Corporal Naomi Ann Bennett began her life in Martinsville, Ohio. She was born to Kenneth Raymond Bennett and Garner Faye Fulford Bennett[i] on September 27, 1922.[ii] Kenneth and Faye, both natives of Indiana, married in 1921 when he was 18 and she was 21. At the time Naomi was born, Kenneth was working as a plumber.[iii]

The family quickly grew with the birth of their first baby, Betty L. Bennett, in 1922. Naomi was the second born. She was quickly followed by Robert D. Bennett, 1925, Fielden D. Bennett, 1926, and Martha Lou Bennett Merlove in 1928.[iv]

The family later lived in Greenfield, Indiana which lies about 35 miles east of Indianapolis.[v] They later moved into Indianapolis. In 1930, Naomi and her siblings lived in a home they rented on Manlove Avenue. Her father, Kenneth, was supporting the family as an auto mechanic in a garage. Her mother, Faye, kept house as the two oldest, Betty and Naomi went to school.[vi]

The family grew larger. In 1933, Naomi received twin siblings, Merl and Merlene Bennett. They were followed by Juanita Bennett in 1935 and Ronald Bennett in 1936. All in all, Naomi had four brothers and four sisters.

By 1940, Betty was finished with high school and Naomi was a senior. The rest of the children were in school except the two youngest. Kenneth was still an auto mechanic.[vii]

For her freshman year, Naomi attended Martinsville High School in Indianapolis.[viii] After that year, Naomi switched schools and attended Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis. In her sophomore year, she was the secretary of the Triangle Club.[ix] She graduated with the 1940 class.[x]

HER LIFE BEFORE MILITARY

Before the war years, Naomi was living with her aunt, Mrs. Kenneth Fulford on North Temple Avenue in Indianapolis.[xi]

Naomi worked at the RCA plant in Indianapolis and then at a plant owned by the Curtis-Wright Corporation. An athletic young lady, she enjoyed a variety of sports and was a member of the Hoosier Athletic Club.[xii]

As the war approached, Naomi helped with the war effort at Curtis-Wright Corporation in Indianapolis.[xiii] It is unknown what job she performed there. Curtiss-Wright increased defense preparations as Europe was preparing for war. The company produced armaments for the war. They also produced the P-40 War Hawk. According to the company website, Curtiss-Wright's aggregate war score: 142,840 aircraft engines; 146,468 electric propellers; 29,269 airplanes which included the Curtiss Commando transport and the Navy dive bomber, the Helldiver.[xiv]

While Naomi worked at Curtis-Wright, she was involved with the company’s softball and basketball programs.[xv]

The love of her life was Corporal Virgil Willard Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Willard of Franklin, Indiana. Naomi and Virgil were engaged.[xvi]

HER MILITARY STORY

Naomi Ann Bennett enlisted in the United States Marine Corp Women’s Reserve as a private on April 21, 1944 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her service number was 766990.[xvii] She did her boot camp at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Boot camp instruction included military courtesy, close order drill, chemical warfare, map reading and other courses, according to the Daily Reporter, her Greenfield hometown newspaper.[xviii]

Private Naomi Ann Bennett was then assigned to the Marine Corps air station, El Toro, California. At the desert airfield, Naomi Ann was in the assembly and repair department.[xix]

She served in the Women’s Reserve Squadron 8. During her time in the Marines, she continued to pursue athletics and was the athletic director of her Marine Unit.[xx]

The Marine Corp established the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve on July 30, 1942. The plan was for women to take shore duty so men could be released for combat duty. The Army, Navy and Coast Guard already had women recruits by this time. Women Marines were assigned to over 200 different jobs from parachute rigger to cook to aerial gunnery instructor. By the end of WWII, 85 percent of enlisted personnel assigned to Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps were women.[xxi]

Many nicknames for female Marines were suggested, such as the WAVES of the Navy. Major General Commandant Thomas Holcomb ruled out all nicknames. In a 1944 issue of Life Magazine, he said "They are Marines. They don't have a nickname and they don't need one. They get their basic training in a Marine atmosphere at a Marine post. They inherit the traditions of Marines. They are Marines."[xxii]

Sixteen months after joining the Marines, Naomi had a joyful visit from her brother, Robert D. Bennett, a Marine private. The siblings were able to be together in El Toro, California, where Naomi was stationed. Robert had seen active duty and was involved in the invasion of Guadalcanal plus battles at Tarawa.[xxiii] He was shot in the hand by a Japanese sniper during the Saipan Island campaign. After time at the Navy hospital in Oakland, California, he was given a few days to go see his sister. Robert underwent two hand surgeries.[xxiv]

Another brother, Private Fieldon G. Bennett was with the U.S. Army on Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines.

Following a leave, Naomi arrived back at the base in El Toro on Monday, October 8th, 1945, after spending time back home with her parents in Indiana.

HER LAST DAY

Seven days later, October 14, 1945, Naomi set out as part of a group of six female military. There were three women in the front seat and three in the back seat of their car.

Near Santa Anna, California, as the group headed up the mountainous Highway 100, they were in an accident.[xxv] As the car proceeded down the road, the woman driving (name unknown) struck the rear of a car driven by Major W. R. Norton of El Toro. After striking him, the car crossed the center line and swerved head on into a huge freight line truck driven by Donald W. Greelan.[xxvi]

The three women. in the front of the car, were instantly killed.[xxvii] That included Naomi as well as Thelma Schutte, a Marine, and Henrietta Mercer, a WAVE.

The three women were decapitated in what the coroner described as Orange County’s most gruesome accident at that time.[xxviii] The three women in the back seat, names unknown, had only minor injuries.[xxix] Major Norton, driver of the other car was unhurt but Mr. Geelan, driving the truck suffered serious injuries when his truck and trailer overturned, and he was trapped.[xxx]

Back home, a telegram arrived at midnight breaking the news to her family but without any details. They worked through the local Red Cross to contact the Marines for more information.[xxxi]

Her brother, Robert, had the sad task of accompanying her body back to their parents. Now with the rank of Corporal, Robert had been at the Navy hospital recovering from his surgeries.[xxxii] On the 22nd of October, they arrived in Greenfield and her body was taken to the Pasco Funeral Home.[xxxiii]

She was 23.

HER FUNERAL AND GRAVE

Naomi Ann Bennett’s visitation was held at the funeral home. After that, her body lay in state at the Christian Church were services were held.[xxxiv]

Her casket was covered with the American flag and surrounded by flowers. Reverend Herschel M. Reed conducted the service. Marines from Naomi’s county provided the military escort.[xxxv] She was buried at Park Cemetery in Greenfield, Indiana.[xxxvi]

After the funeral, a thank you note from her parents appeared in the local paper. It thanked everyone for the flowers, cards and food as well as thanking the singers and those who participated in the service.[xxxvii]

LEARN MORE HERE

Read About Women Marines in WWII

Read "Free a Marine To Fight: Women Marines in World War II"

Read about Henrietta F. Mercer, a WAVE, killed in the Same Accident

Read about Thelma Schutte, a fellow Marine, killed in the Same Accident

RESEARCH NOTES

A few various places researched show Naomi Ann Bennett’s birth year or birth date incorrectly. The information in this story came directly from her birth certificate.

ABOUT THIS STORY

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

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