World War II Honoree

Nida Glick

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

SHE RECEIVED HER TRAINING AT THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY IN NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT. THIS CONSISTED OF A SIX-WEEK INDOCTRINATION OF COAST GUARD LORE, TRADITION, KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS. SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN TO ATTEND A MILITARY ACADEMY. AFTER HER FIRST FEW WEEKS, SHE WAS ISSUED A SEABAG AND LATER SENT TO HER FIRST ASSIGNMENT IN A SIX-GORED SERGE SKIRTS, FOUR-BUTTON BLOUSES AND OFFICERS' 'BOATS' HATS. BECAUSE OF HER TRAINING AND FACILITY WITH LANGUAGES, SHE GREW UP SPEAKING GERMAN AND ADDED RUSSIAN, FRENCH AND SPANISH WHILE EARNING A MASTER’S DEGREE IN LANGUAGES, SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO NAVAL INTELLIGENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. DURING HER THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY, SHE ALSO MANAGED A SHIP’S SERVICE STATION IN NORTH CAROLINA AND EXPLAINED THE GENERAL INFANTRY BILL TO RETURNING SERVICEMEN IN NEW YORK. AT THE END OF HER SERVICE COMMITMENT ON JUNE 30, 1946 SHE REMAINED WITH THE COAST GUARD RESERVE. SHE RETURNED TO TEACHING, EVENTUALLY BECOMING HEAD OF HER DEPARTMENT AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT CONTINUED TO SERVE THE COAST GUARD IN NUMEROUS WAYS. SHE WAS AN OHIO PERSONNEL OFFICER AND HELPED TO ESTABLISH THE OFFICERS’ CLUB IN CLEVELAND, BUT HER INFLUENCE WAS NATIONAL. SHE FOUNDED AN IN-HOUSE COAST GUARD NEWSPAPER THAT WAS READ THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND HELD THE POSTS OF VICE PRESIDENT OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE RESERVE OFFICERS OF THE NAVAL SERVICES. ON HER DEATH IN 1996, SHE, AS LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, WAS BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.