Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker
Published July 10, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker

In our 57th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Diane tells how patriotism led to her join the SRAO program in Vietnam, that she was one of the few Donut Dollies who were injured in-country and how she didn’t allow it to discourage her from completing her one year tour, and how she met her future husband in Vietnam, to whom she’s been married 51 years.

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 Diane Love Crocker…

Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker on her way to do a program with the men

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

I was raised in a very patriotic family with many aunts and uncles that served both in WWI, WWII and Korea.   My father was too young for WWI and too old for WWII, although he did a great deal of work for the government during WWII.  I had always felt that as one of three girls in our family, that if there was ever a war, of course I would go.  I never had any desire for a military career, but when I read about the SRAO program it sounded like a good fit, even though the Red Cross had a few doubts about me due to the fact that I had been raised in comfortable surroundings.  Little did they know about the strength of Southern women!!

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

I arrived in-country in November, 1966 and was sent to An Khe with the First Air Cavalry Division for about 6 months.  I then was transferred to Bien Hoa with the 173rd Airborne, where I served as the Program Director from April to mid-July, 1967 (I had to wait for my jaw to heal, but more on that below). My last assignment was from mid-July to late November, 1967, back to the highlands at Pleiku with the 4th Infantry Division, where I was the Unit Director. I felt so fortunate to serve with two incredible Generals – General  Norton with the 1st Air Cav and General Peers with the 4th Infantry.  They both were so very supportive of the work we were doing and did everything in their power to get us where we were most needed.

I’ve always been known as Diane.

Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker playing cards with one of the men in the recreation center

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

There were very few routine days for us, at least in the units I was in.  In An Khe we had 8 girls and different areas to cover – the on-base recreation center (card games, pingpong, snacks, etc.), trips to firebases in the forward areas – weather permitting, and visits to different units on base camp where we would present a program.  We always had at least two people in the recreation center, the forward areas had 2- 4 girls who would go out in 2 separate aircraft and the remaining 2 – 4 women would be on base camp.  We had to fit in time for program planning and preparation, housekeeping and everyone had one day off for laundry, etc.

We never went anywhere alone, so sometimes there might have been 3 people in the recreation center, with one of them working on the next week’s program.  It was very day to day and even though we planned the week as best we could, we always knew there would be changes.  Also, each unit had different priorities.  The 173rd Brigade was smaller, with more on-base programing and less firebase visits.  The 4th Division had a lot of forward area firebase visits, as well as on-base programs.  But anything I could say about the units I served with could be the exact opposite of what happened in other units.  Support units were very different from combat units – I have always felt that Vietnam was contradictory on almost every level. 

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

I think most of us that served with combat units had an occasional “close call”.  Once we were headed out to a forward firebase and the helicopter crashed after it had dropped us off.  A couple of times they dropped us at a firebase only to return after a few minutes to pick us back up due to enemy activity in the area.  Almost all of us experienced occasional trips to the bunkers due to incoming fire, but strangely I never was really frightened.  

The scariest thing I can remember was going to the latrine one night and looking to my right to see a giant fuzzy spider on the wall.  I let out a yell and the poor MP on duty came running and thankfully called out to see if I was OK, instead of barging in:)   One day we were visiting an artillery unit and as we safely stood on a high hill, we watched an infantry company below racing through rice paddies with rifles at the ready.  As so often happened in Vietnam, it was a very surreal moment.

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

I was one of the ones who was injured in Vietnam.  While driving to do a program at the Long Bien base on one of the few paved roads in Vietnam, our driver took a turn a little quickly and I was throw out of the Jeep.  I looked up and my Donut Dollie partner and the driver looked at me as though I was a ghost.  Apparently my chin and the road found each other and there was a lot of blood.  Thankfully, the head of dental surgery happened to be at the base that day and he stitched my chin and wired my broken jaw, and after a few days I was sent back to Bien Hoa.  The driver felt so bad that he drove to the airbase every day to get me a milkshake, since I could only eat soft food. 

Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker visiting with a man in the hospital

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

Visiting the men in the hospitals was so rewarding and could also be very sad, depending on the situations.  It meant the world to the men and we tried to wear our blue uniforms as often as we could.  If they saw us in our uniforms, how bad could it be?  Sometimes we had to wear our fatigues due to weather and other conditions.  I will feel so grateful that I had the opportunity to give something back to those incredible young men.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

The transition home was another surreal experience.  I left Vietnam 2 days after being at a forward firebase with a raging battle going on a mile away  – I cant remember the name of the battle, but what I do remember was watching the wounded coming in and being lifted into helicopters.  After I was home and watching the news, they were discussing THAT firebase and THAT battle – it was very hard to absorb and I had mixed emotions of wishing I was back there and being so grateful to be home.

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

The majority of the women I served with were incredible.  I have been fortunate to be able to keep in touch with some of these wonderful women.  I have always felt that I received so much more than I could have ever given.  It was a truly life changing experience for me. 

Donut Dollie Diane Love Crocker in her fatigues having a chat with one of the men in the field

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

At the time I served in Vietnam, there were men that doubted our morals and our sincerity.  Being from a very loving and protective family, I never had either of those virtues questioned and it was hard emotionally to deal with that.  However, once they saw us in the field, many minds were changed and many apologies came my (and our) way. 

So many men called my parents when they returned home and my sister said our house was often like a USO canteen with GIs coming for lunch or dinner while in Atlanta.  In 1993, veterans lined Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC when the Vietnam Women’s Memorial was dedicated, and so many of us were allowed to march and welcomed with thank yous from the men that had served.  It was such an incredible and moving day.

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

This is a hard one, but I will try.  

Living with so many wonderful and interesting women is one.  

Meeting my future husband is another, although I did not know he would be my future husband – he had extended his service for 6 more months after I left.  Gary came through to meet my family in Atlanta and to see if what we felt in Vietnam on his way to his next assignment in Washington, DC was still there. We did feel that it was real and lasting, so we dated back and forth from his base in Washington, DC to Atlanta. We got engaged in the fall of 1968 and married in April of 1969:)

Having the opportunity to visit the Montagnard villagers that the 1st Air Cav had rescued and relocated was amazing.  

We were asked to lunch by an ARVN Colonel (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) – needless to say we contacted our headquarters in Saigon and they sent someone up to accompany us for that visit.  It was a very interesting and insightful day.  

Occasionally we had a long weekend of R&R that allowed us to visit Red Cross units in other areas of the country – for me it was Danang, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay.  

One of my fondest memories is of flying over the gorgeous country to our various programing destinations – via helicopters of various types, the C-130, Chinooks, the C-47, the Caribou and a little fixed wing plane that I can’t remember the name of.  

Another fond memory is Christmas with a small unit – a beautiful church service followed by us serving Christmas dinner to the men.  Although we missed the Bob Hope show in An Khe, our Christmas was so meaningful.  

So many other memories come and go through my mind – hopefully I will start to write them down for the grandchildren.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 56 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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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Peggy Lynd Kelly
Published July 3, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Peggy Lynd Kelly

In our 56th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Peggy tells how she joined the Donut Dollie program to support the men who were drafted, how just hearing a female voice over the phone brightened the day of the men on the Tuy Hoa base, and that following her year in Vietnam she signed up for an additional year with the Red Cross in the states and then with the Department of the Army in West Germany.

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 Peggy Lynd Kelly…

Donut Dollie Peggy Lynd Kelly

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

As a history/political science major at University of New York at Albany, I was intensely interested in the news and felt that it was so unfair that only males were drafted and expected to serve their country.  I wanted to help end the war or at least make it better for those who were there.

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

My first assignment was at Tuy Hoa Air Force Base where I served from November ’69 – February ’70, I then transferred to Cu Chi and was there from February ’70 – July ’70 and during my time there, I did TDY (temporary duty assignment) at Cam Ranh Bay Air Force in May of ’70.  My last assignment was at II Field Force from August ’70 – November ’70.  My formal name is Margaret, so my nickname is Peggy.

Donut Dollies Peggy Lynd Kelly (L) and Penni Evans (right) programming to the men of 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

At my first assignment in Tuy Hoa, we lived in trailers and walked every day to the Red Cross recreation center, and worked either a morning shift or an afternoon shift, with 2 of us on at night.  It was the monsoon season, so many of our clubmobile runs by chopper out to the firebases were cancelled.  In the morning we taped a phone message for the dining hall and the name of the movie and other activities happening at the recreation center.  All the guys loved calling that number just to hear a female voice.

