Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Phyllis Marie Capelle Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: Aviation Women's Squadron 18
- Location of Service: Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; Hunter College, New York
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/60490
During World War II, 21-year-old Phyllis Aloisio was working in a factory but determined she could better help the effort by joining the WACs. Told she was too young, she joined the Marines, and when she tested well enough to become a machinist's mate, she was sent to Memphis for an accelerated course in mechanics. She worked on a wide variety of aircraft and was one of only 13 women during the war to draw flight pay. Discreet about whether she broke regulations by dating officers, she does talk about meeting aviator Charles Lindbergh and sharing a plane with actor turned Marine Tyrone Power. After the war, she wanted to attend aeronautical school but was told no one would hire a woman pilot, so she became a flight attendant for TWA, a job with as many rules and regulations as the military.
Interview / Recording
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PlayDecided to join service when men in her plant began leaving; mother didn't care for her joining; WACs turned her down for being too young, suggested she try the Marines or WAVEs; boot camp at Hunter College in New York. 00:02:10.2 - 00:04:00.7
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PlayKnew about mechanical things and qualified to be machinist's mate; sent to Memphis, a Navy base with many Marines; took a two-year course in six months; 2,000 WAVEs and 56 women Marines there; WAVEs went out with male Marines, female Marines went out with sailors 00:04:11.7 - 00:05:15.0
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PlayDid 30, 60, 90 checks on planes and traveled with them to maintain them; claims to be one of only 13 women who actually drew flight pay during the war; worked on variety of planes until they were made crew chiefs; had to log at least 4 flight hours a month, but she easily exceeded that; shared a plane with Tyrone Power, who dated a girl she knew. 00:05:34.6 - 00:08:09.5
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PlayTalks about planes she worked and flew on; B-26s were fastest landing plane; once when landing, wind flipped over her plane; she was still hanging upside down inside when a photo was taken; meeting Lindbergh, who was flying a Marine plane; she refueled it. 00:08:12.1 - 00:11:05.0
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PlayAfter pilots completed their mission quota, they came back to Cherry Point, North Carolina, where she was based; not supposed to date officers; she won't say if she did. 00:11:04.6 - 00:12:20.2
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PlayStaying in touch over the years, started a round robin in 1946; of the 21 girls in the group, 3 have died, and the rest are all over 80; this was the third group of women Marines; she was actually in the second group but had a close girlfriend in the third; stayed in Marine Reserves until 1949. 00:12:29.1 - 00:13:48.9
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PlayWanted to go to aeronautical school but was told no one would hire a woman pilot;went to work at TWA as a flight attendant; many rules: could not be married, could not work past 32, could not wear glasses; stationed in Kansas City, then in California; got married at 28; her husband was a Navy veteran, the brother of her flying partner. 00:15:33.0 - 00:17:38.0
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PlayEveryone had her own tool box, and there was a tool room for shared use; when men came back from overseas, they were put on crews under women, but there were no problems; if short a part, male mechanics would try to make another part work, but women would wait for that specific part. 00:23:10.5 - 00:24:21.0
About this Item
Title
- Phyllis Marie Capelle Collection
Names
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center & Nursing Home, Sepulveda, California
- James, Becky
- Capelle, Phyllis Marie
- Davis, Vance
- Pete Polini
Home State
- California
Headings
- - Capelle, Phyllis Marie
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Marine Corps.
Form
- DVD
Extent
- 1 item
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Female
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: Aviation Women's Squadron 18
- Location of Service: Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina; Memphis, Tennessee; Hunter College, New York
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1943-1949
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 10/14/1945 to 3/18/1949.
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-04-11; 2006-03-27)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/60490
Cite as
- Phyllis Marie Capelle Collection (AFC/2001/001/60490), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video