The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 15

ANN LANDERS 3 COMICS 4 MOVIES 5 PUZZLES 6 TELEVISION 6, 7 OBITUARIES 8 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1993 The Indianapolis Star AMERICAN HISTORY rn JV7L LNJ IN I LTQ MmI Women's military roles seem forgotten; proposed memorial would honor their service. By Betsy Light STAR STAFF WRITER a visit to Washington, D.C., last autumn, 2nd Lt. Susan Day noticed something odd. She had come to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and was studying the sad list of names on the shiny, dark wall. "I searched and searched and searched Authorized by Congress in 1986, the Women in Military Service Memorial will be the country's first major national memorial to honor these women and those who will serve.

The memorial will provide a legacy to future generations by documenting the history of our servicewomen. "It's part of American history that hasn't been recorded," says Peggy Heusinkveld, spokeswoman for the memorial project, r'" pf aL 9 i Si I in mini in niiii i for a woman's name," she recalls. "Lord, if I could find a name on the wall but We re re-creating history that none of us learned in school. As children, women didn't have a historical point of reference about what other women had done; (therefore) we don't know what women can accomplish." The site itself has significance: The memorial will be at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. the nation's most revered resting place for its military.

The memorial is needed, its champions say, because for much of this country's history, women in uniform have seemed to be all but invisible. They cite war-by-war examples: Consider the case of Deborah Sampson, a Revolutionary War soldier. I knew there must be women who died in Vietnam." Day is a TAC (Teaching, Advising and Counseling) officer at Fort Benjamin Harrison. Recently, she reflected about women's roles and status in the military while overseeing weapons cleaning by the 21 women and 20 men in her Adjuntant General Officer Basic course. There were some given names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, such as "Robin," that might have been a woman's, she says.

But there was no way to tell. That's the way most war memorials are. They feature names of men, portraits of men, statues of men. There's a movement afoot, however, to give greater visibility to the roles women have played in the United States' MORALE BOOSTER: Booklet for WACs in Europe profiled their contributions to victory. In 1782, at age 22, Sampson enlisted in the Revolutionary Army as Pvt.

Robert Shurtleff of the 4th Massachusetts Regiment. She was Injured twice in battle, including taking a musket ball in her thigh. Fearing her identity would be revealed if she were hospitalized, she crawled into the woods and treated her own wounds. military history. Indeed, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation Inc.

was founded to honor the more than 1.8 million women who are serving or have served in the U.S. armed forces. About 4 percent of the nation's veterans are women. About 25,100 women veterans live in Indiana, according to 1991 figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs. See MEMORIAL Page 2 Star Staff Photo Kely Wifclraon NOW AND THEN: Lt.

Beth Cisne (above) has the same duties as male peers at Fort Benjamin Harrison. WACs at Syracuse, N.Y., in 1943 served in restricted roles; their contribution largely has been overlooked. (Photo courtesy of Mar-jorie Stepp) kR I'll mm PLACE OF HONOR: Sketch depicts the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which is planned for the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery. 1 ills 1 TLr A 1 it 'fit PROFILE Look-alike looking good, thanks" to the Jackson attraction Indianapolis native Tony Dodson turns heads by impersonating Michael Jackson on stages around the world. By Lynn Ford STAR STAFF WRITER ony Dodson strolls through a popular local nightspot checking out the trendy fashions, the slamming rhythms, the latest dances.

People stop to look at him. Twice. Maybe three times. Their eyes fall on his wavy, shoulder-length hair. His makeup, including eyebrow pencil and eyeliner.

His "high-water" pants, white socks and black loafers. "A lot of people want to know if I've had surgery on my face," Dodson says. "Some say: 'Where's your 'Where's Brooke If you haven't caught on by now, Dodson Is a Michael Jackson impersonator. He doesn't look exactly like the Gary-native singer. But Dodson does capture Dodson has been showing up In local nightspots just as Jackson himself has been trading in his reclusiveness, going from his Oprah Winfrey Interview to the awards-show circuit and even the Super Bowl.

"Now that Michael's in the public eye again, it's rubbing off on me," says Dodson, who attended Perry Meridian High School here but graduated from a Seattle school In 1986. "People seem Interested in what I'm doing, like: 'You're still doing this after all these "In the past, people teased me and called me names, but they were Just being envious and Jealous. It might have hurt my feelings, but it never discouraged me." As he talks, the soft-spoken Dodson sounds slightly like Jackson In the way he pronounces certain words. Dodson blushes at the notion: "People tell me that all the time. It Just comes out." Makeup aids resemblance Dodson says he started doing Jackson after people continually told him he looked like the singer, but he credits his See JACKSON Page 2 Jackson's essence in appearance, in voice and in performance.

And, just like the man whose moon-walk, kick and spin he emulates, Dod-son's back after having been away for a while. He was very popular in Indianapolis in 1984, when he started lip-synching Billte Jean, Beat It and Thriller in live performances during the height of Jackson-mania. Now, he's back home after four years on tour with Seattle-based producer Greg Thompson's celebrity-tribute shows, including Salute to Superstars. Dodson played Japan, the Bahamas and several American cities with look-alikes or impersonators of Elvis Presley, Madonna, Barry Manilow, Liza Mlnnelli and others. The experience helped him polish the act he had begun at age 17.

"It started out as fun, like a hobby," the 26-year-old Dodson recalls. "But it's turned into a paying Job. "1 was asked to go back to Japan for six months, but I turned It down. I want to be normal for a change party, hang with my friends and chill. The road is cool, but four years can take a toll." JUNE TABOR OH HER WAY British singer to perform Thursday in Bloomington.

Story on Page 3. 'THE SANDLOr IS FAMILY FUM Baseball-themed movie a solid hit for all ages. Review on Page 5. LIT Star Staff Photo Kelly Wilkinson IS HE OR ISN'T HE? Tony Dodson dances to the music of Michael Jackson..