Page 8 - Women's History Month 2022 - Combined Special Edition of Aerotech News and Review Nellis AFB Creech AFB Desert Lightning News

“Colonel Maggie”

The inspiring service of Hollywood actress Martha Raye

by Bob Alvis other actor-comedians. Her good them feel at home in foreign lands.
special to Aerotech News looks and witty humor made her the When Vietnam showed up in the
perfect actress to fill the roles in films 1960s, Martha had become the full
Looking at the assignment board that were being produced just before hands-on entertainer, whose commit-
on my computer here, I see that World War II. Blessed with a voice ment to the troops did not end when
Women’s History Month is upon us that also set her apart, you could al- she left the stage. She could also be
and with that, an opportunity for me ways tell who was speaking the dia- found in the hospital wards and op-
to dig through my files and books for log or singing the songs when Martha erating rooms performing the tasks
a fitting subject. was sharing her talent. of the medics, never once wavering
I sat down and started to look over Four Jills in a Jeep was not a proj- from attending the soldiers no mat-
a lot of material that covers all the ect of fiction. Carol Landis wrote the ter how horrific their condition was.
great achievements that women have book from a diary she kept when Martha loved her American boys and
accomplished over the course of mili- these ladies actually toured the mili- would serve them in whatever man-
tary and aviation history. As I write tary bases to entertain troops, and ner it took, from making them laugh
about military subjects, I turned my they played themselves in the film ad- to helping to save their lives.
eye to my massive bookshelves full aptation. Martha was the rock of the Never one to shy away from dan-
of military stories and, as always, I group and Carol said from the very ger, one of the most amazing stories
looked for subjects that pulled at my start of the tour, she never faltered about Martha was told by a soldier
heart. once. When the time came to pack it who had a unique introduction to
Looking and looking, an old book I in and head back to the States, Mar- Martha and witnessed, first-hand,
have — small in size — grabbed my tha requested to press on alone and what she was capable of in the most
attention. Printed in 1944 and written entertain the troops as a solo artist. trying of times. Here in his own
by Hollywood starlet Carol Landis, She continued in that calling until the words from the Army Aviator, is the
it got me to thinking about one of end of her life. way he remembered the Martha the
the stars of the movie that was made When Martha returned to Hol- soldiers loved:
“It was just before Thanksgiving
’67 and we were ferrying dead and
wounded from a large GRF west of
Pleiku, Vietnam. We had run out of
body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH-
47 Chinook) was pretty rough in the
back.
“All of a sudden, we heard a Courtesy photograph
‘take-charge’ woman’s voice in
the rear. There was the singer and Martha Raye in a 1930s “head shot” publicity photograph.
actress, Martha Raye, with a SF
(Special Forces) beret and jungle Green Beret and visited U.S. Army viewer in 1984, she stated, “I believe
fatigues, with subdued markings, Special Forces in Vietnam without in the Constitution, strength in na-
helping the wounded into the Chi- fanfare. Registered nurse Lt. Col. tional defense, limited government,
nook, and carrying the dead aboard. Martha helped out when things got individual freedom, and personal
‘Maggie’ had been visiting her SF bad in Special Forces A-Camps. She responsibility. They reinforce the re-
‘heroes’ out ‘west’. was affectionately known by the solve the United States is the greatest
“We took off, short of fuel, and Green Berets as “Colonel Maggie.” country in the world, and we can all
headed to the USAF hospital pad at Martha Raye in her life won much be eternally grateful to our founding
Pleiku. As we all started unloading praise from those in the military and fathers for the beautiful legacy they
our sad pax’s, a ‘Smart-Ass’ USAF from Hollywood, but Martha later left us.”
Captain said to Martha … Miss Ray, said her Hollywood career took a hit At the end of her life, Colonel
with all these dead and wounded to and she was blacklisted for having Maggie was finally recognized for
process, there would not be time for a conservative, pro-military stance her amazing contributions to our
your show! during the Vietnam war. To an inter- See MARTHA, Page 11
“To all of our surprise, she pulled
on her right collar and said … ‘Cap-
tain, see this eagle? I am a full ‘Bird’
Photograph by Bob Alvis
Four Jills in a Jeep, the book that caught my attention. Martha Raye, second Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve,
and on this is a Caduceus, which
from left, is driving the Jeep.
means I am a nurse with a surgical
specialty … now, take me to your
wounded.’ He said, ‘Yes ma’am …
from the book. Four Jills in a Jeep lywood after the war, she was a Follow me.’
was billed as a rollicking adventure changed woman, as she had devel- Several times at the Army Field
of four Hollywood stars who enter- oped a fond affection and great re- Hospital in Pleiku, she would ‘cov-
tained the troops during World War spect for the service man who would er’ a surgical shift, giving a nurse a
II in Bermuda, England and Africa. put his life in danger for the benefit well-deserved break.”
Carol Landis, Mitzi Mayfare, Mar- of others. She started the process of Amazing to think that Martha Raye
tha Raye and Key Francis were the morphing in her Hollywood career had a lifelong fear of flying. After all
USO girls who hit the road to raise and focusing her talents toward the the thousands of miles she racked up,
the spirits of American soldiers all needs of the military. When the next my respect for her grew even more,
over the world. round of trouble showed up in Ko- thinking that making the trip was
One of these women probably nev- rea, Martha was ready to go. In all more important than surrendering to
er realized at the time that, as that types of weather and locations, Mar- the fear.
Hollywood starlet, she would become tha made the troops laugh and forget One of the real affections of Mar-
a legend in the ranks of the military about their struggles, while all the tha was the Green Beret’s and she al-
and would serve and entertain Ameri- time building a bond that just con- ways let it be known that they were
can GIs for three wars — and all the tinued to grow and inspire her. She her special boys. She would fly out to Courtesy photograph
moments in-between. always wanted to do more as she forward bases to visit them, allowed Wearing her Vietnam Green Beret uniform, Martha Raye snaps off a salute as
th
Martha Raye hit Hollywood at the moved past the Hollywood actress/ to do so because she was an honor- she kicks off the 20 annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Loyalty Day Parade in
perfect time and her talent was no- sweetheart title and she started to ary lieutenant colonel in the Army New York, April 29, 1967. The theme of that year’s parade was “Support our
fighting troops in Vietnam.” Raye was the honorary reviewing officer.
ticed right away by studio execs and become the GI’s mother, who made reserves. She was also an honorary
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