This story, written by BDN reporter Nelle C. Penley, appeared in the Dec. 25, 1943, issue of the Bangor Daily News:
BREWER, Maine — “Home for Christmas” is a reality today for Sergeants Madelene and Irene Spencer, twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Spencer of Brewer, who have completed five months of active service with the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. They will leave tonight for their base at Philadelphia, but the holiday will be a gay one as their parents are holding open house during the day in order that relatives and friends may have the opportunity of seeing them. The highlight of the holiday will be a family dinner party at noon.
The Spencer twins are most enthusiastic over the Marine Corps and their own duties as recruiting officers for the Eastern Procurement Division. Both held office positions before enlisting, Madelene that of a bookkeeper for the Bangor Hydro-Electric corporation, and Irene as a stenographer for the Gordon Insurance and Real Estate Agency. They find their present work entirely different from that which they pursued in Bangor, but they love it. In fact, they hope that if the Women’s Reserve is retained after the war, they may continue in the service. They would like to visit places all over the world where the Marine Corps has made history in the present struggle.
Identical twins, the girls asked for service together when they enlisted and they have been granted this request except for a couple of weeks. “It was the only request we made,” said Irene, as she pointed out the fact that they had met other Marine Corps twins who were being kept together.
Since receiving their basic training at Camp Lejeune, New River, N.C., the twins have traveled more than 5,000 miles and have met a parade of governors and mayors of states and cities where they have been recruiting. It is no exaggeration to say that they attracted nationwide attention, and their pictures have appeared in scores of newspapers and magazines. They have met many celebrities and have photographed most of them, including Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, [wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt] [movie stars] James Cagney, Dick Powell, Greer Garson, Lucille Ball, Kay Kayser and Betty Hutton; Gunnery Sergeant Joe Basilone, the famous Marine [who distinguished himself at the Battle of Guadalcanal, the only enlisted man in the Marines ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, and who died in 1945 on Iwo Jima]; Sgt. Al Schmid [who was the subject of the film “Pride of the Marines” released in 1945]; John Roberts Powers [an actor and founder of a New York City modeling agency] and a group of his models; and others.
Madalene and Irene entered the service because they wanted to serve their country in war-time, feeling it was their patriotic duty to relieve for active service every man possible. “That is the only good reason a woman can have in serving,” Irene said.
These girls, who look exactly alike from each of the small curls on their heads to the tips of their toes, needed no G.I. clothes for this effect as they have always dressed in identical fashion. Often people have wondered what hairdresser would take the pains to make the curls on one girl’s head exactly match that of her twin, The secret is out: they do each other’s hair, only rarely going to a hairdresser and then only for permanents.
Although the women of the Marines do not have overseas duty, both girls said they would “love it,” but that under the present setup it is out of the question, and so they will be content to make their contribution in this country filling positions that were once filled by men who have gone overseas.
The shoes the twins were wearing were not G.I. [issue] and they explained that in the procurement division things do not have to be exactly G.I., that the important thing is to look well. “Of course,” Madelene said, “We couldn’t possibly wear open-toed shoes, but any conventional type we could wear off post.”
They find recruiting women for the Marines not a difficult task. “The Marine Corps sells itself. I guess people know a good thing when they see it,” Irene said.
The greatest difficulty comes from industries not willing to release women, even to the Marine Corps.
These girls “thought the Marine Corps the best branch of the service” when enlisting, and it is easy to understand their enthusiasm brings recruits into the branch, but they said many girls come to them voluntarily asking questions.
They explained that the Marine Corps women are “hand picked” and that a great deal of care goes into selecting them.
The twins have found people to be exceptionally friendly, sending them tickets to the theater and opera, and many gifts, including a flatiron.
Three stars are on the service flag at the Spencer home — two for the twins and a third for Forrest Spencer, who is at Pearl Harbor with the Naval Reserve. Another will soon be added as a second brother, James A. Spencer Jr. of Glendale, Calif., entered the service within the past week.