At my last 2 units we would be on a chopper by early morning heading out to a firebase.  Sometimes some 19-year-old Warrant Officer chopper pilot would try to scare us with some moves, but the longer we were in country, the more we got used to it.  

When programing for the men, we would have an audience participation program with the infantry and then also do one with the artillery unit.  We would usually eat at the base and noticed that the artillery unit usually had better meals.  We would then go on to another firebase and do it all over again, introducing ourselves and telling what state we were from.  The guys always loved that.

Sometimes it seemed like ages waiting for a chopper to come pick us up and take us back to Cu Chi.  There were times that all of us were waiting for the water truck to fill the water tank for the shower in our Quonset hut known as the “Doll House”.  All of us would have a layer of red clay all over our exposed bodies and couldn’t wait for the shower.  We all had “lifer tans” on our arms and legs showing where our uniform sleeves and hem stopped.  Since we were in the sun much of our work day, most of the Donut Dollies had a distinctive tan.  On weekends we worked in our office and had to go to Commanding General Mess.  

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

One time we were on a chopper heading to Bearcat base, when the pilot informed us that there was incoming fire going on there, so we had to go another base.

The day our Donut Dollie class was heading back to the world, the flight was cancelled and we had to stay at a hotel in Saigon.  I shared a room with a gal who was at Cu Chi when a newly arrived Donut Dollie was killed there in August of ’70 (see more details at www.donutdollies.com/tag/ginny-kirsch).  Needless to say, my classmate was having a rough time.  In the middle of the night, someone knocked on our door and yelled out our names and saying, “I know you are in there”.  Never again would I ever write my first name at a hotel, initial only.

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

No

Donut Dollie Peggy Lynd Kelly (third from left) with her Donut Dollie sisters at II Field Force

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

One time at II Field Force our runs were cancelled, and we did visit a hospital.  When you are doing your job, you see all those men serving and you know there are some on the firebases suffering in their own way. We found that those in the hospital didn’t want our pity.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

I flew on a red eye from San Francisco the night before Thanksgiving sitting next to a college friend who flunked out of law school, got drafted and was coming back from a year in Thailand.  While everyone else was asleep we caught up on college news, etc.

My family met me at the airport in Rochester, NY and holding on to the cold railing, I realized I was home!  Later at a big family dinner, the only person I could relate to was my cousin, Larry Lynd, who served in Vietnam the year before in one of the units I visited, the 199th Infantry Brigade near Long Binh.

I was able to continue to work for the American Red Cross as a Youth Director in Wheeling, West Virginia.  As part of my job, I gave many speeches and show slides of the activities of the Red Cross. 

I was not happy there, so after one year I left and got a job with the Department of the Army, similar to the Donut Dollies as a Program Director of a Recreation Center on an US Army installation in West Germany. There were many Donut Dollies who did the same thing.  For those who went with the Army, I called us “Stale Donuts”. 

Donut Dollie Peggy Lynd Kelly (third from left) with her Donut Dollie sisters

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

We were all different and had different reasons for being there.  Even though I only had a sister and didn’t have lots of experience with males, I found the GIs were like my brothers.  From then until today, I can talk to a group of guys and not feel intimidated.  Also, as a mother of 2 sons, I feel very fortunate. 

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

They are grateful and I have had the opportunity to participate in the Story Telling at the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, both on many Memorial Days and this past Veterans Day.  All kinds of guys, ‘Our Brothers”, would come up and chat with me. 

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

When I was at Cu Chi, a guy from my neighborhood came to the Doll House (our Quonset hut) to visit.  All I could think of was memories of him as an altar boy and a young kid shooting baskets in our backyard.

At the end of my tour, some guy loaned me the book “Love Story”, that I read on the plane home.  I made sure to send it back to him, since his wife sent it to him and wrote a personal note inside of it. 

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE 55 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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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Kit Sparrow Cotton
Published June 26, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Kit Sparrow Cotton

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…

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.

Donut Dollie Kit Sparrow Cotton playing music on a portable piano at a firebase near Camp Enari (Pleiku) in December, 1969

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.     

Donut Dollies Linda Webb (seated) and Margi Ness, Kit Sparrow Cotton and Judy Probert (L-R) at a firebase near Camp Enari (Pleiku) in December, 1969

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.

