When the Korean War began in June of 1950, the Air Force had only been a separate branch of the United States military for three years. As one writer said, the onset of war was a trial by fire for young service personnel.
One young, enlisted Airman was ready for the required fast-track learning. In fact, she was ready for anything that came her way!
Marguerite Smith, whom friends call Marge, had been fascinated with planes since childhood. When her brother was home sick for months, she would sit with him to help with his schoolwork, and then, together, they’d build model airplanes. She had never flown—most people had not flown—trains and boats were the way to travel long distances. But planes were a curiosity, and Marge was curious.
Not only was Marge curious, she was fierce. As she told two elders as she stomped out of church at 12 years of age, “No one can tell me what to do!” Or, as the case may be, what not to do. Marge was the first female at her high school to earn a varsity letter in sports.
Whisked away
Upon graduation, Marge looked for a job that might satisfy her curiosity. Her father reminded Marge of her interest in airplanes and encouraged her to look into the Air Force. (Two years earlier, President Truman signed PL 625, establishing a permanent place for women within the military branches.) The next day, Marge and her father drove 90 miles to New York City to apply. Within 24 hours, Marge was on a train bound for basic training in San Antonio, Texas.
While Marge didn’t get to say goodbye to her mother or brother, she reported her mom was excited about Marge’s adventure. As an immigrant from Hungary with only a third-grade education, her mother’s opportunities to participate in the workforce were limited. Like so many younger generations, Marge was fulfilling the dreams for which her mother laid the foundation.
Upon her arrival in Texas, Marge dove into learning. After some initial testing, she was assigned a role in radar maintenance and electronics. She had never held a soldering iron before, but that didn’t stop her from soldering cables. Marge remembers that they were not taught anything, but she learned through trial and error—and quickly!
Marge jumped on any opportunity to learn and serve. When the Air Force needed someone small to crawl through tight spaces, Marge—the only woman on a team of 30 engineers—volunteered. One day a young Lieutenant came in and observed Marge assembling a radar set and accused her of taking a man’s job away from him. Marge patiently explained that the Air Force needed personnel. “This radar set doesn’t care if I’m male or female. It just wants to be turned on.” And with that, the Lieutenant was sent along his way!
Marge Smith, center, with her Radar Mechanic unit in the Air Force in 1951.
Curiosity and Confidence
Marge forged her success in the Air Force through a combination of curiosity and confidence. To be clear, Marge did not always feel confident—she knew what she didn’t know—but believed in her capacity to learn. “I love learning,” Marge says. “I just ask a lot of questions and then figure things out.”
That curiosity and confidence made Marge a force to be respected among her mostly male peers. She found success—both personal and professional—in serving in the Air Force and was happy to re-enlist after her initial four years of service.
Family
By this time, Marge had met and married her husband, a fellow Airman. Shortly after reenlisting, Marge felt ill. She went to the medic stationed at the base who ran some tests. When Marge reported for work the next morning, she received her test results. Marge was not ill, she was pregnant!
Again, within 24 hours, Marge’s life took another sharp turn. The military did not allow women with children under the age of 18 to serve. Marge took this change in stride, as she always had. She raised four beautiful children, three of whom served in the Air Force.
Had Marge been born in another time, she would have found a way to be a mother and simultaneously serve in the Air Force. Instead, she laid the foundation for future generations of women, like her daughter, to have military careers and families.
In 2016, the United States military began allowing women to serve in any career field for which they met the standard, ending more than sixty years of legal and perceived limitations for military servicewomen. At the onset of females serving, Marge proved that her skills and unique characteristics made her an asset to the Air Force and our country.
Marge Smith’s photograph for our new Veteran’s Wall
Honoring our Veterans
At Prairie City Landing, our residents have served our communities and our country in myriad ways. Many, like Marge, served in the military. This year, we are honoring our Veterans with a celebration on Veteran’s Day. We’ll unveil our new Veteran’s Wall, a permanent feature that conveys our gratitude for their service.
If you would like to visit our Veteran’s Wall or learn more about how Prairie City Landing residents continue to contribute to their community, please reach out to our counselors. We’re happy to introduce you to our vibrant community!
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Discover life at Tenfold’s Prairie City Landing
We created Prairie City Landing to support our residents to live their best lives possible. Our community’s design, residences, activities and amenities are all focused on helping to connect, engage and create an enriched life.
If you’re searching for senior living that is different from the rest, we hope you will consider Tenfold’s Prairie City Landing. We invite you to download our complimentary guide Staying Home vs. Senior Living. Contact us to speak to an advisor, or schedule your tour of Prairie City Landing today to experience senior living and our community for yourself.
