[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 27 (Thursday, February 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               60TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN IN MARINE CORPS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HEATHER WILSON

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 2003

  Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to commemorate the contributions of the thousands of women 
who have served in the United States Marine Corps throughout history. 
They celebrate their 60th anniversary today, February 13th, when the 
first group of women went off to Hunter College in 1943 to train as 
Women reservists to ``Free a Man to Fight!'' ln honor of this 
anniversary I enter the following proclamation into the official record 
of today.
  Whereas since its inception in 1943 to ``Free a Man to Fight'' under 
the leadership of Col. Ruth Cheney Streeter, thousands of women have 
served the Corps in every clime and place and have continued to be an 
essential part of the United States Marine Corps;
  Whereas it should be acknowledged the women who serve a grateful 
nation are committed to preservation of the freedoms of this Nation and 
serve today at the forefront of our military in almost every specialty 
and;
  Whereas it should be acknowledged that the first group of women who 
volunteered to serve their Nation led the way and broke the ground for 
all the women who serve today and are entitled to a special debt of 
gratitude and thanks;
  Therefore, let it be known that the 60th anniversary of the women who 
have served in the United States Marine Corps marks a milestone that a 
grateful Nation acknowledges as those women and the women today and 
those that follow will continue to pursue a course of action that 
serves to inspire all freedom loving people in the world. SEMPER 
FIDELIS!

                          ____________________