Community Corner
NC Woman Turns 107, Is Oldest Living US Marine
Dot Cole of Kannapolis turned 107 over the weekend, making her the oldest living U.S. Marine. Here's what the Corps said about her service.
NORTH CAROLINA — A North Carolina woman celebrated her 107th birthday over the weekend, making her the oldest living U.S. Marine.
"Sgt. Cole, of Kannapolis, is the oldest living U.S. Marine in the United States," the City of Kannapolis said. "She completed her training at Camp Lejeune and was then stationed at Quantico primarily in an administrative role."
Dorothy Schmidt Cole of Kannapolis enlisted in the Marine Corps after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Corps said in a video marking her service.
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Happy 107th Birthday to Dot Cole! Sgt. Cole, of Kannapolis, is the oldest living U.S. Marine in the United States. She joined the Marines in 1943 during WW II. She completed her training at Camp Lejeune and was then stationed at Quantico primarily in an administrative role. pic.twitter.com/mHZGMPNIxO
— Kannapolis, NC (@Kannapolis) September 19, 2020
"Everyone was out doing something," Cole said, recalling current events that prompted her to join in the video. "The women helping the Red Cross. Even in churches they were knitting things. I decided that I wanted to do something and I would go into the Marine Corps."
Cole's work in what was considered male-dominated career fields during the war helped free up personnel to fight in the Pacific, the Marine Corps said.
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Watch Sgt. Cole here:
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