Sioux City Marine Gets Commission
First member of the Marine Corps women’s reserve from this vicinity to receive a commission is Lieut. Berneil Riley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Riley, 901 23d street. Lieut. Riley recently was graduated from the officer’s school at Camp Lejeune, New River, N.C. She has been assigned to the Marine Corps quartermaster depot, Philadelphia.
Life in the Marine Corps Women’s reserve is hard and exacting and affords few privileges during the first few weeks, but it pays big dividends, in the opinion of Lieut. Berneil Riley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl F. Riley, 901 23d Street.
Lieut. Riley enlisted here June 4, and received her training at Camp LeJeune. She was selected for officer training and was a member of the first class to be graduated from the new officer school at Camp Lejeune.
After receiving her commission, she attended a quartermaster school to learn Marine Corps procedure. She has been assigned to the quartermaster depot at Philadelphia, Pa., and will report for duty there at the conclusion of a short leave of absence.
She is believed to be the first women from Iowa to receive a commission in the Marine Corps although several girls from the Sioux City area are in training at Camp LeJeune. Under new regulations, all enlistees with a least a high school education are eligible for officer training.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, October 12, 1943 (photo included)
