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By producer Denise La Grassa
When World War II broke out, Iris Nig Lundin of Champaign left her small town in Minnesota and joined hundreds of other women in the newly formed Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. She became one of the first four female navigation instructors.
In our conversations, what really impressed me was her strength. She left a secure life in Minnesota to join the ranks of the Marines, who were the toughest of the tough. This was the first time many of these men who were her students had encountered a female instructor and she really held her own.
When I listened to her stories, I was moved by her description of how she went to bat for African-Americans on the military bases where she worked. She was brave enough to tell a higher-ranking officer that he shouldn’t be treating a steward in a demeaning manner. Later in her life, equality was very important to her.
Segment duration: 07:41
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Producer: Denise La Grassa
Editor: Eleanore Stasheff
This segment is filed in these categories: World War II • Champaign
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