Making a Difference
Navy Leaguers Do Their Part for War Effort

By DAVID VERGUN
Associate Editor

One man or one woman can, and often does, make a big difference. In times of war and in times of peace, individual Navy Leaguers have made significant contributions to the sea services and to the defense of the United States. Following are a few of the many, many examples that could be cited.

Frank V. Martinek

During World War II, Martinek--who was at that time the NLUS national publicity chairman--hosted nationally broadcast radio programs that featured the numerous ways in which the Navy League was supporting the sea services. In his other life, Martinek was assistant vice president of the Standard Oil Company of Indiana and the creator of the widely syndicated comic strip "Don Winslow of the Navy."

Mrs. Norman Dodd

Mrs. Dodd, a professional concert singer, was "Louise, The Voice of the Navy League," on Sunday afternoons on New York City's WNYC radio during World War II. Louise, accompanied by Paul Sargent, a concert pianist, presented a varied program of musical selections and hosted interviews with guest speakers from the Navy League. Between shows, Dodd sang for service personnel in USO canteens and on naval/military bases throughout the country. (The style of Sea Power and many other publications at that time was--with the exception of movie stars and others who were nationally known--not to use the first names of women, but to use "Mrs.," followed by the husband's first and last names.)

Mrs. George H. Earle

Mrs. Earle, state chairman of the Pennsylvania Women's Council of the Navy League, founded the Convalescent Service in Philadelphia in 1942 to help wounded personnel of all branches of the armed forces. The service's goals were to speed recovery, improve morale, and assist the wounded in their transition to civilian life. Navy League volunteers took many of the wounded servicemen into their homes, according to Sea Power, to "relieve the monotony of hospital life, especially where patients are in for a long period and their morale is low." Thousands of men from five Army and Navy hospitals in and around the Philadelphia area availed themselves of the Navy League's assistance.

Mrs. Robert L. Stevens

Mrs. Stevens submitted the winning design in a 1944 Navy League poster contest sponsored by the Art Department of the New York City Women's Council. The design featured a navy-blue pennant, with the Navy League insignia on its fluttering fields, mounted on a slender gold staff bedecked with gold cords and tassels. Beneath the pennant was a map of the United States and, across it in large blue letters, the words: "If you can't join the Navy, join the Navy League." Her poster and those words inspired many patriotic Americans to join the Navy League and help support the sea services in a meaningful way.

Charles Edison

A son of the legendary inventor Thomas Alva Edison, Charles Edison was Secretary of the Navy in the 1939-40 prewar years, and served as honorary president of the Navy League during World War II. Among Edison's many wartime contributions were his recruiting efforts, not only for the armed forces but also for the Navy League. In 1944, Edison, who was then governor of New Jersey, worked with George Welder Kin--who played "Freckles" in the "Our Gang" comedies--in a highly successful recruiting drive for the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), as women serving in the Navy were then called. Navy League councils throughout New Jersey assisted the drive through radio public-service announcements and by placing life-sized figures of uniformed WAVES in store windows. A sign placed alongside each of the mannequins described her as "Winnie the Wave, the only dummy in the Wave Corps."

McClelland Barclay

One of the most respected names in 1930s' sculpture, art deco jewelry, and illustrations was McClelland Barclay. At age 51, he volunteered for active duty and served in the Pacific as a combat artist. Many of his WWII paintings graced the covers of Sea Power magazine. In 1943, Barclay was killed in action against the Japanese at New Georgia Island. Charles Andres became the new Sea Power cover illustrator. *

Note: Information and illustrations contained in th[e print] article are from the past century of Navy League June publications, Sea Power, Navy, Now Hear This, and The Navy Leaguer.