———————————————————————————————–

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.

Donut Dollies Linda Meinders Webb, Judy Probert, Margi Ness and Kit Sparrow Cotton (L-R) visiting with an unnamed 4th Infantry soldier at a firebase near Camp Enari (Pleiku) in December, 1969

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.

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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson
Published June 19, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson

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…

Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson working in the Donut Dollie’s office

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.

Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson (on right) visiting with the soldiers

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.

Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson (seated on left) and a Donut Dollie sister visiting with a soldier behind the wheel of construction equipment

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.          

Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson (third from left) and her Donut Dollie sisters visiting with soldiers

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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The Donut Dollie Detail

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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Darlene Sellers Cooper
Published June 12, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Darlene Sellers Cooper

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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CALLING ALL RED CROSS DONUT DOLLIES WHO SERVED IN KOREA AND VIETNAM
Published June 10, 2020 by

CALLING ALL RED CROSS DONUT DOLLIES WHO SERVED IN KOREA AND VIETNAM

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

*****

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?

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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer
Published June 5, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer

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…

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.

Donut Dollie Justine eating chicken in the SANDS recreation center, Nha Trang

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!

Donut Dollie Justine covered with Pleiku’s red dirt after the jeep ride to Wooly Bully

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!

Donut Dollies Tophie Clarke (L) and Justine Kool-Aiding on the Pleiku flight line

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.

Donut Dollie Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer in Nha Trang

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.”

Donut Dollies Justine (L) with Jan Feye in Nha Trang toting the infamous programming bag

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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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Judy Nichols Tayloe
Published May 29, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Judy Nichols Tayloe

In our 51st edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Judy tells how her mother sent her a local newspaper article about the Red Cross SRAO program that led to her going to Vietnam, how her 22nd birthday was rather memorable and shares her memories of Hannah Crews, one of the three Donut Dollies who lost their lives while 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 Judy Nichols Tayloe…

Judy Nichols Tayloe flying in a helicopter above Vietnam

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

I always chuckle at this question because it was really my mother’s doing that I ended up in Vietnam.  I was just about to graduate from college with a degree in Psychology and had no idea what my career path would look like after graduation.  One of my goals was to travel, so I wanted that to be part of my career.  In a telephone conversation one day with my mother, we discussed different options and ideas.  A day or two later, Mother called to share an article from our local newspaper about a Red Cross SRAO program.  She mailed me the article.  It really interested me, so I called the Red Cross, asked for an application, completed the application, and was accepted.  I graduated college in May of 1969, and by early July of 1969, I was in Washington, DC at the Red Cross Headquarters for training, then Saigon for more training and then my first assignment in Bien Hoa.

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

I was stationed at Bien Hoa Army Base, July 1969 to January 1970, and Cam Ranh Bay, January 1970 to February 1970.  I left Vietnam in my 8th month in country to marry a GI I had met while in Bien Hoa.  That union never materialized, and in retrospect, given the opportunity to choose again (with my head instead of my heart), I would have stayed in Vietnam until my year was completed.  As it turned out though, I scored an exciting career in the airline industry, fulfilled my dream of travel, married for love and raised a beautiful family. In Vietnam I went by Judy.

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

Exhausting and never routine!  Nine Donut Dollies were housed on the Bien Hoa Army Base in a Quonset hut with one bathroom.  Sometimes we had water, though rarely hot, and sometimes we had power, and sometimes the refrigerator worked.  And, we had roaches!  What we lacked in amenities, we made up for in enthusiasm!  We were a tight knit group of unbridled creativity!

Judy Nichols Tayloe serving up Kool-Aid to a mechanic at the Bien Hoa Air Force Base

When I first arrived in Bien Hoa, we were a mobile unit doing clubmobile runs and Kool-Aid runs on the Army and Air Force Bases.  Also traveling via helicopter, Jeep, truck or whatever transportation we could find, to landing zones and firebases to give an hour long program for the guys as a diversion from their usual work day. 

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The men at Cam Ranh Bay raising “The Round Eyes Are Here” flag

In addition, two or three girls from our unit would travel each week and stay one to three nights in Phu Loi to share our programs with the guys. We loved that run, and the guys were always so glad to see us!

