Dunstable's Women of World War II
What Did You Do in the War, Granny?
When you think about members of the armed forces who served in World War II you usually think about men but in Dunstable’s case, at least seven women joined the armed forces to serve their country. Since women were not drafted, all volunteered not knowing where or how they would serve.
Helen Louise Bailey graduated from college with a degree in education and taught grade school in the Union building in the center of town from September 1940 to June 1943. The very next month, she enlisted in the US Navy and reported to the Navy Hospital in Bethesda, MD for medical training to become a physician’s assistant. Her duty station was at the US Marine Corps Air Station in Bethesda, MD with the rank of Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class until her discharge after two-and on-half years of service.
Mildred Cecilia Pillsbury served in the US Marine Corps.
Doris Mae Brow served in the US Navy, married and continued her public service as the Town of Dunstable Collector of Taxes and later, our Town Clerk.
Cynthia Nourse Goldthwaite served in the US Navy stationed at the Charlestown Naval Base. She was assigned to the 12 District Naval Radio Station and was discharged as a Seaman 1st Class.
Eleanor Louise Goldthwaite grew up in the house on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets, went to the Union School through grade eight, continued her education at Lowell High School and then on to Fitchburg State College to earn a degree in Dietetics. She joined the US Army on July 1, 1943 as a commissioned officer and was stationed outside Tullahoma, TN at Camp Forrest. The Post was one of the largest training facilities in the Army for men slated for duty in the Infantry, Rangers, Artillery, Construction Engineers, Signal Corps and Cooks. The giant base covered more than 85 thousand acres. It also served as an internment camp for citizens of Italian, Japanese, and German ancestry and later as a POW camp for up to 24 thousand German soldiers. She served as a dietitian in the dining halls and hospital where she met a fellow soldier, Charlie Blumenauer. They married and she returned to Dunstable while her husband went on to be stationed in New Caledonia during the Pacific campaign. Lieutenant (Goldthwaite) Blumenauer was honorably discharged on July 22, 1944.
Dorothy Melvin Goldthwaite also grew up at 1 Pleasant St., went to the Union School, then Lowell High School and then on to college for one year. She joined the Women’s Army Corps on August 13, 1943 and served as a Hospital Dental Technician until her Honorable Discharge on December 15, 1945 as a Technician 5th Grade.
Geraldine Anita Corn joined the US Marine Corps on December 17, 1942, because a member of the Women’s Aviation Reserve and was stationed at the Headquarters Staff of the 16th Squadron at Cherry Point, NC. At the time of her discharge on January 20, 1946 she had risen to the rank of Corporal and was given the sum of $55.00 to finance her trip from Camp Lejeune, NC to Lowell, MA. In October 1946 she married Leo Dumont and lived in Dunstable until her death in 1974.
Authored by David F. Kimpton
March 2, 2023