Page 46 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

Marlynn O’Keefe
was born in Hobart, Indiana
in 1923. I joined the military
I because I wanted to. It was
1943, and we were at war. I had
two friends who had enlisted; it
was wartime, so I decided to go. I
chose the US Navy, because two
friends with whom I was working
had enlisted in the Navy. My job
at the Screw and Bolt Company
in Gary, Indiana was hesitant to
let me go because it was wartime,
and there was a lot of work to do
on the home front. They needed us
women because most of the men
were away at war, but I insisted on
enlisting.
My dad was a World War I
veteran, and my brother was
serving in World War II, so I was
from a military family. Originally,
my father didn’t want me to go,
46 Amarillo Senior Link
World War II WAVE
by Marlynn O’Keefe
probably because he knew machine gun and dive bomb to
how rough it was going to drop bombs. I also taught plane
be. After I returned home recognition to determine if a plane
a couple of years later, I was friendly or enemy.
asked my father, “Now,
what do you think about There were 81 WAVES to 2,000
my going into the service?” soldiers in Wildwood, so there
My dad replied, “I think were plenty of guys, and that
it was the best decision was where I met my wonderful
you ever made.” He was husband, Paul, who was a dive
beaming with pride, and so bomber pilot. We were married in
was I. 1945 in my hometown in Indiana.
My husband stayed in the service,
I moved halfway across and we traveled all around the
the country to do my basic United States, including Hawaii,
training in Pensacola, for twenty-three years. I was also
Florida at the Pensacola Air fortunate enough to travel abroad
Station. I was there three with my husband extensively,
months. I thought it was visiting fifteen different countries.
neat that the Hollywood
star, Robert Stack, had After I got out of the service in
been there before me as a 1946, I continued with payroll
Gunnery Officer. work and later became a realtor
and broker. My husband and I
I was 19 when I joined the United owned our own company called
States Navy, and I served from Cameo Properties. Later, we
1943 to 1946. Out of 600 other sold out to a larger company,
women in my battalion, I was one and I worked for them as a loan
of two WAVES (Women Accepted processor. In addition, I was
for Volunteer Service) who were president of the Fort Towson
selected to attend Aerial Gunnery Oklahoma Historical Society for
School. When I was in gunnery eleven years. I also published
school, we were taught how to two books, which are true stories
strip a machine gun and put it regarding the Choctaw and
back together - and so much more. Chickasaw Indians settling in the
I attended Aerial Gunnery School Fort Towson, Oklahoma area.
for three months. Then I went to My husband and I were married
Wildwood, New Jersey, where I for 56 glorious years and had
was an Aerial Gunnery Instructor. four children. One of our children
I taught skeet shooting to officers was born in Rhode Island, one
and enlisted men, a tactic that in California, one in Florida, and
helped them learn to lead their the last child was born in Seattle,
target. I taught airplane pilots and Washington. All the children were
gunners how to use the 50 mm born at military hospitals. I have