Marilyn Monroe in World War II

Do you recognize this famous movie star? It is none other than Marilyn Monroe. In 1945 the actress, then Mrs. Norma Jeane Dougherty, was working in Radioplane’s factory when future president, Ronald Reagan, sent David Connover of the US Army Air Forces’ 1st Motion Picture Unit to take photographs for an article in Yank, the Army Weekly on young women helping the war effort. While the future star’s picture did not appear in the magazine, he encouraged her to apply for a modeling agency. She soon dyed her hair blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. Before fame, she was one of the original Rosie the Riveters! This photo of Marilyn Monroe can be found at the Museum of the American G.I.

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