We are planning to create a visual montage featuring photos of Donut Dollies who served in Korea and/or Vietnam. What we are seeking are posed training class photos taken in Washington, DC, plus group photos and solo close-up photos of Donut Dollies taken in-country. You can share these photos with us at memories@donutdollies.com In the email, we would appreciate it if you could provide any information of in-country location or people shown in the photo (no pressure if you’re unsure of the details). To provide the best visual quality for each photo, it would be best to scan the photo(s) at 300dpi (dots per inch) or higher. If you have any questions on how to achieve this, please email us.
To clarify a point that recently came to us from a Donut Dollie, we do not claim copyright to any of the Donut Dollie photos that are shared with us and the ownership remains with the person providing the photo. Our goal has always been to share the experiences of the Donut Dollies in an effort to preserve them for posterity and the benefit of women, veterans, educators, historians and the public. We look forward to receiving your photos and please feel free to share this request with your Donut Dollie sisters.
P.S. – We would appreciate hearing from any Donut Dollie who might still have training materials from their DC or Saigon training classes.
In our 55th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Kit tells how the opportunity to see what the Vietnam War was all about motivated her to sign up for a one year tour in Vietnam, how she feels that the Donut Dollies did make a difference through their service supporting the troops and that she believes she is the only Donut Dollie who got married to a fighter pilot in-country, at the end of her tour.
Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.
Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Kit Sparrow Cotton…
What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Vietnam?
After graduating from college with a degree in International Studies, the only prospect of a job was working in a basement for the CIA. A one-year job working overseas to see for myself what the Vietnam War was like just fit the bill. My dad was a general in the Army, so I knew his stand on the war, but all the people my age were vehemently against it, so I signed up! And the funny thing was that it was my mother who spotted the Red Cross ad in the Washington Post!
When and where were you stationed in Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname?
I arrived at my first base in Tuy Hoa in July, 1969 and was there until November, 1969. I then transferred to Camp Enari in Pleiku and was there until March, 1970. My last base was Cam Ranh Army from March – July, 1970. I didn’t go by a nickname and was known as Kit.
What was a routine day like in Vietnam?
That was one of the highlights of our jobs, in that you never knew what the next day held in store. My favorite days were the ones when we went out to the firebases by whatever means of transportation was available (helicopters, deuce and a halfs, Jeeps). We would have our program ready to go, but sometimes the men had just returned from the field, and by the look in their eyes, you could tell they just wanted to talk. When we didn’t go out, we worked in the recreation centers, filling the Kool-Aid dispensers, visiting with the men or playing games (cards, ping pong) with the men or designing our next program. Sometimes we would “test” our upcoming programs with the men, and sometimes we would occasionally do entertainment, such as fashion shows or sing-alongs (I played the piano).
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
Sometimes while in route to a firebase, there one we were scheduled to go to was under attack, and we would be diverted to another firebase.
Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?
I got mono, but that’s not “battle worthy”!
What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?
I don’t remember visiting soldiers in hospitals.
How was the transition returning home to the United States?
I believe I am the only Donut Dollie who – at the end of my tour – got married in Saigon. Let me backtrack: during my first assignment in Tuy Hoa, I met a fighter pilot named John Cotton. We started dating, and when the Red Cross in Saigon found out that we were pretty serious, I was moved to Camp Enari in Pleiku, which was my favorite assignment. But my new locale couldn’t keep John away, and he would go up into the tower at Tuy Hoa and contact a chopper flying over saying, “Would you mind taking a fighter pilot up to Pleiku?” When I was transferred to Cam Ranh Army, it was easier for John to come see me, because he could catch C-130s, as well as choppers. It seemed as if every time I turned around, there was John, and I was so happy to see him!
I should mention that my Dad had an office in Saigon, and he came over to visit and check out John. Our original intention was to travel around the world and then get married in the States. But, my Dad, in his authoritative voice said, “No daughter of mine is going to travel around the world with a man to whom she is not wed!” So, in a way, he forced our hand in marriage.
