Memorial Honors War Heroines

Arlington National Cemetery is one of my favorite places in Washington. It’s known for the thousands of white crosses for the military dead buried there, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, and the eternal flame at John F. Kennedy’s final resting place. Soon to be dedicated there is another poignant attraction to remind us of our military heroes--or in this case, heroines.

It goes by the rather bureaucratic name of Women in Military Service for America Memorial. I suspect, as it becomes better known, people will call it the Women’s Military Memorial. The hemicycle-shaped tribute, with a central reflecting pool, a theater, and an education center, will honor the 1.8 million women who have served in our military, as well as those enlisted today. It sits on four acres at Arlington’s entrance, just across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial.

Dedication activities for the $21-million memorial, built with both private and government funds, are scheduled for Oct. 16-18. Marie Fennell of Huntington Beach says she wouldn’t miss attending for anything.

Fennell, who served in the Marines during World War II, is the local volunteer field representative for the memorial.

“It’s long overdue,” she said in explaining why she became involved. “We women have served right alongside the men, you know; a lot of women were killed in war too.”

Fennell’s fiance was killed in service during World War II. The next year, on Jan. 1, 1944, she decided to join the Marines, as opposed to the WAVES or WACS. She explained: “I told myself: If I were a man, which unit would I choose? The Marines, of course, so that’s what I did.”

Fennell took six months of aircraft mechanics training at a Marine base in Norman, Okla., before she was finally sent off for duty working on planes at a base in Hawaii. Her Marine nickname was “Gallie.”

“We got a kick out of them always asking for one of us women because our hands were smaller and we could get in places on the aircraft where it was hard for the men,” she said.

Fennell, who has raised five sons on her own, left the Marines after two years and went to college on the GI Bill. She graduated from Chapman University and eventually earned a master’s degree from San Diego State. She returned here to become a social worker for the county for more than 20 years. She’s also active in politics, serving on the Central Committee for the Democratic Party in Orange County.

Besides trying to get people to show up for the Memorial dedication, Fennell has another special interest. The Memorial staff is assembling a national registry of names (including maiden names), photographs and biographies of women who served in the military. It will go into a computerized database at the Memorial, which visitors can use to track down old war buddies.

Any woman who served, or is now in the military, can automatically make the list by paying $25 to become a charter member of the Memorial. But Fennell said anyone can send in information. The hardest job, she said, is reaching family members of military women who have already passed away, so they can get their loved ones included on the computer list.

Reservations to attend the dedication can be made until Sept. 15. Fennell told me several Orange County women veterans have made arrangements to attend.

“It’s going to be beautiful,” she said. “We’re expecting 30,000, so I imagine I’ll be inundated with some pretty good war stories.”

For Geoffrey: Many of you responded to Saturday’s column about people who devote their time to caring for a disabled spouse. Most either identified with the plight of the caregivers or wanted more information about the Well Spouse Foundation. But Phyllis Collier of Irvine wrote from a different perspective.

At 57, she suffers from muscular dystrophy and is cared for by her husband, Geoffrey, who is 66. Next week, they celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary.

When they married, she walked with a slight limp. But, in the years since then, her condition became even worse than expected. She says: “I don’t think either of us would have imagined how completely dependent on him I would become.”

She adds:

“He cooks and does all the household chores as well as care for me. He does all this lovingly and without complaint. I can’t think of a way to ever thank him or make his life easier. I can make him laugh, and we joke over the silliest things. But I would like to do something really special for him.”

Mrs. Collier, maybe you just did.

Wiley & Fidel: People in Cuba will celebrate Fidel Castro’s 71st birthday on Wednesday. But Cuban residents got a different type of news last week.

My colleague Enrique Lavin, in Cuba on assignment then, said he saw only one TV news flash about the United States while he was there. It was about the Rev. Wiley Drake and the battle he lost to the city of Buena Park over housing the homeless in his church’s parking lot. Cuba’s Castro-run TV said the government in the U.S. was forcing the homeless out into the streets.

Tutting His Horn: “Tutti-Frutti” is the song I most identify with Little Richard. But it wasn’t his best-selling record. “Long Tall Sally,” “Keep a Knockin’,” “Jenny, Jenny,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” were his biggest hits--in that order.

We’re going to see a lot more of Little Richard in Orange County soon. His is the latest likeness to be included in the Movieland Wax Museum on Beach Boulevard in Buena Park. By now, Little Richard has figured out where the place is. A few months ago, he told a TV interviewer the wax museum honoring him was in Anaheim. Little Richard has agreed to appear in person for the unveiling on Aug. 28.

Wrap-Up: For the record, the Department of Defense says about 400,000 women served in the military during World War II. Desert Storm brought the next largest number, 37,000. The Vietnam War, by comparison, saw only 7,000 women in the military.

If you are a woman who once served in the military--or know a woman who has--you can call (800) 222-2294 to register or learn more about the new Memorial.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com