East Providence Honors 100-Year-Old WWII Marine Veteran

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — A 100-year-old East Providence woman who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in WWII was presented with a key to the city Saturday during East Providence's annual Veterans Day ceremony.

During the ceremony at the Garden of Flags Memorial, East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva presented the key to Staff Sgt. Jean Kesner.

"She did that not for recognition, she did it to protect us, to protect our nation, so that all of us can continue to maintain our way of life, so that we may enjoy the freedoms that she, that her service one nation provided," DaSilva said.

On her 20th birthday in April 1943, Kesner walked across the street from her secretarial position at Rhode Island Hospital Trust Bank in Providence to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps Woman’s Reserve. Three days later she was sworn in and headed to Hunter College in New York for basic training.

Next was Camp LeJeune, North Carolina for non-commissioned officer training. Kesner graduated as a corporal and worked as an administrative person in the sergeant major’s office.

The women's reserve was established in July 1942, so when Kesner enlisted it had been in existence for just nine months. Women did not participate in combat, but their presence in the service provided support on the home front. The women worked in many capacities including administrative staff, truck mechanics, laboratory technicians, radio operators, training, and other roles.

Kesner was promoted to staff sergeant at the end of 1943 and was a drill instructor for new female recruits. She was honorably discharged at the end of the war.

Living in a barracks with young women from all over the United States was quite an education. Kesner learned to appreciate her New England upbringing and the support and love she received from her family back in East Providence, she told city officials. Her parents were proud immigrants to the United States and even prouder that their daughter stepped up to serve their new country, city officials said.

After WWII, Kesner returned to East Providence to raise her family. She was one of the first women veterans to be hired by the U.S. Postal Service, where she worked for 30 years. Kesner retired as a postal trainer in 1990.

"We are here with so many honored guests, our veterans, my fellow veterans, I thank you for your service and sacrifice,” U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), said. "We have to give a special shout out to Jean Kesner, her extraordinary commitment to the nation leaving safety and security of East Providence to join the USMC in World War II and serve with distinction and continue to serve as a leader in the postal serve — thank you so much — you make us all proud. You are an inspiration to a generation of young women serving today."

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