We had arrived in-country about the same time, and when John was ready to DEROS (Date Estimated Return From Overseas) to his next assignment in Lakenheath, England, he asked me to marry him. And what a procedure that was! We had to follow the same rules as the GIs did if they wanted to marry a Vietnamese woman. And that entailed many trips down to Saigon – which neither the Red Cross nor John’s squadron commander appreciated! The first time we had to pick an area in Saigon where we wanted to be wed. We met with the staff of a councilman, who said that we had to post our intentions in various areas in his district, so that if anyone had any objection, they could voice it. That entailed another trip to Saigon with papers that we had written in English saying that we wanted to be married. For an afternoon, we taped these papers to walls, nailed them to telephone poles, posted them on billboards, etc. We went down another time thinking we would be married, but that did not pan out.
Finally, each of us had a witness (mine was a fellow Donut Dollie, and we still keep in touch) and we went down to Saigon. We sat and chatted at a table covered with a red and white checkered linoleum table cloth, not knowing what to expect. Suddenly, these massive wooden doors opened, and we were ushered into a dark mahogany library with books from floor to ceiling. All at once, our grins turned to a solemn countenance as we faced our councilman, who was wearing a red sash and seated behind a massive desk. The ceremony consisted mainly of paperwork – all in French (which I speak) – and John and I signed on the dotted line. When we walked out of the office, I was Mrs. John L. Cotton!
From there we immediately went to the Red Cross office, where I turned in my Red Cross pin and papers and was no longer their responsibility. I was now under the umbrella of protection of my husband and the United States Air Force.
What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?
That we came from all different walks of life, wanting to contribute and make a difference – no matter how small – to the war effort and to our soldiers (and I use the term “our” with reverence and respect) who were fighting and dying for a cause that they didn’t understand.
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How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?
I think that they smile – both in their minds and on their faces – when they meet us Donut Dollies. And yes, I have been hugged and blessed with the words, “Welcome back!” from veterans, as I utter those same words back to them.
What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?
Feeling as if we DID make a difference to the “youngsters” sent into battle.
Making some of the best friends among my Donut Dollie sisters, who can relate and share memories that the rest of the world will never be able to understand.
Learning a new value system – what is really important, and what can be discarded.
Bringing home the best souvenir of the war = my husband. We will have been married for 50 years on July 6th.
P.S. – In the three photos above that the Donut Dollies appear in red dresses, which were their Christmas outfits, Linda Meinders Webb explains “I bought the material and had them made in Hong Kong, so they were original for us, but not approved by American Red Cross.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 54 PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL THAT CAN BE SEEN HERE, JUST SCROLL DOWN TO READ EACH (AT THE BOTTOM, YOU’LL SEE A LINK TO GO TO THE NEXT PAGE OF DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL FEATURES)
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In our 54th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Dorothy tells that a high school friend brought the SRAO program to her attention, how on one programming run she learned after the fact that the Donut Dollies and the Huey crew had been flying at a dangerously high altitude and that she still gets asked to do speaking engagements to share her experiences of serving in Vietnam.
Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.
Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson…
What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Vietnam?
I was visiting with one of my best friends from high school, Jan Petersen, and she told me she had just signed up with the Red Cross to go to Vietnam. I thought it sounded really interesting, so I decided to look into it. At the time, I was teaching in Pontiac, Illinois and was headed for a conference in St. Louis, which happened to be the headquarters of the Red Cross for our region, so I got in touch with them while I was there. They sent the paperwork to my hotel, I filled it out and the rest is history!
When and where were you stationed in Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname?
I was in Cam Ranh from July, 1967 – January, 1968 and I was there for the Tet Offensive. I was at An Khe from January, 1968 until I came home in July, 1968. While at An Khe, I spent one week TDY (temporary duty assignment) in Nha Trang. I did go by the nickname of Dot.
What was a routine day like in Vietnam?
At Cam Ranh we had two recreation centers, we divided our time between the two bases, manning a center in each area. Cam Ranh was a supply base with transportation units and a supply depot where goods were unloaded, stored, and delivered around the country where needed. Cam Ranh Bay had beautiful beaches, so a couple of us spent most of our free time at the enlisted men’s beach relaxing and visiting with the lifeguards. We spent our days putting together programs (games) that we could take with us on our runs. We did lots of socializing activities outside the center —- cookouts, picnics, playing cards, singing around a little campfire.