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At times we were assigned a temporary duty assignment (TDY).  One week, I was assigned to Phan Rang (near Cam Ranh Bay) to help in the recreation center.  I fell into the lap of luxury… 4 girl unit, nice, two bedroom trailer with carpet and air conditioning!  Bien Hoa had limited AC in our Quonset hut in the main living area, so that was a welcome touch!

In addition to our clubmobile runs, a recreation center was being built for us on the Army Base, so we were involved in getting that ready to open by September.  It opened on September 8, 1969, complete with pool table, ping pong table, game room, TV room and reading room.  It was such a welcome respite for the guys, and we made sure there were plenty of activities for them to do and participate in.  Our days were filled to the brim with runs to fire bases, preparing our programs, spending time with the guys at the recreation center, writing letters home, trying to make a MARS call home (ham radio), trying to cool off, hanging out with friends or just taking a nap!

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

Two things come to mind:

• I was brand new in country… only a few days.  It was the middle of the night and I was sound asleep.  Suddenly, the air raid siren that announced incoming fire started blaring.  I scrambled to put on my flak jacket, helmet, boots, and made my way to the bunker with the other girls.  I positioned myself in the back of the bunker and proceeded to cry.  No one else seemed phased that we were sitting in a bunker in a war zone with flak jackets and helmets.  It just seemed to me that tears and fear were appropriate at that time!  We all escaped unharmed, thank goodness.

• It was my 22nd birthday, and I was working at the recreation center.  There were several guys in there helping me celebrate my special day.  It was getting late and we were making preparations to close the center for the night.  All of a sudden, someone threw a tear gas canister into the center.  There was a mad scramble to get away from that tear gas as you can imagine.  I’ll never forget that birthday and the guys who were so protective over us and helped us through that experience.

The late Hannah Crews (center, dark hair), having a laugh with her Donut Dollie sisters

Because she cannot speak for herself, I want to be the voice of Hannah Crews, a Donut Dollie who lost her life at Bien Hoa.  Hannah and I were on duty together in the recreation center on the night of September 26, 1969 (I may be off a little on that date).  Hannah was riding home that night, fell out of a jeep and suffered a head injury.  She was immediately taken to 20th Preventive Med at Bien Hoa where her head wound was stitched up.  She stayed overnight for observation.  During the night, she suffered a seizure, was transported to the 24th Evac Hospital in Long Binh where she deteriorated, eventually lapsing into a coma, and succumbed to that injury on October 1, 1969.  I want to make sure that whomever reads this will know about her.

As soon as I arrived in Bien Hoa, Hannah and I established a close friendship. We were both from the same region of North Carolina, were raised with similar values, and had the same slow Southern drawl. The “little southern firecracker” was tiny at 4 ft 11 inches, with a charming personality, lovely smile, and infectious laughter. The guys and girls loved her. In the “fondest memories” question (last question), I share a favorite memory of a clubmobile run that Hannah and I experienced. I grieve for her still to this day. Rest in Peace, Hannah.

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

Yes, In a very odd way.  In Bien Hoa, we had a dog, Dinky, and a cat, Baby Cross.  In November of 1969, I took R&R to Bangkok, Thailand for a few days.  While there I did some Christmas shopping and walked into the military post office to ship some goods home.  As soon as I gave my name, all activity stopped.  I was then shown a notice in the Pacific Stars and Stripes Newspaper… “Judy Nichols – call Red Cross”.  The gist of the notice was that the cat we owned at Bien Hoa had died of suspected rabies and I was to go to the nearest medical facility to begin the rabies shot series as a precautionary measure.  So, I took 5 shots in Bangkok and completed the remaining 9 shots in Bien Hoa.  As it turned out, Baby Cross tested negative for rabies!

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

The 24th Evac Hospital was in Long Binh, which was about 7 miles from Bien Hoa.  I recall going there only once.  By the time we saw the men, they were clean and bandaged and really just needed a kind and encouraging word from someone from home.  Many of them were seriously injured and would be returning home soon enough.  I hope we were of some help and gave them words of encouragement to keep going.

