Film legend Maureen O’Hara was presented with a 24-carat gold Marine Corps pendant and a picture of their emblem earlier this week, as a symbol of praise and gratitude for her role in a great war-time role in the film “To the Shores of Tripoli,” which helped boost recruitment.
During the “Maureen O’Hara Classic Film Festival” in Glengarriff, Co Cork, a retired marine captain presented the talented actress with two letters from former commandant of the Marine Corps, General James T Conway, who retired last year, and the second is signed by the current commandant, General James F Amos.
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The Marines Corps credits the film and the O’Hara as being the single greatest recruitment tools in 1942 during World War II, due to the popularity of the actress drawing in large audiences to see the film.
The film was shot at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, used serving marines as extras, and contains authentic scenes of marines in combat training and ground drills, according to the Examiner.
In the movie, O’Hara played a navy nurse in what turned out to be one of the last pre-Pearl Harbor service films. The movie has since then been recognized and fully endorsed by the Marine Corps because of its unusual way of portraying the soldiers accurately.
After filming, O’Hara was often invited by commanding officers of the Navy and Marine Corps bases to be their guests at several military functions and has since remained to be a favorite among the US Marines.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Seanmor | Mar 23, 2012, 07:55 PM EDT
The above article reminds me of an unforgetable event that occurred during a Colonel's inspection while I was in basic training at Parris Island. Threads dangling from a marine's green uniform are called "Irish pendants". As the Colonel looked me up and down, he said: "This man has an Irish pendant on his trousars, an Irish pendant on his belt, an Irish pendant on his jacket, even an Irish pendant on his cover". Before he moved on to the next recruit, he asked: "Where are you from, private". The answer he heard was "Ireland, sir". Suddenly the Colonel and all his staff began a bout of unccontrolable laughter. laughter..
marian200 | Aug 30, 2011, 02:47 AM EDT
Hello my dear, Hope the sun rise gets you well and you are enjoying the weather, mine weather is cold and cloudy today, it was very great when i get your profile at this lovely site and i felt great spark in my heart despite that i have not seen you in person but your profile really gave me a nice pleasure to communicate with you and see how the sun will shines like. you can reach me through for easiest communication through my email marianandrew96@yahoo.com and i will send my picture to you as soon as i hear from you through Yours with love & hugs,
peterson | Jun 27, 2011, 07:57 PM EDT
To bad we do not have that kind of quality and class in today's actresses.
mayoman | Jun 27, 2011, 03:20 PM EDT
I love her even more now.
rugbyplayer | Jun 27, 2011, 09:53 AM EDT
Maureen O'Hara, always a great beauty and a wonderful woman!
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2011, 05:15 PM EDT
You must be a time-traveler Sarge, as you were a wee lad in the 2950s? How did you manage to travel this far back? Are you the proud owner of a time-machine similar to the one in the H.G Welles classic novel of the same name.
OleSarge | Jun 24, 2011, 03:46 PM EDT
Maureen O'Hara is a national treasure to both Ireland and the United States. While never forgetting her Irish birth, she embraced and promoted the American dream. I have been a fan since a wee lad in the 2950s.