The other recreation center we served was north of Cam Ranh Airbase, which was called a replacement center, because the newly arrived men were housed there until they were assigned a location in-country. Right after the Tet Offensive, many guys were sent to Vietnam. All the housing facilities at the replacement center were filled – and it was days or even weeks before many of them were given an in-country assignment. They were given no supplies (toothpaste, brushes, soap, etc) because they hadn’t been given a permanent assignment, so we helped the guys by providing them some of the basics. We may have raided the PX!
While the men were housed at the replacement center, they hung out at our recreation center and enjoyed coffee, Kool-Aid and the company of the Donut Dollies. It was almost identical to our center at the main base with tables for card playing, pool tables and areas for relaxing. We also would fly out once a week to Da Lat, and then by boat out to an island (can’t remember the name of it) that housed some members of the Vietnam Navy, as well as some of our Navy men who were stationed there to train them.
While at An Khe, we made many, many helicopter trips to fire support bases for mail runs, hot meal runs, as well as our “program” runs. An Khe was the base for the 1st Cav and the 173rd Airborne, but when I arrived there most of the Cav had moved up north to be closer to the action and the 173rd had taken over the base. There were still all the chopper hangers and bunkers, but just a few choppers remained.
At An Khe our center was called “The Happy Hooch”. My friend Jan and I became very close with the 173rd LRRPs (Long-range reconnaissance patrol). They were so anxious to sit around, visit and relax before leaving on their very dangerous missions.
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
There were never any major “close calls” that we were aware of. We did get stranded one night at a fire-support base because bad weather set in and our helicopter could not take off. It was quite an experience — they had to empty an entire barrack for the two of us Donut Dollies, and give us an escort to go to and from the latrine. Another time we were in a Jeep (leaving An Khe to drive over a mountain to Qui Nhon) and had to wear our helmets and flak jackets for the one and only time we were there. We found out that a convoy had been attacked the previous day and some Korean officers had been killed. Luckily no incident occurred on our trip! Also, one time we were returning to Cam Ranh in a Huey and we were freezing. The guys in the chopper gave us their coats to wrap up in. When we landed we heard the pilot tell someone on the ground that it was a good thing we were too naive to know they were flying at a dangerously high altitude, because there was ground fire below us.
Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?
While at An Khe, I did fall and break my elbow, but it wasn’t war related! The Vietnamese had been digging a ditch right outside the back door of The Happy Hooch, our recreation center, for weeks. One night we were locking up and when I was leaving the center, unbeknownst to me the workers had gotten a spurt of energy that day and finished the ditch. I tripped over a hill of dirt that was running the length of the ditch and broke my elbow stopping my fall. I wore a cast for a few weeks, but everything turned out fine.
What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?
We really did not visit soldiers in hospitals, except for a few men we personally knew who were hospitalized with malaria or some other illness.
How was the transition returning home to the United States?
I arrived home in late July, 1968 and returned to my teaching position by mid-August, so I really didn’t have any transition problems. I gave many, many presentations to various organizations in my local area about my experiences in Vietnam and was also asked to give a talk just a couple of years ago to a group studying Vietnam. In fact, I have been called upon to give two talks in the past year.
What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?
That we were hard-working and sincere individuals. We were anxious to do our part to help the morale of the troops and make life a bit easier for them.
How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?
I have seen many comments on Facebook and other places from Veterans who expressed their gratitude for the Donut Dollies being there. I have also received many personal expressions of gratitude.
What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?
1) The expressions on the faces of men at fire support bases when we got off the chopper.
2) The many hours spent visiting with the men in our recreation centers, which was a place that allowed them to air their fears and anxieties.
3) Seeing the Bob Hope Show and seeing how much the troops enjoyed their time watching him.
4) What a beautiful country it was!
