Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer

Coinciding with the Veterans Day holiday, Nov, 14, 2012,  Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, the highest ranking officer to be discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,  donated her personal papers to West Hollywood’s June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives.

In donating her entire collection, Cammermeyer expressed the hope that others will follow, and support the West Hollywood archive as well: “I am humbled to be a representative of the lesbian military community to tell a little of our story.  There are so many more stories to be told and preserved which is why I hope you will join me in supporting the Archives through a donation today. As we recognize Veterans Day I salute you and your service…” as quoted in the  GoWEHO Buzz

Message from Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer

Colonel (r) Margarethe Cammermeyer is the highest ranking officer to challenge the military’s antigay policy prior to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  After administrative discharge she won reinstatement and served three years under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell until her retirement after 31 years of services in 1997.

Dear Lesbian Veterans,

The June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives has been collecting, 
protecting and preserving the history of our lives for over
three decades. They know our struggle of serving under 
the policy prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving 
openly in the military. They have collected our histories 
so that future generations will know of the cost of 
serving in silence.

Being the depository for our history, the June L Mazer 
Lesbian Archives know the importance of documenting 
to educate about our unique history of service to the 
country in the military. It is quite extraordinary to have 
the opportunity and a place for our history to be collected 
and preserved for the future. Who would have known 
that someone would care?

I recently donated my entire collection to the The June 
L. Mazer Lesbian Archives. I am humbled to be a 
representative of the lesbian military community to tell a 
little of our story. There are so many more stories to be 
told and preserved which is why I hope you will join me 
in supporting the Archives through a donation today.
 
As we recognize Veterans Day I salute you and your 
service. 
 
Colonel (R) Margarethe Cammermeyer

Repository:   The Margarethe Cammermeyer collection consists of personal papers  & is physically located at UCLA Library, Department of Special Collection.

The June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA is an outreach and collection-building partnership between the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives and the UCLA Library. Read More About The June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA