Duff, Betty, 1994 February 2, Madison, Wisconsin
Alternate Format: Recorded interview and transcript available online.

Biography/History: Betty Duff was born in Madison on December 31, 1919 to parents of German/French/English/Norwegian background. She attended Shorewood Elementary School and was graduated from West High School in Madison in 1937. She attended Madison Area Technical College and worked at the dime store on State Street. She joined the United States Marine Corps in November 1943 and was sent to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina for training. She transferred to Parris Island, South Carolina and was in charge of the women's post exchange throughout her service. She married at the end of 1944 and was discharged in April 1945 due to her first pregnancy. Ms. Duff's husband, Herman Olsen, also in the marines, was then sent to Hawaii where he served until his discharge. She attended the Madison Business College under the GI Bill while living with her family and four children. She continues to reside in Madison and remains active in veterans' organizations.
Scope and Content Note: Ms. Duff begins by discussing her reactions to the attack on Pearl Harbor. She talks about joining the marines shortly after the war broke out. She describes her work at the dime store on State Street and in the State Patrol before entering the marines. She then talks about the training and conditions at Camp LeJeune and being transferred to Parris Island. She describes her work there managing the women's post exchange. Ms. Duff then discusses the classes and training she went through while at Parris Island and the women in the marines. She describes the social life at the base and meeting her future husband. She talks about getting married, becoming pregnant, and her husband being transferred to Hawaii. She discusses keeping her pregnancy a secret until she was discharged from the marines a few months later. Ms. Duff describes the differences between life in the South as contrasted with Madison, friends made, and interactions with civilian women. She also discusses the differences between men and women's training at Camp LeJeune and about the role of women in the military. She describes information available about the war on the base and of the women replacing men who were going overseas. She describes Madison prior to and early on in the war including the pep rallies and social life. Ms. Duff talks about her parents renting out their property to wives and families of servicemen and coming back home to live after being discharged. She goes on to discuss her life after the war and enrolling in Madison Business College under the GI Bill. She describes her reactions to the dropping of the atomic bombs. She concludes by talking about how the war has changed her life and that of her family's.