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 53 PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL THAT CAN BE SEEN HERE, JUST SCROLL DOWN TO READ EACH (AT THE BOTTOM, YOU’LL SEE A LINK TO GO TO THE NEXT PAGE OF DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL FEATURES)
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In our 53rd edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Darlene tells how she joined the Red Cross as a hospital recreation worker that led to her to sign up to go to Vietnam, how sometimes she was dropped into insecure areas and how the soldiers enjoyed seeing American girls.
Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.
Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Darlene Sellers Cooper…
What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Vietnam?
My family was not military, except for an uncle who was killed in WWII. Other than that, my family knew nothing about the military! Many of my friends were going to Vietnam and I wanted to be a part of it! I applied to the military and was accepted as a 2nd Lt in the Army, but wasn’t sure about the commitment. I found out about the SRAO program and I was hired by the American Red Cross as a Recreation Worker in the hospitals at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX and Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, TX. After 18 months of hospital service, I chose to go to Vietnam for one year as part of the SRAO program.
When and where were you stationed in Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname?
I arrived in Vietnam in July of 1968 and was stationed for 4 months at Cam Ranh Bay, then for the next 4 months I was stationed at Long Binh with the II Field Force, and in my last 4 months in Vietnam, I was with the 4th Infantry in Pleiku. I was known as Darlene in Vietnam and did not have a nickname.
What was a routine day like in Vietnam?
Our daily schedule began early in the morning. We traveled by helicopter or Jeep and sometimes walked to our designated area to provide programs for the men. These programs included board games, puzzles, cards and other paper games. We spent the afternoons with our staff evaluating our day and develop new programs or readjust programs to fit the needs of the soldiers.
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
No! But there were times that we were “dropped” into an insecure area for only a short time! Several times we had to put on our “vests and helmets” and go into the bunkers, because of the incoming rounds!
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Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?
No!
What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?
It was sad, but also rewarding to be able to help or just talk. The men were very glad to see us!
How was the transition returning home to the United States?
It was an adjustment, as the world had moved on and I hadn’t! I did have an easier time coming home, thanks to the support of my family and friends! Plus, I continued working with the American Red Cross in military hospitals surrounded by people that knew what I had gone through. I needed to be a part of the military family!
What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?
That we were there for the troops! Our main goal was to put a smile on their faces! Many of the soldiers only wanted to take pictures of us, with them. They wanted to send the pictures home to their mothers, so they wouldn’t worry so much, seeing American girls with them!
I would like for my family and friends to know that I did what I thought was right at a time when so many people did not support our men and the military!
How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?
The veterans that knew us are always appreciative of our service! My second husband is a Vietnam veteran. He served as a pilot in the Air Force for 23 years. We have lots of friends that are veterans and they are appreciative of the Donut Dollie’s service.
What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?
The beautiful country. The soldiers, never complaining, always grateful for what they had. The soldier’s love and worrying about their families at home!
No matter how rough the terrain was or what little the soldiers had, they would always say that they had it great, compared to the guys in the next group!
When we were traveling on top of tanks and passing by troops of weary men, one would see us (we always traveled in pairs) point and yell “round eyes”! Then the whole troop would wave and yell!!
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Closing thoughts…
I was the only “Dollie” that married a soldier, who was later killed during his 2nd tour in Vietnam. We had met at Fort Leonard Wood (MO) after our tours in Vietnam. I resigned from the Red Cross and followed him through helicopter training. We had a son! His dad was shot down during a helicopter mission when he was 7 months old.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 52 PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL THAT CAN BE SEEN HERE, JUST SCROLL DOWN TO READ EACH (AT THE BOTTOM, YOU’LL SEE A LINK TO GO TO THE NEXT PAGE OF DONUT DOLLIE DETAIL FEATURES)
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This Friday we will post the 53rd edition of the Donut Dollie Detail. This feature provides a platform for Donut Dollies to share their memories of serving in the Korean and/or Vietnam Wars. Each feature includes answers to 10-questions and 4 in-country photos provided by a Donut Dollie. The Donut Dollie Detail has been well received by veterans, Donut Dollies and the public, as well as becoming a great educational tool for those interested in military and women’s history, including many from around the world, some who are Donut Dollie historical reenactors.
