[Updated 15 Sep 2020 based on oral history transcript]
I saw a tweet on Twitter this morning about Opha May Johnson, the first female Marine. The post was by a current female Marine officer, one I've been following for a short bit and listening to hear troubles with the male version of the species. While she's in uniform and her issues are unique to those in uniform, the 'vibe' is very much the same on the civilian side of life. I could only think, "Wait til those male Marines become civilians and take their brand of 'crap' to the civilian side of things." It made me wonder about a woman that I have admired my entire career--Eddie Smith. It's likely you don't know her, and so I thought I'd introduce you to her. So folks, allow me to introduce you to Major Edna Loftus Smith, USMCR.
Eddie died exactly a year before I started my internship with the (then) Marine Corps Historical Center. She died on 7 September 1994 at the age of 95 in Alexandria, Virginia. I didn't know at the time that I would grow to be one of her biggest (maybe the biggest) fans and admirers. In fact, in my former Marine Corps historian office I had only two photos hanging--Joel D. Thacker (another story there) and Eddie.
Edna Genevieve Marie Loftus was born on 20 August 1899 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Loftus.
Eddie's mom Elizabeth "Lizzie" Calla was first born-Italian-American in her family; together with Johnny, they raised four daughters and a son.
As the William Penn High School yearbook of 1917 stated, Eddie was "always ready" and when given the chance, she enlisted in the US Navy on 30 August 1918 as a "Yeomanette" third class. She was stationed at the Naval Hospital in Cape May, New Jersey for the rest of the war and on 7 August 1919 was released from active duty--her final discharge came on 28 August 1920 as Yeoman (F) second class. She had served as a Yeoman for a Navy Captain.
It is unknown how she met red-headed Clyde Wendall Smith, but in 1922 she met and married the young Navy officer (and USNA graduate) and went with him to his first assignment at NAS Pensacola.
He was learning to fly, and Eddie wanted to know what it was like--so she too, learned to fly a "Jenny" (Curtiss JN-4). She had always been interested in aviation; so while at Pensacola Clyde paid $10 per 30 minutes for Eddie to learn. Unfortunately, the aircraft was damaged in a crash (not her doing) and she was unable to solo--or finish due to the cost.
In the ensuring years, she followed Clyde wherever the Navy sent him, Hawaii, Panama, Philippines, and China to name a few. Not one to sit idle, she also took courses at Temple University (1926), and studied Italian at University of Perugia (1938) and Spanish University of Mexico (1941).
When the United States entered World War II, Eddie was again ready. However, despite her service in World War I with the Navy, the WAVES would not take her as she was the wife of a serving Naval officer. Eddie waited for her opportunity. In the meantime, she worked at the Army Signal Corps as a GS-7 Technical Publications Writer where she "performed research and wrote digest of tactical and technical documents on radar; prepared daily newsletter on radar communications." (ELS OMPF, NARA, St Louis//Oral History 7 May 1981).
On 27 May 1943, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve and was commissioned on 20 September 1943. Getting into the Corps was hard for a woman over 40, overweight and with only two years of college. However, with friends like Admiral John S. McCain, and others, waivers could be obtained. From September 1943 to August 1946, Eddie served in the Bureau of Aviation (Aviation History Board). She and one other female Marine were the only Marines in the office. They were charged with researching and writing monographs on aviation. One such was Mission Accomplished -- she wrote the chapter on Guadalcanal. Regrettably, the acknowledgments listed her as First Lieutenant E. L Smith, USNR! Eddie stated: "Oh, it was crushing! I almost cried when I saw it. But I thought, well, someday some poor historian will have to agonize over what rank was that." She was talking to me, from the past! (I felt like she was when I read it).
She was promoted to 1stLt on 15 March 1945 and to Capt (temp) on 14 March 1946 (made permanent on 5 June 1947). Her service complete, Eddie returned to inactive duty.
Her first year was spent creating a chronology before the author was found. Robert Lee Sherrod, a renowned journalist who had been embedded with the Marines at several key battles in the Pacific, signed on for the project. She queried Sherrod as to how long he thought it would take to write the book--a year he told her. "Mr. Sherrod, I know quite a lot about Marine Aviation, but I couldn't write a book on it in less than 3 or 4 years." She was right. Before long, the time was up and Sherrod was recalled to his job with Time leaving Eddie to bear the weight of the day to day responsibilities, while he worked on the book in his spare time, evenings and weekends.
