In our third edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Mary Blanchard Bowe tells her experiences of close calls, spending time with courageous young men at the hospitals and playing Santa for the troops (see actual 8mm film of Mary handing out ditty bags to soldiers at the end of this post).

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.  You can also share your email address with us at list@donutdollies.com for updates on the upcoming release of the Donut Dollies Documentary (we will not share/sell your email and will only use it for Donut Dollie related updates).

Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Mary Blanchard Bowe…

What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) and want to go to Vietnam?

I needed a job after college. I was an army brat, so I like to travel.  My college suite mate, Dorset Hoogland, applied and told me about it. I was turned down at first, but after I returned from my time in Vietnam I found out my dorm supervisor spoke up for me, so I got hired because of her intervention.  It sounded exciting and different and I had never been there. I wanted to know what was going on.

When and where were you stationed in Vietnam?

Dong Ba Thien with the 18th Engineers, Pleiku with the 4th Infantry Division, Tuy Hoa with the Air Force, and Quy Nhon with the Army and Navy ships.

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

5 AM off to the flightline at the base camp to catch a ride to fire bases. We went to as many as we could 5+ days a week, got home to my desk, opened our C-rations or canned food and ate, visited, and went to bed or went to functions at home base then to bed. Covered our heads because rats would crawl over us in our Quonset huts.

Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?

Coming back from a fire base in a bubble helicopter (three of us) and the pilot was showing off, flying too low, we were fired at so we took off fast. Also, we almost always had suicide bombers come through the perimeter at night at Pleiku, so we spent time in the bunker.

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

A 2-ton truck slammed into the back of our jeep during a base camp run and I got bad whiplash in the neck, very sore.

What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?

The best experience of my tour was going to the hospital and visiting with the soldiers (I would volunteer on Sunday).  The injured were the most courageous soldiers I have ever known!  They loved to see us and had the greatest sense of humor ever! They were the most inspiring young men and inspire me to this day. With all they had to deal with, missing limbs etc., they always had a smile to give. WOW!

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

It was hard, I went through an emotional depression when I returned and was living in San Francisco. I would cry for no reason, walk the beaches, not want to do things. Just sorta living without being there. I pulled out of it and found out years later it was PTSD. Who knew then?

What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?

We served for the troops and wanted to bring a touch of home into their lives, they were so young and homesick. To let them know that America cared about them, because all they heard was about turmoil and protest going on.

How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?

There are lots of veterans so it’s hard to know the ones I dealt with from D Troop in Pleiku, but those in New Mexico treated us like movie stars with many sweet toasts and hugs at their events. They were very supportive, even those that weren’t there and knew about us. I am invited every year to D troop’s reunions. I feel so honored. They told me “you girls were more veterans then we were”. So sweet!

What were your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?

Playing Santa and visiting over 1,000 troops or more in a day, and celebrating at midnight mass with troops surrounding me, and then going with the priest, with me as Santa, around the perimeter in a jeep to lift their spirits.

Flying in all kinds of aircraft, especially the loach and bubble helicopters.

Making the men laugh and the pristine beaches where we would get to swim in water so clear you could see your toes.

Visiting and helping the Montagnard villagers with irrigation projects and seeing their village.  They were so hospitable and grateful for our visits. It was very impressive how they carried on in the midst of a war-torn country.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 2 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)

In our second edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Penni Evans explains how the words of John F. Kennedy moved her to join the Red Cross SRAO program.

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.  You can also share your email address with us at list@donutdollies.com for updates on the upcoming release of the Donut Dollies Documentary (we will not share/sell your email and will only use it for Donut Dollie related updates).

Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Penni Evans…

What prompted you to join the SRAO (Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas) and want to go to Vietnam?

I heard about the program while at Sonoma State and graduated early to go to Vietnam. The Peace Corps wanted languages and a two year commitment. Lots of anti war protesting in 68-69. I believed in what JFK said about what can I do for my country.

When and where were you stationed in Vietnam? Did you go by a nickname?

I was stationed at Cam Rahn Air Base in March – August ’70, Long Binh (II Field Force) in Aug – Oct ’70, Cu Chi in Oct. – Nov ’70, and Quang Tri in Dec. ’70 – March ’71.

My nickname from Cu Chi on was Chicken Little – in our unit and just a few others.  At Cu Chi we sometimes had a pick up game of softball and when I caught the ball – most of the time – I would make the sound that Chicken Man made on the AFVN Radio.  And we had lots of Red Alerts there too so the sky was falling!

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

Nothing routine. At Cam Rahn Air Base (CRAB) either recreation center work or out in the field. At all others club mobile and staying in the office to put together programs. I have little memory of a routine day.

Did you ever have any “close calls” either on base or in any vehicles?

Yes

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

I had chronic tail bone inflammation and had two (painful) injections of cortisone in the tail bone – CRAB and Quang Tri. Still an issue to this day.

What was it like to visit the soldiers in the hospitals?

I had a real hard time. I remember one time taking some personal items from the field to an injured troop at II Field Force. Less badly injured were at the rear of the ward so I had to walk thru the ward of severely injured. At Quang Tri we were at 18th Surgical and one medic wanted me to write a letter for an injured troop. He had been going out on Christmas Day and we handed out short timer calendars as they saddled up. Then talking to a couple of troops injured out at an aid station in the DMZ. And walking into 18th Surg to hand out calendars and seeing a familiar face. I had a very hard time and was glad not expected to do that. Earlier on the ladies did a lot of hospital visits.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

I was fortunate, came back briefly then traveled to Europe and backpacked for 6 months. Helped the transition. But learned early on not to say I had been in Vietnam. Took me until the reunion in ’83 to begin to realize I was not alone. Found a grass roots vet center who accepted me without a DD 214 and helped me.

What would you like people to remember and understand most about the women who served?

We all had our own Vietnam, depending upon when and where we served, what we did.

How do you feel Veterans think of your time having served with them? Have any Veterans expressed their feelings to you directly?

Over the years most reactions have been favorable, only twice was I dissed. But the brothers have given us such support and love, even all these years later. And many sisters have learned about each other and give such love and support, no matter what we did.

What were your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Vietnam?

The Bob Hope Show at Camp Eagle Dec. 22, 1970, Christmas Day 1970, flying safely off of Khe Sanh in the fog and night, playing scratch softball at Cu Chi, going to Sydney for R&R and celebrating my 23rd birthday there, General’s Mess at Cu Chi with General Davidson fixing me my Kaliua mist after dinner

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 1 PREVIOUS EDITION 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)