U.S. Postal Service Commemorates Women in the Military

Issued 11 Sep 1952

The women pictured on the 1952 stamp nearly mirror a photo that was printed in a Department of Defense recruiting brochure. Only one name is known for certain: Candy Jones (second from left). She may be the model wearing the U.S. Army uniform. The names of the other are unknown.

On Oct. 18, 1997, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 32¢ Women in Military Service stamp in conjunction with the dedication of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. The design of this stamp shows uniformed representatives of each service

George Amick's Linn’s U.S. Stamp Yearbook (1997) notes this stamp was based on a photograph of women dressed in uniforms of enlisted members of the five services. They are, in the order on the stamp, from left to right: Terri Williams (Army); Marialena Bridges (Marines); Christina Johnson (Navy); Theressa Barrett (Air Force); and Joey Brown (Coast Guard).

Per U.S. Postal Service Policy, stamp designer Dennis Lyall altered the faces so the women in the photograph wouldn’t be recognizable. But there are still certain likenesses.

• Williams, received numerous awards during her military service.
• After 22 years of service, Bridges retired from the Marine Corps as a master gunnery sergeant. 
• Johnson was a 1995 graduate of Andress High School. She was a member of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, then stationed in Norfolk, VA.
• Barrett served in the Air Force from 1993-2000, among other places at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, DC; in Saudi Arabia; and in South Korea.
• The remaining woman is unknown, but it's safe to assume she was a member of the Coast Guard.

Issued 18 Oct 1997