When Sherrod was called to a European assignment, Eddie picked up even more slack. Working 16-18 hours a day, fueled by black coffee and 4-5 hours sleep, she worked to gather the necessary information. Five years after starting, History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II was complete. (Washington Star Newspaper, 27 July 1952).
Many of Eddie's fellow Marines were proud of her. Naval aviator and Medal of Honor recipient and WWII Ace, Colonel John L. Smith (no relation) autographed a copy for her, inscribing, "To Eddie Smith, who I know would have been in the pages of this book--had she been an MR instead of a WR." (Washington Star article). Just before the article cited herein was published, Eddie was promoted to Major on 28 June 1952.
As one who has read the book cover-to-cover, who's own personal copy is held together with all types of tape, the book is a magnum opus. While not an official history, I treated it as it were one because I knew the work that Eddie herself put into it to make sure it was soundly researched, and thus legit! It was because of this book, I was introduced to Eddie. This woman was in an uber-masculine aspect of the Corps--aviators are cocky, self-assured, arrogant, and often too much like boys who never left the locker room attitude behind (not all, but many are like this). I don't know how Eddie fared in this arena; I have nothing of her thoughts to tell me. But at the time, I can't even begin to imagine how it must have been for her. However, she persevered.
Her work wasn't done. After leaving active duty, Eddie moved to Spain with her husband for his health in 1959. They entertained many friends and family. By 1960, another project called her. On 27 July 1960, she requested active duty orders (without pay) in order to translate the "Operaciones Anfibias" from Spanish to English for the Historical Section of HQMC.
It was approved and it's 434 pages were added to the documentation at the Historical Section but also Marine Corps Schools.
Eddie would have one last adventure before she was allowed to retire. Operation STEEL PIKE was taking place in Spain and she was called to serve on the headquarters because of her skill with Spanish and knowledge of the local area. It was "a marvelous sunset on my Marine Corps career. I was the only woman in uniform and it was a 50,000-man operation; Spanish and US Navy."
On 1 June 1962, Major Edna Loftus Smith retired from the Marine Corps Reserve. The Smith's returned to Washington in 1964 to make their permanent home.
For the next 10 years, the Smith's lived life in Washington; however, in May 1974, Clyde died of cancer at his home. It would be another 20 years before Eddie joined Clyde. In that time, she was a member of the Army & Navy Club, the Reserve Officers Association, the Marine Corps Historical Foundation (today's Heritage Foundation) and the Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
Today, Eddie and Clyde reside in Arlington National Cemetery; their large headstone proudly displaying both their military service information. Eddie was not relegated to the reverse of the stone with a little notation; she's upfront for all to see!
While I realize this post has gone on far longer than most, I want to bring it back full circle to the tweet this morning. I can't even begin to imagine what Eddie's service must have been like for her. No, she wasn't in a combat unit like the tweeter, and yes, she was married to a very prominent officer; these may have spared her from many of the indignities that women Marines have suffered, endured and had to put up with. I know some of what today's tweeting female Marine has endured. While I was a civilian with the Marine Corps for 19 years, I dealt with my share of (let's keep it simple) crap.
As a historian whose primary job it was to take care of the units, I soaked up everything Eddie and Mr. Sherrod left the Corps -- their research cards are INVALUABLE. My biggest regret was that I found out about her too late; I did not get to meet her, to be in her presence and to know who she was. There's nothing I could have done about it, but it would have been a distinct honor to have known Eddie.
Even though I have moved on from being a historian for the Marine Corps, as you can see, they will remain in my heart forever. Eddie at the top of the list. Afterall, she was the Corps' first female historian!
I think the biggest thing I take away from Eddie (especially now having her own words) is that to get where you want, work hard and keep your contacts handy. You never know when its going to be one of those contacts that you've proven yourself to who will be the one to get you the job.
Major Edna Loftus Smith, you are remembered and I will visit you and Clyde one day soon--I promise!
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