Army clerk-typists Paula and Patricia Mataya. The identical twins were born 19 minutes apart, Patricia first. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Europe edition, Feb. 25, 1976. It is republished unedited in its original form.
KARLSRUHE, Germany — When Patricia Ann Malaya gets up in the morning and looks into the mirror, she’s apt to see almost a double image of herself. And it’s no trick mirror that causes this.
There in the glass in front of her is the familiar face that she knows is hers, but right there beside it very often is another face that looks like hers too.
It belongs to Paula Ann Malaya who has been with Patricia for more than 19 years. They are identical twins who have twinned just about everything they’ve done since they were born 19 minutes apart – Patricia first – in Clayton, Wash.
They grew up together, and, four months out of high school, they left home to join the Army. They have served together since. They work as clerk-typists in the 517th Maintenance Co. at Gerszewski Barracks here for unit clerk Spec. 5 David Montgomery and recently were promoted to E4.
“We came into the Army because we came from a small town, and there were no jobs and we wanted to see Europe,” said Patricia. “It’s been exciting, and we’ve been lucky too. They let us stay together because we are sisters. We came here as supply clerks, but they thought it would look good to have us working in the orderly room.”
Army clerk-typist twins Paula and Patricia Mataya check over some documents at their offices of the 517th Maintenance Company. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
Army clerk-typist twins Paula and Patricia Mataya from 517th Maintenance Co. Karlsruhe joined the Army together after graduating from high school. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
Army twins Paula and Patricia Mataya and Spec 5 David Montgomery at the offices of the 517th Maintenance Company where they work. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
It apparently has worked well for the Army too, Montgomery says they are both good workers.
When you look closely, you see there are differences in Patricia and Paula, although they are small. Patricia is not only just a little larger, but she is also more talkative. She will tell you that their lives as twins are enjoyable and that they’ve had no identity problems such as some psychiatrists say twins are apt to have. They have the same general interests and the mutual hobby of horseback riding. They also are best friends.
“Everybody tells us we should have twin boyfriends,” Paula says. Then she points out that Patricia has a steady boyfriend, but he doesn’t have a twin brother.
“I’ve thought about what it would be like not being a twin, and I can’t even imagine it,” says Paula.
Both have seven months to go until they get out and they say they probably will go to college under the GI Bill. But first they will go back home for a while to see what’s going on.
Are there any disagreements between them, pet peeves? “Well, I think Paula is a little mousey sometimes,” Patricia says with a laugh. “She has cats and she talks to them like they were human.”
“I think she’s too bossy sometimes,” Paula says. Maybe it’s because she’s bigger than I am.”
