We’ve been honored over the last few years to feature the personal stories of Donut Dollies who served in Korea and Vietnam. The response to each edition of the Donut Dollie Detail has been overwhelmingly positive and have brought back memories to numerous veterans and Donut Dollies, and shared stories that may have gone unknown.
We enjoy providing the platform to share these stories and today we are reaching out to the Donut Dollie community to expand their involvement. Below you’ll find our list of 10-questions, which you can fill in with your own memories (no need to retype the question, just list your responses as #1 – 10). In addition to that, we would need at least 4 in-country photos that help illustrate your experiences. You can send your responses, photos and any questions to us at memories@donutdollies.com
If you are a family member of a Donut Dollie who is no longer with us and have photos and details that can help share their story of service, we would be interested in creating a tribute feature to honor them.
Here’s the list of the 65 Donut Dollies we have featured so far (through your favorite search engine, search by a Donut Dollie’s name and “Donut Dollie Detail” to go direct to their feature to read their story or go to https://www.donutdollies.com/category/donut-dollie-detail and scroll through all of the features):
Agnes Fortune (Vietnam 1968-69)
Barbara Massey McGinity (Korea 1967-68)
Barbara McDaniel Stephens (Vietnam 1969-70)
Bobbie Lischak Trotter (Vietnam 1970-71)
Cathie Snyder Rubins (Korea 1972-73)
Cathy Knutson Brown (Vietnam 1968-69)
Cecelia “Betty” Burgess Grandison (Vietnam 1968)
Darlene Sellers Cooper (Vietnam 1968-69)
Diane Anderson Hunt (Korea 1971-72)
Diane Diggs Byrd (Vietnam 1968)
Diane Johnson Tucker (Vietnam 1970-71)
Diane Love Crocker (Vietnam 1966-67)
Diane Schmidt Curley (Vietnam 1968-69)
Dorothy White Patterson (Vietnam 1967-68)
Dorset Hoogland Anderson (Vietnam 1968-69)
Eileen O’Neill (Vietnam 1971-72)
Ellen Cadden Nagy (Vietnam 1970-71)
Evelyn Safford Jacobs (Vietnam 1970-71)
Gloria Glover Gates (Korea & Vietnam 1967-68)
Jackie Lively Norris (Vietnam 1967-68)
Jan Small Woods (Vietnam 1966-67)
Jeanne “Sam” Bokina Christie (Vietnam 1967-68)
Jenny Young (Vietnam 1968-69)
Jewell Griggs Miller (Korea 1959-60 – full Red Cross assignments 1958-1965)
Jody Ahrold Reynolds (Korea & Vietnam 1965-66 – tribute edition)
Joyce MacConnachie Kirk (Vietnam 1967-68)
Judy Harper (Vietnam 1970-71)
Judy Nichols Tayloe (Vietnam 1969-70)
Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer (Vietnam 1968-69)
Karel Dierks Robertson (Vietnam 1971-72)
Karen Kent (Vietnam 1970-71)
Kit Sparrow Cotton (Vietnam 1969-70)
Linda Meinders Webb (Vietnam 1969-70)
Linda Sullivan Schulte (Vietnam 1968-69)
Linette “Linnie” Stone (Vietnam 1966-67)
Lorna Collins Pierce (Korea 1960-61)
Lou Breen Rundle (Vietnam 1971-72)
Maggie Connor Dutilly (Vietnam 1971-72)
Margo Smith Timberlake (Vietnam 1970-71)
Marilyn Schmokel Dent (Vietnam 1967-68)
Marrilee Shannon (Vietnam 1969-70)
Mary Blanchard Bowe (Vietnam 1968-69)
Mary de la Forest-Evans (Vietnam 1968-69)
Nancy Calcese (Korea & Vietnam 1969-70 & 1971-72)
Nancy Caracciolo Warner (Vietnam 1969-70)
Nancy Olsen Hewitt (Vietnam 1970-71 & 1971-72)
Sharon (Vander Ven) Cummings (Vietnam 1966-67)
Pat McDaniel Nease (Vietnam 1966-67)
Pat Toombs Green (Korea 1962-64)
Paula Wright Haley (Vietnam 1968-69)
Peggy Lynd Kelly (Vietnam 1969-70)
Penni Evans (Vietnam 1970-71)
René Johnson (Vietnam 1969-70)
Rose Karlo Gantner (Vietnam 1966-67 & 1969-70)
Roseann Krikston Johnson (Vietnam 1969-70)
Sara Porter Smith (Vietnam 1970-71)
Sheila Otto Rosenberg (Vietnam 1966-67)
Sherry Giles Cozzalio Taylor (Vietnam 1968-69)
Susan Baiamonte Conklin (Vietnam 1968-69)
Susan Harden Lynch (Korea & Vietnam 1965-66)
Susan Heinzelman Ladnier (Vietnam 1967-68)
Teri Fisk Hermans (Vietnam 1969-70)
Terre Deegan-Young (Vietnam 1970-71)
Terry Lee Harmon (Vietnam 1970-71)
Virginia “Ginny” Kirsch (Vietnam 1970 – tribute edition for the Donut Dollie murdered in-country)
and Jim Mummah (veteran 1968-69 – provided photos of Donut Dollies at the grand opening of the Cam Ranh Bay Recreation Center)
We look forward to featuring your story!
*****
What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) program and want to go to Korea and/or Vietnam?
When and where were you stationed in Korea and/or 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 and/or Vietnam?
Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?
Were you ever injured while in Korea and/or 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 and/or Vietnam?
I ran in to a Donut Dollie in San Diego Ca. In 1981 at a record store. She was still wearing a french braid hair style. We met at Phan Rang AB Vietnam in 1970. I wonder what became of her. If anyone knows of such a Donut Dollie, I would appreciate any news.
Is there any movement afoot to erect a monument near The Wall honoring the Donut Dollies…similar to the one depicting the nurses attending to a wounded?