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Valley
Patriot of the Month
Lieutenant Colonel Muriel
Katschker
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Ted Tripp
NORTH
ANDOVER Muriel Katschker remembers well where she
was on December 7, 1941. She was with her parents
listening to the radio when the regular programming was
interrupted by an announcers voice saying the
Japanese had just attacked and bombed Pearl Harbor.
Instantly, the family knew this meant the country was at
war.
At the time, however, Muriel was a young lady and had no
idea that years later she would end up with a lifelong
commitment to the Marine Corps.
Muriel Katschker was born and raised in Boston. She
attended the citys public schools and in high
school became head cheerleader on the cheerleading squad.
She was also active in the Girl Scouts where she
eventually achieved the rank of Mariner. This gave her
the delightful opportunity to sail on the Charles River.
In 1945, following high school graduation, Muriel entered
Boston University to study nursing. After a year of
medical instruction, however, she decided that she wanted
to concentrate more on academics and transferred into the
biology program. Muriel graduated in 1950 with a bachelor
of arts in biology and subsequently went to work in the
research department at the Boston University Medical
School.
In June of 1952, as the Korean War continued, Muriel
decided she wanted to serve her country by joining the
armed forces. She chose theMarine Corps Reserve, she says,
because of its high standards. She recalls
that her mother cried at the enlistment news but her
father, a former member of the Massachusetts National
Guard, thought it was wonderful.
Muriel was sent to Quantico, Va. for 12 weeks of Officer
Candidate School. Her training included the rigorous
physical conditioning typical of the Marine Corps, but
she recalls that the most important concept she learned
was the responsibility of being an officer.
After completing OCS, Muriel was commissioned a 2nd
lieutenant and was given additional training in
leadership. In late 1952 Muriel was selected to be a
Marine Corps command officer.
From Quantico, Muriel was sent to Parris Island, S.C. and
assigned to the Women Marine Battalion, Marine Corp
Recruit Depot. Here she was the company officer in charge
of training recruits how to march and work together, as
well as educate them in the obligations and history of
the Marine Corps. After eight months, Muriel received
orders to become company commander of Women Marine
Permanent Personnel Company, where she was responsible
for the quality of work, health and living conditions of
100-150 women Marines. 1953 was also the year she was
promoted to 1st lieutenant.
By 1954 Muriels
two years of required active duty was complete. However,
she asked for and was granted a three-year extension of
service. She was subsequently given orders to become the
inspector/instructor of the Women Marine Corps Reserve
Platoon at the Wold-Chamberlain Naval Air Station in
Minneapolis, Minn. Her platoon was part of the 4th
Infantry Battalion Reserve and consisted of about 40
women.
These women were civilians who had signed up to train one
weekend a month with a two-week summer camp, as Organized
Marine Reservists. The women had the opportunity to work
in most job functions except for combat related duties.
Muriels platoon won outstanding
achievement award for summer camp performance for
two consecutive years. Muriel Katschker was
also the Women Marine Selection Officer, or recruiter,
for Minnesota.
She traveled around the state talking with college women
about careers in the Marine Corps, routinely made public
appearances and was occasionally on the radio speaking
about opportunities for women Marines.
In 1955 Muriel was
promoted to captain.
By 1957 Muriel had completed her active duty tour and
subsequently became an inactive reservist. In August she
entered Harvard University/Radcliffe College to study
business administration and the following year she
graduated with a one-year graduate certificate.
While studying at Radcliffe, Muriel joined the Marine
Corps Reserve 2nd Infantry Battalion in Boston. Here she
was commander of the Women Marine Reserve Company.
In 1959 Muriel once again returned to inactive status and
now began a civilian career in human resources
management, working for high-tech manufacturing and
consulting companies. Then, in 1961, Muriel was asked to
serve as secretary to the chairman of the 1964 National Conference of the
Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association. This involved
a three-year planning effort for the first Boston hosting
of this important national conference.
In 1962, Muriel also decided to join the Marine Corps
Volunteer Training Unit 1-14 in Cambridge, Mass.; she was
the units administrative officer. The 1-14 met one
evening a week to prepare and review reports or studies
for the commandant.
By 1965 she was promoted to major and in 1969 to
lieutenant colonel.
During the decade of the 1960s, Muriel was always on
mobilization notice orders. In the event of a
national emergency, the commandant could activate her and
she would have nine days to report to Norfolk, Va. for
assignment.
In 1975, 23 years after first joining the Marine Corps
Reserve, Muriel Katschker requested that she be
transferred to the Retired Marine Corps Reserve. Thirteen
years after that, in 1988, Muriel officially retired from
the military with a Commandant Certificate of Service.
Muriel Katschker is authorized to wear the National
Defense Service Medal because of her military service
during the Korean War years.
Muriel now volunteers her time to a number of local
charities and organizations in the Merrimack Valley.
Muriel Katschker, we thank you for your years of service
to our country.
*Send your questions
comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The January 2007 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 10,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
Boxford,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Hampton & Salisbury
Beach, and Lowell.
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