Barnwell, Barbara Olive (c. 1919–c. 1977)

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Barnwell, Barbara Olive (c. 1919–c. 1977)

American staff sergeant. Possibly born Aug 14, 1919; lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; possibly died April 1977 in Santa Barbara, California.

Staff sergeant and reservist in the US Marines, saved a drowning soldier (1952); was awarded the US Navy-Marine Corps medal for heroism (Aug 7, 1953), the 1st woman to receive this distinction.

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