Hazel Calnan Murphy, back when she still answered to the name "Calnan", followed the path of many a young South Bostonian. The Calnans lived in various places within St. Vincent's Parish. Hazel attended the Girls High School in the South End; she had three brothers; she swam at the "dump", which is now a branch of the Reserve Channel.

      When World War II was declared by President Roosevelt, Hazel responded to that call from the Marine Corps, "Free a man to fight". It wasn't easy at first. Her mother, Teresa Calnan, was adamant that she not enlist in the Marines, or any other branch of the military, for that matter. Perhaps it was because her brothers had already enlisted - Thomas and Frank in the Army, and James "Buddy" Calnan in the Navy.

      It wouldn't be polite to discuss Hazel's age. Suffice to say that she was so young that her mother's permission was required before she could enlist. It wasn't until she threatened to leave South Boston - never to return! - that her mother relented and signed Hazel's enlistment papers.

     Hazel Calnan was a member of the first enlisted class of 722 women Marines. She reported to the boot camp set up at Hunter College in March, 1943. After completing basic training, she trained in Wisconsin as a radio operator. Then she served as a Drill Instructor at Cherry Point, North Carolina.

     Soon, Hazel had established her own track record of success. She quickly attained the rank of Sergeant, and was asked to attend Officers Candidates School (OCS). She declined the OCS appointment, preferring to remain a non-commissioned officer. Her fellow Marines were assigned to more than 200 different jobs: photographer, gunnery instructor, mechanic, driver, telegrapher, quartermaster, and many others.

     She and William Murphy were married while she was still a Marine. As you might imagine, she was immediately nicknamed "Murph". In 1945, she left the Marines to prepare for the birth of her first son, William, who therefore became one of the original "baby boomers".

     In 1965, Hazel came back to South Boston with son William and four daughters, Maureen, Kathleen, Eileen, and Colleen. She worked for the Post Office at the Annex, first in public relations and then as a Supervisor in the letter sorting department. The Murphy family bought their home on Emerson Street in 1981. Hazel retired from the Post Office in 1987. Now she enjoys reading and an occasional play or musical comedy.

     Hazel has fond memories of the Corps, many of which reveal the type of person she is. She didn't know how to drive when she joined up, but quickly learned "on the job" (sink or swim). Picture a female Marine sergeant, all of 4' 11" tall, barking out orders from behind the wheel of a half-ton truck.

     She recalls traveling on leave in the nose gunner's turret of a bomber. While here, she met Ted Williams, who gave her a ride home - he got lost in South Boston. Another of her Corps acquaintances was Hollywood's Tyrone Power.

     Hazel loves to say, "The Army and the Navy have their songs. The Marine Corps has a hymn!" Long after she left active duty, she made her children stand whenever the Marine Corps Hymn was played. And she didn't forget the Armed Forces. She regularly sent containers of goodies, such as salami and Italian wines from the North End, to servicemen in Vietnam. When asked about how she managed to get the wine through the postal system, Hazel smiles and replies, "Oh, creative packaging."

     Hazel still has her overseas cap and her dogtags. She can recite her serial number from memory (751 155). Perhaps she's awaiting another call from the Corps. "Once a Marine, always a Marine", as they say.
Semper Fi, Hazel, and a great, big "Hoo-wah" on Veterans Day.