A life ‘defined by service’: Bay State mourns passing of World War II veteran Mildred ‘Millie’ Cox

QUINCY, Mass. — On her 20th birthday, as World War II raged on, Mildred ‘Millie’ Cox enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.

The Massachusetts native served in the Aviation Women’s Reserve Squadron 15, supporting flight operations at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. She served as a stenographer.

“I liked the odds,” Cox once told The Patriot Ledger about going off to Marine Corps basic training in South Carolina with 22 women and 3,000 men during World War II.

Mildred “Millie” Cox, a pioneer and notably among the first women Marines, died on April 22 at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Milton, surrounded by her loving family, according to her obituary. She was 102.

On Thursday, Quincy city officials remembered Cox, a longtime resident of the South Shore city, for her dedication to her country and community.

“Millie’s life was defined by service—to her country, her city, and her fellow veterans,“ Quincy city officials said in a statement. “We are grateful for her extraordinary contributions and proud to call her one of Quincy’s own.”

In 2024, the City of Quincy honored Cox for her service at the Quincy Navy Park at Squantum Point, Marina Bay. The park offers a lasting tribute to sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard members.

“For all women warriors, past and present, we were always capable,” Cox said during a speech at the park’s dedication, The Patriot Ledger reported. “Someone just had to recognize that.”

Born and raised in South Boston, Cox was a graduate of Girls Latin High School and later earned an associate degree from Quincy Junior College, according to her obituary. She lived in Quincy for over 70 years and was a longtime winter resident of Marco Island, Florida.

After her military service, Cox continued her “lifelong commitment” to Quincy through her work with Quincy Public Schools and later as a clerk with the Quincy Veterans Services Office, where she assisted and supported local veterans, city officials said.

A Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. on Friday, May 1, in St. John the Baptist Church, Quincy. Interment with military honors will be held at Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy.

Fewer than 50,000 of the 16.4 million U.S. WWII veterans are still alive, according to data from the National WWII Museum.

On Thursday, local officials highlighted Cox’s pioneering legacy for women in the U.S. military.

“Her service helped pave the way for generations of women who followed in the armed forces,“ city officials said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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