Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Katherine Amelia Towle (April 30, 1898 – March 1, 1986) was the second director of the

United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (Reserve) was the World War II women's branch of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. It was authorized by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 30July 1942. ...

(USMCWR) and the first director of

Women Marines United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (Reserve) was the World War II women's branch of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. It was authorized by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 30July 1942. ...

Biography

Opha Johnson and Katherine Towle in 1946

Towle was born in Towle, California on April 30, 1898. (The town was named after her paternal grandfather and uncles who settled there in the 1850s.) She moved with her family to Berkeley, California in 1908. She graduated with honors from

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...

in 1920, then later earned a

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...

in 1935.

Marine Corps career

She came to the Marine Corps from UC Berkeley in 1943. Her first assignment with the new women's component was even before public announcement of the establishment of the Women's Reserve on February 13, 1943. She was named Women's Reserve (WR) representative for Women's Recruit Depot in the Bronx, with the rank of captain, USMCWR, (with date of rank February 24, 1943). Colonel Towle was named director when her predecessor, Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter, retired on December 7, 1945. She served in that capacity until June 1946. In August of the same year, when the Women's Reserve was deactivated, Colonel Towle returned to the University of California as assistant dean of women. Again, after the Congress had authorized the acceptance of women into the regular armed services, the Marine Corps called upon Colonel Towle to direct this organization. On November 4, 1948, she returned to the corps to become the first director of Women Marines after they were constituted a regular component. In 1950 the Marine Corps contracted the fashion design house of

Mainbocher Mainbocher is a fashion label founded by the American couturier Main Rousseau Bocher (October 24, 1890 – December 27, 1976), also known as Mainbocher (pronounced "Maine-Bow-Shay"). Established in 1929, the house of Mainbocher successfully ope ...

to design new uniforms for the Women Marines. The prototype of the first Marine Corps women's evening dress uniform was tailored expressly for Colonel Towle. It was first worn in public at the 175th anniversary Marine Corps Birthday Ball in 1950. The uniform included a red

tiara A tiara (from la, tiara, from grc, τιάρα) is a jeweled head ornament. Its origins date back to ancient Greece and Rome. In the late 18th century, the tiara came into fashion in Europe as a prestigious piece of jewelry to be worn by women ...

with gold embellishments. As another design of evening dress uniform was eventually adopted, Colonel Towle's evening dress uniform was a "one of a kind." This uniform is now in the museum collection of

Artillery Company of Newport The Newport Artillery Company of Newport, Rhode Island was chartered in 1741 by the Rhode Island General Assembly during the reign of King George II of Great Britain. It is the oldest military unit in the United States operating under its origina ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...

. Colonel Towle served as director of Women Marines until her retirement on April 30, 1953. Her military awards included the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight u ...

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

and

World War Two Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wor ...

. Eight days before Colonel Towle's retirement, President Eisenhower created the

National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a service award of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is awarded to every member of the US Armed Forces who has served during any one of four ...

retroactive to June 27, 1950. She was, thus, eligible for the medal but it is uncertain if she was ever formally awarded it.

University dean

After retiring from the Marine Corps, Towle was succeeded by Colonel Julia Hamblet. Towle was later associated with the

University of California at Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of Californi ...

in various capacities: as dean of women from 1953 to 1960; as assistant dean of students from 1960 to 1965; as dean of students, 1965–66; and later as dean of students, emeritus. She was the first female to serve as dean of students.

Death

Towle died on March 2, 1986, at her home in California at the age of 87.

Legacy

In 2005, a new residence hall at U.C. Berkeley was named after Colonel Towle (Katherine A. Towle Hall).

Awards

(originally known as the Navy Commendation)

Navy Commendation Medal Citation

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in commending LIEUTENANT COLONEL KATHERINE A. TOWLE, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS WOMEN'S RESERVE, for service as set forth in the following CITATION: ''"For meritorious service during the entire period of the growth and development of the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve. She was at once placed in a position of responsibility and succeeding assignments have broadened her field of usefulness. She has constantly demonstrated superior qualities of judgment, tact and leadership and has commanded the respect and confidence of her colleagues. By her outstanding performance of duty, Lieutenant Colonel Towle has contributed greatly to the development of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. Her conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."'' A copy of this citation has been made a part of Lieutenant Colonel Towle's official record and she is hereby authorized to wear the Commendation Ribbon. /s/ JAMES FORRESTAL Secretary of the Navy OFFICIAL COPY

945 Year 945 ( CMXLV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 27 – The co-emperors Stephen and Constantine are overthrown barel ...

References

External links

Encyclopædia Britannica Article1967 Interviews with Colonel Towle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Towle, Katherine Amelia 1898 births 1986 deaths People from Placer County, California Military personnel from California Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Marine Corps colonels UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni University of California, Berkeley faculty 20th-century American women 20th-century American people Marine Corps Women's Reserve personnel