Monday, December 13, 2010

SGT. BEA ARTHUR

 

beaarthurmilitary

Bea Arthur was a truck driving marine who went by her birth name Bernice Frankel. But if you ever asked Bea Arthur about her marine days, she'd firmly shake her head NO. The Smoking Gun documented Bea Arthur's 30 months with the marines starting in 1943. For whatever reason, Bea has always denied serving in the armed forces and took it to HER GRAVE!!!!

Bea enlisted in the marines in 1943 after she found out there were positions for women available. Bea was one of the first members of the Women's Reserve and she started out as a typist, but also worked as a truck driver for a little while. Bea worked her way up to staff sergeant before she was honorably discharged in 1945. There's two really good parts in The Smoking Gun's story. The first being that during enlistment interviews officials found Arthur to be a know-it-all hard bitch who spits on authority.

As part of the enlistment process, Arthur underwent interviews that resulted in the production of “personality appraisal” sheets. One such analysis described her conversation as “Argumentative” and her attitude and manner as “Over aggressive.” In a handwritten note, the Marine interviewer remarked, “Officious--but probably a good worker--if she has her own way!”

The military records, released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, include a single “misconduct report” filed against Arthur while she was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. That misconduct determination stemmed from Arthur’s contracting of a venereal disease, which left her “incapacitated for duty” for five weeks in late-1944. As a result, her pay was reduced for that period.

Bea was married at the time.

Nobody really knows why Bea refused to acknowledge that she was once a truck driving marine. But who knows and who cares. Bea has her reasons and that's good enough for me. Below is Bea denying her military life during an interview with the TV Academy.

No comments:

Post a Comment