Towle, Katherine Amelia, 1898-1986

Colonel Katherine Amelia Towle (April 30, 1898 – March 1, 1986) was the second director of the United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (USMCWR) and the first director of Women Marines. Towle was born in Towle, California on April 30, 1898. (The town was named after her paternal grandfather and uncles who settled there in the 1850s.) She moved with her family to Berkeley, California in 1908. She graduated with honors from University of California, Berkeley in 1920, then later earned a Master's degree in political science in 1935. She came to the Marine Corps from UC Berkeley in 1943. Her first assignment with the new women's component was even before public announcement of the establishment of the Women's Reserve on February 13, 1943. She was named Women's Reserve (WR) representative for Women's Recruit Depot in the Bronx, with the rank of captain, USMCWR, (with date of rank February 24, 1943).

Colonel Towle was named director when her predecessor, Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter, retired on December 7, 1945. She served in that capacity until June 1946. In August of the same year, when the Women's Reserve was deactivated, Colonel Towle returned to the University of California as assistant dean of women.

Again, after the Congress had authorized the acceptance of women into the regular armed services, the Marine Corps called upon Colonel Towle to direct this organization. On November 4, 1948, she returned to the corps to become the first director of Women Marines after they were constituted a regular component. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Towle was succeeded by Colonel Julia Hamblet. Towle was later associated with the University of California at Berkeley in various capacities: as dean of women from 1953 to 1960; as assistant dean of students from 1960 to 1965; as dean of students, 1965–66; and later as dean of students, emeritus. She was the first female to serve as dean of students.[4]

Death
Towle died on March 2, 1986, at her home in California at the age of 87.[1]

Katherine Amelia Towle (b. Apr. 30, 1898, Towle, Calif.-d. Mar. 1, 1986), college dean and U.S. Marine Corps officer.

Katherine Amelia Towle was born in 1898 in Towle, California (The town was named for her paternal grandfather and his two brothers who came from Vermont in the early 1850's). She moved to Berkeley in 1908. She graduated with honors from University of California, Berkeley in 1920, then later earned a Master's degree in political science in 1935. She entered the Marine Corps in 1943 and served until 1953. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Colonel Towle was associated with the University of California at Berkeley in various capacities: as Dean of Women from 1953 to 1960; as Assistant Dean of Students from 1960 to 1965; as Dean of Students, 1965 to 1966; and later as Dean of Students, Emeritus. She was the first female to serve as Dean of Students. Towle died on March 2, 1986. In 2005, a new residence hall at U.C. Berkeley was named after Colonel Towle.