While on a TDY to Phan Rang, I visited a Vietnamese Hospital whose patients were ARVN’s (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) and civilians.  There were separate wards for surgery, OB, charity, wealthy, pediatrics and general practice.  Vietnamese and American doctors worked together to treat the sick and babies were delivered by midwives.  Patients were nursed and fed by their families.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

I hopped a military transport from Saigon to, I think, San Francisco.  In San Francisco, the ticket agents thought I was military because I got a military airline rate to Greensboro, NC.  My mother sold air travel insurance at the Greensboro, NC airport and she was on duty the day I arrived home.  I had not told her when to expect me, so it was a total surprise!  There were a lot of tears that day.

The Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus was in Greensboro, and my daddy took me to the circus.  I had been home only a couple of days.  Mama made me a new outfit for the occasion… a red jumper and a striped blouse of many colors… I just think they were so glad to have me home, that any occasion to have an outing was a big deal.  I went along with the plan since I didn’t want to disappoint my parents who had been my rock during my time in Vietnam.  Anyway, who doesn’t love a circus!

Soon after arriving home, I did a presentation at a Red Cross Chapter in a nearby town and an interview with our hometown newspaper about my experiences.  Overall, I think people were afraid to ask questions about what I experienced, and to be perfectly honest, it was hard to describe in words just what it was like to have been in Vietnam and now back in “the world”.  The Vietnam War was not a popular subject at that time, so mostly I stayed silent.

Judy Nichols Tayloe with 2 GIs

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

We were young, brave, reliable, responsible, courteous, creative, loving, kindhearted, scared, inexperienced, hardworking, clueless, homesick, adventurous, tired, lost, bewildered, happy, sad, in love, and indestructible.  We wanted to be there, and we loved the GI’s with all our hearts!  We got so physically and mentally tired from our work, but we never tired of the men.  It was the best experience of our lives!

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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?

The dedication of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on Veterans Day 1993 in Washington, DC was a turning point for me.  It was also the first and only reunion of SRAO girls that I had attended.  Both men and women vets and civilians serving in Vietnam experienced the degradation of an unwelcome homecoming.  There were many Vietnam Vets at that occasion, and until that time, they had not been recognized or accepted.  Neither had the women.  It was following that celebration that I felt free to speak proudly about my service in Vietnam.

Now I feel free to express my experiences and am thanked for serving.  I was recently given a Vietnam Veteran Combat ballcap.  It is a prized possession.

Judy Nichols Tayloe (center, with broom) and her Donut Dollie sisters at the Bien Hoa recreation center on Halloween

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

I had been in Bien Hoa for less than a month when Hannah Crews and I were given the privilege of introducing our SRAO program to some “new in country” guys who were taking Combat Leadership Courses (CLC).  They would take this course and then be dispersed to various locations throughout Vietnam.  Normally, we programmed to small groups… usually 4 to 50 max.  Lo and behold, there were 200 men in this class!  There was a stage, a microphone, and 200 faces staring at us.  We were so nervous, but what saved the day was that Hannah and I both were from the South… North Carolina… and we both had that Southern drawl.  The guys loved us as soon as we opened our mouths and they responded so positively that the nerves just melted away!  Who knew?

The exhilaration of seeing boys that I knew from home is a favorite memory.  At Bien Hoa, I experienced 3 “hometown boy” reunions, 2 on Bien Hoa Army base, and 1 on Bien Hoa Air Force Base.  What a thrill!

There was a Vietnamese orphanage very near Bien Hoa, which we visited on occasion and also had the children visit our recreation center for special programs.  But most of all, the memories of the guys, young and vulnerable, most drafted into an unpopular war, who loved us, provided for us, protected us, doted on us, will remain with me forever!

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In tribute to Red Cross Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds
Published May 22, 2020 by

In tribute to Red Cross Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds

In our 50th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail we pay tribute to Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds. Sadly, she passed away on June 3, 2019. We are grateful that Jody had shared her story with us and we were finally able to locate photos from the archive of the late Joan “Dee” Fowler Hirsch, who served with Jody, to create a complete feature.

In her own words, Jody tells how President Kennedy’s inaugural address inspired her to serve in Korea and Vietnam, how she was one of the few Donut Dollies who started in Korea and were then asked to transfer to Vietnam, and how she tried to be a friend to the “boys” who were serving in Vietnam.

