degree in economics in 1937. After college she worked for the United States Information Service and helped set up war information centers in public libraries. In December 1943, she decided to join the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve as one of the first officer candidates. She trained at Mt. Holyoke in Massachusetts. She went to Hunter College as a senior Marine Officer, then transitioned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as the adjutant of the training battalion. At the very end of 1943, she moved to Camp Pendleton, California where she was the executive of an all-woman company. She was then transferred to Quantico/Cherry Point in July 1944 and stayed there as a staff officer until 1946. While there, she was promoted to Major. She was discharged in May of 1946, but was reactivated in September 1946 and took part in the process of integrating women into the Marine Corps regular service while heading post war reserve efforts. After requesting a new role, she was reassigned to Admiral Brown, the Chief Allied Forces in Europe in Naples, Italy. After her tour in Europe, she went to Ohio State University from 1950 to 1951 to get a masters degree (thesis "Enlisted Jobs in the Marine Corps which can be performed by Women in the Event of Mobilization"). She achieved the rank of Lt Colonel and eventually Colonel as the second Director of the Women Marines from 1953 to 1959, retiring at the end of her time in this position. Hamblet left the service with the rank of colonel, and for her service she was awarded a Legion of Merit, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and National Defense Service Medal with a Star. A transcript of this interview is available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Scott, Kate M.

date:

2004-02-13

type:

Moving Image

format:

Hi-8

identifier:

390; 2004.390

source:

CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

038021

coverage:

World War II (1939-1945) | Korean War (1950-1953) | 1943-59

rights:

Unrestricted