This is the first monument in the United States of a woman in service uniform.
It was sculpted in 1943 during World War II by the sculptor who did most of the works at New Orleans Botanical Garden, Enrique Alferez who had been a mapmaker in Poncho Villa's revolutionary army. Alferez died a few years ago in New Orleans at the age of 94, still sculpting.
Because bronze was scarce and needed for the war effort he made this statue of granite and marble chips.
A replica of it was dedicated at Marine Headquarters at Quantico, Virginia in 2000.
I photographed this statue for Pader, Susanne, whose fellow worker received a small replica of this when she was honored in the Marines.
Molly Marine was not damaged in Hurricane Katrina but does need a cleaning and polishing.