Please join us in honoring and remembering Red Cross Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds…

Red Cross Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds

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

As a young woman in the 1960’s, I heeded John F. Kennedy’s words “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”  I took the Peace Corp test and stated I wanted to go to Asia or Africa, two very big continents.  I was accepted in the program and they assigned me to Ecuador – I declined. Shortly thereafter I heard about the Red Cross job – Asia it was – and the pay was better.  I was a Political Science major, also Secondary Education and World History.  The place was timely for my interest and skills.

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Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds at the Cam Ranh Bay Recreation Center

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

After a 2 week training program with the American Red Cross at their National Headquarters in Washington, DC in June of ’65, I left (with 30 women) for Korea.  I was stationed at Munsoni, Korea – near the DMZ – when I arrived it was the 1st Cavalry Division – their colors were in the process of moving to South Vietnam, the buildup had begun.  My unit was now the 2nd Division.  In late October of ’65, I was transferred to Taegu Pusan – I was promoted to Program Director – a $50 a month pay raise – whee!  I volunteered to go to Vietnam in Nov/Dec of that year.  I did an ITT – an inter theater transfer to South Vietnam in January of ’66.  I was stationed at Cam Ranh Bay and did several TDY’s (temporary duty) – one to the 1st Cav Division – and I can’t remember the name of the other – very small base.  

My name is Joanne, but I go by Jody.

Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds enjoying some rare free time

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

Our Clubmobile was open from 10 AM to 10 PM, 7 days a week.  There were 4 of us for the first few months.  There always had to be two of us on duty.  The days were long – not much free time.  When we did get a ½ day we would go to the beach (beautiful beaches in Vietnam), always a GI and jeep would find us to help us out.  At night if we were not working we would go to the Army’s Officer’s Club or down to the Air Force Club for an adult beverage or two.  The USO came several times – Danny Kaye – Bob Hope – we would serve lunch or dinner to the GI’s in their mess hall.  We probably went to the NCO’s mess halls – I can’t remember – occasionally they would show a movie on the back wall of a building and we would sit on blankets on the sand (lots of sand).  We would visit the Army Hospital and Air Force Hospital.  At first, we would visit the village orphanage, but then the village became off limits. 

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

There was shelling at two of my TDY stations – we were in the bunkers with helmets – I am sure I was frightened – a long time ago!

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

No

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

There were two hospitals at Cam Ranh, one at the Army end, one at the Air Force end.  We didn’t go often, we were too busy with our units.  The real tough cases didn’t come to CRB – they were medevaced.  We saw the ones with mental issues – we just talked to them, held their hand.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

Judy Cayce and I spent 6 months coming home thru Southeast Asia, Australia, etc., so we had plenty of time to reflect on what had transpired.  I remember the night we sailed out of the Singapore Harbor – taking our last look at Asia (for a while) and how pensive and reflective we both were.  It had been a memorable year – after all the war was still going on – we really didn’t want to leave, but we knew we needed to. 

When I arrived home, I got a job with the Des Moines Public Schools as a substitute teacher.  I would often take my slides and tell the Junior & Senior High students of my journey.  I then got a call from the American Red Cross and they hired me as a case worker for SMF (Service to Military Families), SMV (Service to Military and Veterans) and Disaster Services.  The Red Cross sent me around Iowa to speak.

Donut Dollie Jody Ahrold Reynolds serving the men on the chow line

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

My youngest brother was the age of most of the boys I worked with (18-19).  They probably had not heard of Vietnam until they arrived.  They knew nothing about the US policy of containment and what war was really like (nor did I) and many were scared and bewildered.  I tried to be their sister, next door neighbor or a friend.

Donut Dollies marching to the dedication of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue in Washington, DC (1993)

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

On November 11, 1993, Judy Cayce, Joan “Dee” Fowler Hirsch and I went to the dedication of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, DC.  Many Donut Dollies and veterans from the different branches of the military gathered by unit in front of the Smithsonian and walked the National Mall to the dedication.  It was a large parade with lots of spectators – many men ran up to our group as we walked and thanked us with tears in their eyes – we were shocked and touched.  All of the GI’s that I have met over the years can never thank us enough.  It is a connection – they get it and I get it!

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

Living something that you can never imagine unless you had been there – I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

We wish to thank the following people for their assistance in making this feature possible: Jody Ahrold Reynolds, Stan Reynolds, Joan “Dee” Fowler Hirsch, Patricia Schweers and Karen Bishop.

