Cpl Betty J. Peachy Oral History

title:

Cpl Betty J. Peachy Oral History

creator:

Peachy, Betty J. (Kayser) (1925 April 3 - )

subject:

Marine Corps Women's Reserve

description:

This is the original, unedited interview audio. Betty J. Peachy (formerly Kayser) was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on April 3, 1925 and grew up in Auburn, Indiana. She was adopted at 5 years old and describes her childhood as not ideal. She graduated from Mcintosh High School in 1942 and worked menial jobs until she was 20. She then decided to go into the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. She chose to enlist in the Marine Corps because they were the best, and she had someone dear to her already in the Marine Corps. The nearest recruiter was in Chicago, Illinois so she took a 100-mile train trip to meet them, but did not pass the physical (she had a sore throat) and had a typographical error on her birth certificate. The doctor fixed her throat, and she fixed the birth certificate, but since she was 20 years old she needed permission from her foster mother to go in. Her mother was very reluctant and asked for an allotment to sign the paper, eventually agreeing to sign. She went to boot camp in July 1945 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and really enjoyed it. She had some typing skills and used them to create menus while at boot camp. During the interview, she shares some of her favorite songs she learned in the Marines. After basic training, she was assigned to the headquarters of the Marine Corps at Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia. She worked in the Navy Annex in the Fund Allotment Office keeping records for fellow Marines. She also remembers marching in the parade for Admiral Nimitz. She remained at this station for the entirety of her service, receiving her discharge in August 1945. She married a Marine and moved to Cherry Point, North Carolina after her discharge, and their son was born in 1947. Their family returned to Indiana, and her husband left the Marine Corps in April 1948. They moved to California in 1953, where she still lived as of the interview. When she left the service Peachy had reached the rank of corporal, and for her service she was awarded an American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. No transcript of this interview is currently available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Wilson, Eleanor M.

date:

2004-01-29

type:

Audio

format:

Cassette

identifier:

727; 2004.727

source:

MCHC | CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

174081

coverage:

World War II (1939-1945) | 1945-46

rights:

Unrestricted