A Family Of CCs

Dorothy Jeanne Crane

(Ed. Note:  We learned two things recently:  One, old timers do come back to us and, when they do, it can be gangbusters!  The second thing we learned was there were Woman Marine combat correspondents in World War II, at least one we now know of.  In an email, former CC Crane Davis notified us he was making a contribution to the Denig Memorial Fund and wanted to know if we could list it in memory of his Mom and Dad, both CCs during that war.  While space is limited on the left side of our web page we assured Crane we would do our best if he could enlarge upon his parents’ service.  Here’s Crane’s reply with a great photo of his mom with the World War II CC tools of the trade:  typewriter, steel pot, and the-then traditional cigarette.  P.S. He also sent in his membership application.)

In early September 1941, my dad,  Bob Davis,  was a junior at University of Maine and a reporter at the Bangor Daily News, with a beat that included recruiters. The Marine Corps announced a program to recruit radio and print reporters, then train them as publicity men for local recruiters and return them to their hometown.  Bob ended up working in Portland, then set up a new office in New Hampshire.  My guess is that he put in for combat correspondent in the winter of 1942-43 and he said that he was almost immediately sent to Londonderry for almost a year.  In early 1944, he went to Camp Pendleton, where the 5th Division was just forming.

In the Spring of 1943, Dorothy Jeanne Crane had a morning talk show on WTAD, Quincy, Illinois, her first job out of Stephens College.  Shortly after the CC program was announced, she did an interview with a Woman Marine recruiter, who mentioned the CC program.  She enlisted in September 1943, and in March 1944, Pfc. Crane  and her Speed Graphic were assigned to cover a Woman Marine in an all-Marine wedding at the Camp Pendleton chapel.  Coincidentally, Sgt. Davis was assigned to cover the groom for the hometown news.  They became engaged at Pendleton in April 1944.  Two months later, Bob was transferred with the 26th Marines to Hawaii.  DJ arrived in Hawaii in early 1945.  They were married in Hawaii in March, 1945.  Bob then went on to the Philippines and DJ was discharged in the summer with me.

I grew up surrounded by CC’s: Jimmy Driscoll and Vance Jobe among them.  I was in NROTC at Princeton and was commissioned in June 1967, then went through Infantry Basic and high-intensity VN language training at Quantico.  With an infantry MOS, I was assigned as S-5 of the 27th Marines, who arrived as a response to Tet.  I eventually commanded a rifle platoon in C/1/27 south of Danang and was WIA. In the Fall 1968, the 27th returned stateside and I was transferred to the 1st Marines, who took over the same TAOR, where I became Assistant S-3.  In early 1969, I extended my tour 6 months and transferred to 1st MarDiv Informational Services Office, where I trained under Mawk Arnold, then headed the shop after his departure, working with CC President Don O’Neal and Florida Chapter member Gene Smith.  In October 1969, I was transferred to the New York PAO, located on Fifth Avenue, where I worked under LtCol. Dick Stark until June 1971.    I was elected to the board of the USMCCCA around that time, but resigned soon thereafter.  It’s good to be back. — Crane Davis