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Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Nancy Calcese
Published May 15, 2020 by

Meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Nancy Calcese

In our 49th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Nancy tells how after serving just over a year in Korea the Red Cross asked her to serve a year in Vietnam, how she was the LAST Donut Dollie to leave Vietnam and how honored she and her Donut Dollies sisters felt by the audience response they received at a Bob Hope show 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 Nancy Calcese…

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

Honestly, I graduated and needed a job.  The Red Cross was interviewing on campus.  I was not a risk taker, and to this day I can’t believe I went to Korea and Vietnam.  Neither can the people who know me best!

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

I was in Korea July ’69 – September ’70 at 2nd Infantry Division, 7th Infantry Division, and Camp Red Cloud. In 1971 the Red Cross Headquarters called and asked me to go to Vietnam as an Assistant Director, where I was from May ’71 – May ’72.  I was stationed in Saigon, but traveled from Tuesday through Friday every week from Quang Tri to Binh Thuy.  I think there were 7 SRAO units in country at that time. 

Camp Payne (Korea) – Wearing an Army field jacket for protection from the cold and rain, Nancy passes out donuts before starting her recreation program.

What was a routine day like in Korea?

In Korea, a routine day consisted of either working on creating our recreation programs in the office or traveling in pairs via jeep, truck or helicopter to deliver those programs to units of men numbering from 10 – 200.

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What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

There were no routine days for me as an Assistant Director in Vietnam.  Each week I went to a different unit, visited with the “girls”, went on runs with them to various units, met with the military command to make sure they were getting the appropriate support, etc.  I spent a great deal of time waiting for transportation (hours at a time) to and from Saigon where I lived, and the various units.  I don’t remember the time period, but I once recorded 81 hours of flight time in 9 types of aircraft, and 98 hours of waiting time. No nickname, I was always known as Nancy.

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

No.  The military was very careful to monitor our safety.

Were you ever injured while in Korea or Vietnam?

No, but in Korea, I was hospitalized for a week with mononucleosis and secondary hepatitis.

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

It was very humbling and moving.  Sometimes uplifting, sometimes very sad.  The visits validated the Red Cross program and what we were all doing over there.      

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

When I returned from Korea, I assumed a hospital social worker position.  The transition was very difficult.  In Korea, my task was to provide a joyful distraction.  As a social worker, my task was to deliver death notices, problem solve, and counsel.  The difference was stark. 

Relative to Vietnam, at that time in my life, I was apolitical and Vietnam was just a very difficult job.  When I came home, people were interested in my experiences, but at the same time against the war.  The difficult part was that no one could relate to my experience and I couldn’t adequately convey what it was like.  My brother was a Vietnam war protester and thought that in my role, I had “contributed to the war.”  That was difficult. 

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

I was in 2 very different roles in the SRAO, and in 2 very different countries. So my views were different as well.   Having said that, I think all women who joined the SRAO were very caring, courageous and smart.  We were just trying to make life a little more bearable for the servicemen, representing sisters, wives, mothers and daughters.  We were all serving our country.  

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

In my experience, the term “Donut Dollie” has always brought a smile to the faces of vets.  I think they admired that we volunteered to be there and greatly appreciated what we did, and respected us.        

What are your fondest or most interesting memories of your time serving in Korea and Vietnam?

I was the LAST Donut Dollie to leave Vietnam.  I closed the program in May, 1972.  As an Assistant Director, my job was extremely difficult.  I traveled weekly to different sites, had to enforce rules and regulations that were often ignored, and experienced difficult living and travel conditions.    

My fondest Vietnam memory was of a Bob Hope show.  Five or six of us Donut Dollies had seats high up in the bleachers.  Someone arranged for us to sit closer on the floor of the arena.  As we walked down from above, word spread that the Donut Dollies were there and as everyone saw our uniforms, the entire audience stood up and applauded and cheered.  It gave us all chills.  

Being in Vietnam as an authority figure at 24 years of age was extremely difficult. But, I believe that my years in Vietnam and Korea shaped my successful career in Human Resources.  It gave me the skills and confidence to accomplish much in my life and I’m very grateful for both experiences.  They really shaped my life.

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