If you are a Donut Dollie, we would be honored to create an edition of the Donut Dollie Detail just for you. The first step is to answer the 10-questions listed below and send it to us at memories@donutdollies.com Secondly, we ask that you scan and email at least 4 in-country photos (at 300dpi or higher, please ask if help is needed), which include photos such as one of yourself, programming to the men, DD group photos and any that you feel would tell a story. Once received, we’ll review everything, determine if any clarifications are needed and then schedule the posting of your feature here on www.facebook.com/thedonutdollies and at www.donutdollies.com/category/donut-dollie-detail Once posted, you’ll have the opportunity to share your feature with family and friends, and through reading and responding to the comments received, you could reconnect with a Donut Dollie sister who you served with or a veteran who remembers you from the recreation center or a firebase run.
We hope you will be interested in taking part in the Donut Dollie Detail, and we look forward to sharing your story. We thank you for your service!
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE
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What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Korea/Vietnam?
When and where were you stationed in Korea/Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname? How would you like your name listed in your feature?
What was a routine day like in Korea/Vietnam?
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
Were you ever injured while in Korea/Vietnam?
What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?
How was the transition returning home to the United States?
What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?
How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?
What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Korea/Vietnam?
In our 52nd edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Justine tells how she was inspired by her mother’s service as a radio operator in WWII, how she encountered a soldier in the hospital who was injured in a very unexpected way, and she shares over a dozen interesting memories from her time serving in Vietnam.
Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.
Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer…
What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Vietnam?
After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Elementary Education, I was not quite ready to begin teaching. At that time, the thought of being in a classroom all day just did not “feel” right.
Believe it or not, as I was browsing the want ads, I saw that an employment agency in San Francisco was recruiting women for a job with the American Red Cross. I flew there for an interview and was accepted for the position.
I figured if I were a male, I probably would have been drafted and sent to Vietnam. Joining the SRAO was an alternative to being drafted and a way to do my part.
In a way, I was also following in my Mother’s footsteps. During WWII she was in the second Naval training class of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), and served as a radio operator.
When and where were you stationed in Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname?
I was stationed in Nha Trang from June 1968 to January 1969 and Pleiku from January 1969 to July 1969. I’ve always gone by Justine.
What was a routine day like in Vietnam?
Nothing was “routine” as a Donut Dollie, not even the roof over my head! In Nha Trang I lived in a spacious French villa, right off the South China Sea and visited the beautiful beach as time permitted. In the Pleiku highlands I lived in a house built by the Civil Engineers and learned all about “the rainy season”, and while on TDY (temporary duty) in Phu Bai, I slept in a MASH tent and got to visit the Imperial City of Hue.
Each day unfolded in a different way. I either (wo-)manned the SANDS Recreation Center in Nha Trang, remained on base to create another mobile program (game), designed those crazy short-timer calendars, helicoptered out to take our program and at times the mail to the fire bases, Kool-Aided the flight line or visited the units on base.
Meals were mostly eaten in the chow hall, but out in the field we often dished up the food. It was a great opportunity to joke, smile, and boost morale as all the guys eventually came through the line.
At the close of the day, after unwinding with friends, the duty officer came to make certain we were all safely home, and that the guys had all skedaddled!
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
The very first time I was out, in the middle of our programming, a really loud siren went off. Immediately everyone ran off in a different direction while I stood there like a deer in the headlights. It didn’t take long to realize that “incoming” was raining down on the base. Thankfully one of the airmen ran back to get me, grabbed my arm and dragged me to the nearest shelter. It could have been a close call, and it taught me to be more aware of my surroundings from then on.
Another time we were awakened in the middle of the night, and huddled in our shelter as the alarm sounded. Cortina, our dog, came flying in for cover and whimpering in fear. I can still hear the sand shifting in the sandbags (that were packed around the huge culvert pipe) as the shrapnel hit. I later discovered that the man who became my husband, was crossing the open field between compounds and dodging those very rockets!
