Arlington Veteran Celebrates 95th Birthday

From the Town of Arlington: On Sunday, December 18th, The family and friends of Mrs. Catherine (Farrell) Adler gathered to celebrate her 95th birthday. Mrs. Adler was born in Fogo, Newfoundland in 1922. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1924. In May of 1949, at the age of 27, Catherine joined the Unites States Marine Corps. Upon completion of her initial training, she served as a Clerk at the Naval Yard, Washington, D.C.

During the Korean War, the Marine Corps Woman' s Reserve was mobilized, reaching a peak strength of 2,787 active duty women Marines. During this era, female Marines were restricted to administrative and clerical support roles. Upon conclusion of her obligated service, she received orders that involuntarily extended her service. As a result of her superior performance, she was hand-selected via the Office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps to serve as the first female Marine to serve as a member of the Marine Corps Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. She said, "It was an honor. It was sad duty, but it was a fitting tribute to the Marines and their families." In addition to her regular duties, Catherine provided funeral honors almost daily, ranging from one to five funerals per day for the following year. In October of 1952, Catherine received an Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps. Her military decorations include the

Good Conduct Medal.

Upon her discharge, she returned to Arlington. She met her husband, and fellow Marine, Mr. Melvin Adler in 1959. They were married in 1962 until his death in 2008. Catherine described her husband Mel as, "The best! I've always said I had the best husband and I miss him very much."

Jeffrey Chunglo, Arlington Director of Veterans' Services has known Mrs. Adler since 2014. "She is a remarkable woman and proud Marine Corps veteran. These are the types of stories our younger generation need to hear. During her service, Catherine helped break down barriers for women serving in the military. For anyone serving as a member of a Funeral Honor Guard, it is a tremendous honor" said Chunglo.

Although the weather was cold, Catherine was surrounded by the warmth of family and friends. See enjoyed the celebration while sitting next to a tree decorated with pictures from her family and friends. "She' s an inspirational woman and I'm looking forward to her 100th birthday celebration," said Chunglo.

Photo courtesy of the Town of Arlington