The Illinois Branch of the Women Marines Association (IL-2) celebrated the 100th Birthday of WWII Woman Marine Helen Ehlers on September 9th. Marine Ehlers, who resides in Wheaton, installed instrument panels for the planes flown in WWII.
Helen Ehlers was born on September 9, 1923 in Cicero, IL. She had two brothers and one sister. Her father was a laborer at a foundry and her mother stayed at home. She remembers it was a Sunday afternoon and the radio was on when she heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and she was home alone. She entered the service in 1944, and her father had to sign for her to do so. Her brothers were already serving at this time. She had idolized the Marines and she was very anxious to go to boot camp. She was trained in aircraft instrument mechanics, then worked in a shop repairing and calibrating them. She was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station, Chery Point in NC, and her final rank was a Corporal. She served from 1944-1946. She was glad she served at the same time her brothers served. In 1948, when Congress passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, Helen was finally recognized as a Veteran and given Veterans benefits for her service.
The Blanche S. Osborne Chapter is named for Blanche Slater Osborne, who was a World War I Marine and lived in Libertyville with her husband, also a WWI Veteran who served as a General. Before WWII and during, Blanche wrote a column in the Chicago Herald American called “The Soldier’s Friend”. It served as an information center for Veterans and Servicemen of the Chicago area and was an important resource for information on Veteran benefits and news items such as reunions of old war divisions and buddies, along with the best leave and liberty spots in Chicago. In addition to her writings, Mrs. Osborne also organized blood banks and stage shows to benefit Servicemen during WWII. Blanche S. Osborne was instrumental in creating the Servicemen’s Center in Chicago, which later turned into the USO (United Service Organization). The Women Marine Association is proud to be the only charitable association for and about women Marines. The National Women Marines Association was established in Denver, CO in 1960 to ensure that the history of Women Marines would continue to be told and passed onto future generations of Marines. Chapters and members across the nation work on community programs and support our military personnel, our Veterans and their communities. For more information, individuals can contact IL2@WomenMarines.org.
—Office of Stephanie Kifowit