Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Martha Raye

I was not aware of this! It makes you have even greater respect for “the greatest generation”! memtb

Well, hell. Of course her rank was honorary and it required a variance to DoD regs to have her buried in a Military Cemetery. Does that diminish her role and value to you? Was her value diminished because it required an exception to policy to have a civilian buried in a military cemetery? Why would you want to pick apart a good story with points that don't matter?

OSU sig,

Fwiw, my aunt, who was a graduate of the National Nurse Corps of the WWII era out of St Louis (MO) Central School of Nursing, (She never served on AD, as an ANC officer of the USAR, due to the war's end. = On VJ Day, my aunt already had her deployment orders to the South Pacific Theater, as a 2LT, ANC & was in San Francisco "awaiting transportation".) once told me that Martha Raye WAS a RN, as there is a record of a woman with her REAL maiden name, Margaret Hazel Reed, (Martha Raye was her "stage name".) registered as a "California diploma RN school graduate" in the early 1930s.

Btw, my aunt Gladys Helen was active as a RN from 1945 until her death from old age in 2006. = At that time, she was the Director of Hospice East Texas.
(I suspect that FEW RNs actively serve over 60 years in their profession.)

May "COL" Raye, late "HONORARY LTC", USASF, rest in peace.

yours, tex

In a PM to another member of another board we discussed my long Viet Nam assignment (my 214 shows "eight" or more tours) he asked me the most memorable event in my memory. The answer was simple. Required no time for thought or reflection. In Nha Trang one night in the Nha Ticque restaurant, bar and whore house I was approached by a short SF Major in jungle fatigues with a green beret in her right side pocket. She hugged my neck and thanked me for being there. Biggest honor in my twenty year career. God Bless Maggie Wray.

Alonzo Tubbs,

I was pleased/honored to have been hugged by "COL Raye" OCONUS in May 1970. = LOVELY lady was she.

yours, tex
USA, Retired

Just dug out copies of "Green Beret" magazine produced by the 5th SFGA monthly in Nha Trang.
An article there shows a pic of Gen. Abrams awarding Martha the "Outstanding Civilian Service Award" in March 1969.
At that time she had completed 6 tours in RSVN and spent a total of 2 1/2 years in country.
During her tour in '69 she entertained more than 250 units in locations all over the country.
She was awarded the honorary Green Beret and rank of LTC at some time in her visits.

Thanks for the posts here and to whose who served, regardless of capacity, Thank you for your service.

A few less Brittanys and Beyonce's wouldn't hurt either

Man! Just how old are you? Sadly, I too remember seeing her during my earliest exposures to TV. An absolutely HUGE smile.

As to serving country. Not many at all now days. Locally from the female side it's usually an extremely bright but low income kid viewing service as a pathway to/through college. Still I respect and applaud their efforts.

I have to plead ignorance on Matha's service. Back in the Bob Hope days though, there were a lot of notables that did overseas entertainment tours and got little if any stateside recognition.

Appreciate your pointing this out, and a salute to Martha.

Amazing woman, do remember her TV shows.

She was especially fond of the Special Forces Troops.
Bless her!

That is when entertainers cared about the military. True Americans!!