Marie (Meyers) McMillin

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Biography

In 1902 Marie was born in Lorain, Ohio, United States.

After high school, Marie she worked as an information clerk in the Neil House, the second largest hotel in Columbus, Ohio.

One day she was chewing the fat with a reporter from the Columbus Dispatch and he asked her, “Marie, what would you really like to do?” She responded: ‘Well, Charlie, I could jump out of an airplane.’ Charlie gave her a long, searching look, hopped into a phone booth, and called his city editor. Emerging from the booth, he said, “You’re going to jump out of a plane for the Columbus Dispatch, Marie, and you’re going to get five hundred dollars for it.” She made the jump, pocketed the five hundred, resigned her job, and embarked on a new career,

In 1930 Marie started making parachute jumps at public events. She set a record in 1932 at the International Air Races in Cleveland Ohio. Also has a private pilot's license. Marie made another record, having 396 jumps to her credit in 1943.

Mrs Marie McMillin now residing in St. Joan of Arc Parish, Jackson Heights, New York was a widow and mother of two sons in Armed Forces. She also had a young daughter.

In 11 Nov 1943 she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) taking basic training at the Third WAC Training Center at Fort Oglethorpe, GA. Being a famed parachutist in civilian life, she was assigned as a Parachute Rigger at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1944.

Mrs Marie M McMillin passed away in 1954 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, USA.

Sources

• U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 DRAFT, ENLISTMENT AND SERVICE Record information. Name Marie M McMillin Birth year 1902 Residence Jackson Heights Queens, New York (served in WAC 2 years.

• Marie M. McMillin Ohio Deaths and Burials, 1854-1997 Name: Marie M. McMillin Event Type: Burial Event Date: 1954 Event Place: Ohio, United States

• Ohio, Soldier Grave Registrations, 1804-1958 DEATH, BURIAL, CEMETERY & OBITUARIES Record information. Name Marie M. McMillin. Birth 1 Jul 1902 Death 1954.

• https://www.myheritage.com/names/marie_mcmillin

• https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1943/07/17/mrs-mcmillin-2

• https://dutyforvictory.wixsite.com/france/wac-parachute-riggers

• https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/151168-wwii-airborne-wac/