Military Model Scene

Title: U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve

Author: Jim Moran

Publisher: Frontline Books

ISBN: 978-1-52671-045-1

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A companion volume to the author's previous book on US Marine uniforms and equipment of WW2, this time is gives us the same detail for the USMC Women's Reserve. The intention in forming the Women's Reserve in 1942 was to release men from their various support roles to fight at the front line. One of the details I find particularly interesting is that the new Women's Reserves were not given some special name such as WAVES (women in the US Navy) or WACS (in the US Army), but that they were simply to be recognised as 'US Marines', just the same as the men.

The book provides us with the background to the creation of the Women's Reserve, how it was formed, what the new Marines went through as the joined up and were trained. It goes on through their various jobs and job assignments, along with Administration and Polices (assignment, housing, women's authority etc), along with Specialist Units & Decorations (Band, Drill Team and more), Hawaii Duty (Overseas Duty, Staging areas etc) and their Demobilisation at the ned of the war. These all lead into the main topic of the book, with details and photos of the many items of uniform and insignia, including headgear and accessories using modern photos with preserved examples of the many uniform items. Then a significant set of 9 Appendices which provide even more specific detail, including the wartime quartermaster photos that illustrate the uniforms and how they should be worn.

Another excellent book and the ideal companion for Jim's other book on the Marine Combat uniforms. Mine is a hardback copy but I believe a new paperback edition is also now available.

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Thanks to Pen and Sword for my copy.

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Robin