On November 10, 1943, the city of New Orleans dedicated Molly Marine, the first United States monument of a woman in service uniform. A local recruiter commissioned the statue to help recruit women during World War II, and renowned artist Enrique Alferez, a Mexican immigrant who wanted to be a Marine, donated his services. Because of wartime restrictions, the original statue was cast in concrete. In 1998, the Molly Marine Restoration Society was formed by the Marine Corps League, Marine Support Group of New Orleans, and Women Marines Association to restore and preserve Molly in perpetuity. The bronze statue is a replica of the original, which stands in New Orleans, and was made possible by the support and generous contributions of CWO3 Kim T. Adamson (USMCR) and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.