Today we honor the men and women who have served our country – our brave veterans. America’s history is built on the dedication and service of our military personnel who have put themselves in harms way, far from home and loved ones. They all deserve our thoughts, prayers and thanks for their dedication and sacrifice. On behalf of the Donut Dollies Documentary, we wish to extend our gratitude to our Veterans and the Red Cross Donut Dollies who served them.
Today we honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Please join us in keeping them in our thoughts always.
2015 was quite an eventful year for our project and team. Through our Kickstarter campaign we successfully raised the funds necessary to film the return of Donut Dollies Dorset Hoogland Anderson and Mary Blanchard Bowe to Vietnam for the first time in 46 years. The trip was very exciting and emotional, and included many moments of rediscovery. It also brought up countless memories of the soldiers Dorset and Mary were proud to serve.
Since our last update, we’ve been hard at work editing the 100+ hours of footage we shot in Vietnam. We’ve also been shooting additional interviews and continuing to learn more about these courageous women. Over the last year we’ve received hundreds of comments and memories from Donut Dollies, Veterans and our Facebook friends, and thanks to their interest and support, it has underscored the importance of making this film.
We’re proud to announce that our project has received its first award! Based on our Kickstarter video, the My Hero International Film Festival awarded us first place in the “Indy Features in Development” category. Donut Dollies Mary and Dorset were also honored with special “My Hero” awards. This is a very exciting accolade from a terrific organization, and hopefully it’ll be the first of many laurels that will come along after we’ve finished the film.
We’ve got a lot of work left to do before then, but as the new year begins, it’s important to reiterate that we never would have gotten this far without your support and encouragement. It’s also a good time to reaffirm that we’re more committed than ever to finishing the film and helping to share the story of The Donut Dollies.
All the best in 2016, and stay tuned for more updates soon.
With gratitude, The Donut Dollies Documentary Team
P.S. – You can view our award winning video here
After most of the film crew headed home to the U.S., Red Cross Donut Dollies Dorset (Hoogland) Anderson and Mary (Blanchard) Bowe, along with the film’s director, Norm Anderson, spent a couple days in Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) filming remembrances of their previous 2 weeks in Vietnam. After visiting the 6 different cities/bases where Dorset and Mary had been stationed 46 years ago, and unfortunately not finding many of the physical locations they once knew, they visited the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Min City to gain a more direct, physical connection to their experiences in Vietnam.
Thanks to the assistance of the crew’s translator, Dorset and Mary were provided special access to the museum’s exhibits while it was closed. This allowed us to film very special and intimate moments of these women experiencing the history on display, which we believe will make for an important part of our documentary. Our Dollies also viewed the numerous pieces of military equipment on display on the grounds of the museum, including a Bell UH-1 Huey Helicopter, a Boeing CH-47 Chinook Helicopter, a Northrop F-5 Fighter Jet, a D.7E Bulldozer, and several tanks.
Below you’ll find 11 photos in total – All photos credited to the Donut Dollies Documentary Team
On their drive to Pleiku, Donut Dollies Dorset and Mary stopped to get a closer look at a rice paddy. The first photo is of a terraced rice paddy strewn with sunlight and showing the farmer’s shack at the left side of the image. The second photo shows the path running through the lush green of the paddy, and the third photo shows Dorset and Mary off in the distance of the rice paddy.
All photos credited to Angeline Herron
As the first trip back to Vietnam by Red Cross Donut Dollies Dorset (Hoogland) Anderson and Mary (Blanchard) Bowe was nearing its end at the northernmost point, they arrived at Pleiku, which was Mary’s second base assignment over 46 years ago. The first photo is of the Welcome to Pleiku sign, and the second and third photos capture introspective moments of Dorset and Mary as they visit Pleiku Lake.
Photo 1 credited to the Donut Dollies Documentary Team and photos 2 & 3 credited to Angeline Herron
Red Cross Donut Dollies Dorset and Mary continued up the coast of Vietnam and arrived in Quy Nhon, which was the location of Mary’s third base assignment. The second photo shows one of the many amazing views the Dollies took in while in Vietnam. The third photo shows a monument on the grounds of the Quy Hoa National Leprosy Dermatology Hospital, which also includes a village for patients.
Upon leaving Tuy Hoa, Bob Johnston, the owner of Bob’s Cafe American, asked Red Cross Donut Dollies Dorset (Hoogland) Anderson and Mary (Blanchard) Bowe to sign the wall in his main dining room. Below you can see each message our Dollies left for posterity.
During their visit to Tuy Hoa, Red Cross Donut Dollies Dorset and Mary took in some beautiful sights. The first photo shows a gorgeous coastline view and the second showing the woven bamboo basket boats on the beach. Dorset and Mary had a pleasant surprise when Donut Dollie Wanda Huisman (Cam Ranh 1971-72) made the trip from Nha Trang to Tuy Hoa to meet them. The third photo captures the moment when Dorset and Mary met Wanda, and although their paths never crossed in Vietnam, they were clearly connected by their service as Red Cross Donut Dollies.
Photo 1 credited to the Donut Dollies Documentary Team and photos 2 & 3 credited to Angeline Herron
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