I also remember riding to Wooly Bully (an asphalt plant) in a Jeep, through very red, dusty, Pleiku dirt. I was seated comfortably on the left rear fender, behind the driver. The road was a washboard roller coaster. All of a sudden the left side of the vehicle flipped up to what felt like almost a 45 degree angle. I am certain time stood still. I was so scared that I was not thinking clearly. I wanted to get up and get out! My Donut Dollie partner, seated on the right fender almost fell out, but she kept her wits about her. She calmed me down and slowly moved towards me. Wham! Down went the Jeep!
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Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?
I was never injured while in Vietnam, but I did suffer a serious case of food poisoning after eating with a local Vietnamese family. I could picture the meat that I often saw hanging outdoors in the market stalls during the heat of the day… no refrigeration, flies everywhere, BUT it would have been a terrible insult to refuse the generous offer of a meal from a poor family.
What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?
I had the opportunity to visit the hospital one time that I never forgot. It was right after a number of soldiers had been medevaced from an active fire base. There were bloody bandages everywhere. I approached the bed of a soldier with his leg and foot swathed in bandages. I assumed he was there as a result of a fire fight. I was so wrong! “No M’am”, he said. “ I was mauled by a (Indochinese) tiger!” Imagine being drafted to fight a “hostile action” and being attacked not by the enemy, but by a tiger!
How was the transition returning home to the United States?
When I returned home I had a difficult time accepting how materialistic we Americans had become, I’m not certain whether the people were driven by a need to have “more” or whether I had changed and was satisfied with less. It was challenging to transition from thinking “Wow, lucky me, I got a ride into town in an old deuce and a half (truck)”, to seeing two cars in many driveways. In Vietnam it was a treat if I ever got to see a show on television. In the states many families had two TV’s and lots of programs to choose from!
I was proud of the time I spent in Vietnam. After 13 months in country, I think I understood the horrors of war and the fear that young men might experience in being drafted to fight, BUT the constant stateside reports of draft dodgers escaping to Canada really disturbed me. Years later when draft dodgers were pardoned, I still felt some resentment.
What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?
The women who served in the SRAO program of the American Red Cross were college graduates recruited from all over the United States. The gals I met were smart, creative, adventurous, brave and patriotic. We majored in different areas of study, had different personalities, different appearances and different beliefs, but we all made the same choice. We put potential careers on hold and answered a call to serve our country by providing the military with a break from the chaos of war and a reminder of their loved ones back home.
How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?
Although I know many veterans who served in Vietnam, my service has not really been discussed at any length. When people do find out they are generally surprised and somewhat amazed. On Veteran’s Day a year or so ago we visited the Veteran’s Memorial here in Sacramento, CA. My husband and I were overheard as we were each locating the places we served on a big bronze map. A curious stranger asked me why I was there, so I shared my story. Then he thanked me for my service! That really felt good after all these years!
What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?
My memories are numerous! Here they are, in no particular order:
The piercing blue eyes of soldiers looking at me through red dirt covered faces
The many men who stood alongside me, extending their arms over my head, smiling at a memory and saying, “I bet you are about 5ft 2in tall!”
My answer to the inevitable question, “Where are you from?” Trying to connect to as many men as I could, I would say, “Born in Berkeley, California, raised in New York City, living in Tempe, Arizona.”
The supportive gals in blue, holding the other end of the olive drab program bag that we carried everywhere
The marvelous laughter of the men competing against each other during a program game
Snoopy on the short-timer calendars that we provided to the men
The sound of a helicopter… I still look up when I hear one. Sitting next to a door gunner, looking down at the beautiful blue South China Sea on one side, and the ghostly (Agent Orange) deforested landscape on the other
Spooky (Puff the Magic Dragon), the AC-47 gunship (airplane) firing at night with tracers that lit up the sky
Mama-san scrubbing my soapy blue uniform on the cement with a sturdy bristle brush
Beautiful girls dressed in a traditional Ao Dai
The blackened teeth of Betel Nut chewing natives
Amerasian and Eurasian children begging, and scavenging on trash piles
Water Buffalo munching away in the beautiful green rice paddies
The coveted brass bracelet that was earned by drinking rice wine
Experiencing the mix of other cultures… Vietnamese, Montagnards, British, Canadian, Filipino, South Korean, Australian, Thai, Indian, Pakistani and New Zealanders
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