In our 54th edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Dorothy tells that a high school friend brought the SRAO program to her attention, how on one programming run she learned after the fact that the Donut Dollies and the Huey crew had been flying at a dangerously high altitude and that she still gets asked to do speaking engagements to share her experiences of serving in Vietnam.

Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.  

Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Dorothy White Patterson…

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

I was visiting with one of my best friends from high school, Jan Petersen, and she told me she had just signed up with the Red Cross to go to Vietnam.  I thought it sounded really interesting, so I decided to look into it.  At the time, I was teaching in Pontiac, Illinois and was headed for a conference in St. Louis, which happened to be the headquarters of the Red Cross for our region, so I got in touch with them while I was there.  They sent the paperwork to my hotel, I filled it out and the rest is history!

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

I was in Cam Ranh from July, 1967 – January, 1968 and I was there for the Tet Offensive.  I was at An Khe from January, 1968 until I came home in July, 1968.  While at An Khe, I spent one week TDY (temporary duty assignment) in Nha Trang.  I did go by the nickname of Dot.

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

At Cam Ranh we had two recreation centers, we divided our time between the two bases, manning a center in each area.  Cam Ranh was a supply base with transportation units and a supply depot where goods were unloaded, stored, and delivered around the country where needed.  Cam Ranh Bay had beautiful beaches, so a couple of us spent most of our free time at the enlisted men’s beach relaxing and visiting with the lifeguards.  We spent our days putting together programs (games) that we could take with us on our runs.  We did lots of socializing activities outside the center —- cookouts, picnics, playing cards, singing around a little campfire.  

The other recreation center we served was north of Cam Ranh Airbase, which was called a replacement center, because the newly arrived men were housed there until they were assigned a location in-country.  Right after the Tet Offensive, many guys were sent to Vietnam.  All the housing facilities at the replacement center were filled – and it was days or even weeks before many of them were given an in-country assignment.  They were given no supplies (toothpaste, brushes, soap, etc) because they hadn’t been given a permanent assignment, so we helped the guys by providing them some of the basics. We may have raided the PX!  

While the men were housed at the replacement center, they hung out at our recreation center and enjoyed coffee, Kool-Aid and the company of the Donut Dollies.  It was almost identical to our center at the main base with tables for card playing, pool tables and areas for relaxing.  We also would fly out once a week to Da Lat, and then by boat out to an island (can’t remember the name of it) that housed some members of the Vietnam Navy, as well as some of our Navy men who were stationed there to train them.  

While at An Khe, we made many, many helicopter trips to fire support bases for mail runs, hot meal runs, as well as our “program” runs.   An Khe was the base for the 1st Cav and the 173rd Airborne, but when I arrived there most of the Cav had moved up north to be closer to the action and the 173rd had taken over the base.  There were still all the chopper hangers and bunkers, but just a few choppers remained.

At An Khe our center was called “The Happy Hooch”.  My friend Jan and I became very close with the 173rd LRRPs (Long-range reconnaissance patrol).  They were so anxious to sit around, visit and relax before leaving on their very dangerous missions.

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

There were never any major “close calls” that we were aware of.  We did get stranded one night at a fire-support base because bad weather set in and our helicopter could not take off.  It was quite an experience — they had to empty an entire barrack for the two of us Donut Dollies, and give us an escort to go to and from the latrine.   Another time we were in a Jeep (leaving An Khe to drive over a mountain to Qui Nhon) and had to wear our helmets and flak jackets for the one and only time we were there.  We found out that a convoy had been attacked the previous day and some Korean officers had been killed.  Luckily no incident occurred on our trip!  Also, one time we were returning to Cam Ranh in a Huey and we were freezing.  The guys in the chopper gave us their coats to wrap up in.  When we landed we heard the pilot tell someone on the ground that it was a good thing we were too naive to know they were flying at a dangerously high altitude, because there was ground fire below us.

Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

While at An Khe, I did fall and break my elbow, but it wasn’t war related!  The Vietnamese had been digging a ditch right outside the back door of The Happy Hooch, our recreation center, for weeks.  One night we were locking up and when I was leaving the center, unbeknownst to me the workers had gotten a spurt of energy that day and finished the ditch.  I tripped over a hill of dirt that was running the length of the ditch and broke my elbow stopping my fall.  I wore a cast for a few weeks, but everything turned out fine.

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

We really did not visit soldiers in hospitals, except for a few men we personally knew who were hospitalized with malaria or some other illness.

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

I arrived home in late July, 1968 and returned to my teaching position by mid-August, so I really didn’t have any transition problems.  I gave many, many presentations to various organizations in my local area about my experiences in Vietnam and was also asked to give a talk just a couple of years ago to a group studying Vietnam.  In fact, I have been called upon to give two talks in the past year.

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

That we were hard-working and sincere individuals.  We were anxious to do our part to help the morale of the troops and make life a bit easier for them.

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

I have seen many comments on Facebook and other places from Veterans who expressed their gratitude for the Donut Dollies being there.  I have also received many personal expressions of gratitude.          

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

1)  The expressions on the faces of men at fire support bases when we got off the chopper.

2) The many hours spent visiting with the men in our recreation centers, which was a place that allowed them to air their fears and anxieties.  

3)  Seeing the Bob Hope Show and seeing how much the troops enjoyed their time watching him.  

4)  What a beautiful country it was!

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In our 53rd edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Darlene tells how she joined the Red Cross as a hospital recreation worker that led to her to sign up to go to Vietnam, how sometimes she was dropped into insecure areas and how the soldiers enjoyed seeing American girls.

Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.  

Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Darlene Sellers Cooper…

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

My family was not military, except for an uncle who was killed in WWII.  Other than that, my family knew nothing about the military!  Many of my friends were going to Vietnam and I wanted to be a part of it!  I applied to the military and was accepted as a 2nd Lt in the Army, but wasn’t sure about the commitment.  I found out about the SRAO program and I was hired by the American Red Cross as a Recreation Worker in the hospitals at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX and Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, TX.  After 18 months of hospital service, I chose to go to Vietnam for one year as part of the SRAO program.

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

I arrived in Vietnam in July of 1968 and was stationed for 4 months at Cam Ranh Bay, then for the next 4 months I was stationed at Long Binh with the II Field Force, and in my last 4 months in Vietnam, I was with the 4th Infantry in Pleiku.  I was known as Darlene in Vietnam and did not have a nickname. 

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

Our daily schedule began early in the morning.  We traveled by helicopter or Jeep and sometimes walked to our designated area to provide programs for the men.  These programs included board games, puzzles, cards and other paper games.  We spent the afternoons with our staff evaluating our day and develop new programs or readjust programs to fit the needs of the soldiers. 

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

No!  But there were times that we were “dropped” into an insecure area for only a short time!  Several times we had to put on our “vests and helmets” and go into the bunkers, because of the incoming rounds! 

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Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

No! 

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

It was sad, but also rewarding to be able to help or just talk.  The men were very glad to see us! 

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

It was an adjustment, as the world had moved on and I hadn’t!  I did have an easier time coming home, thanks to the support of my family and friends!  Plus, I continued working with the American Red Cross in military hospitals surrounded by people that knew what I had gone through.  I needed to be a part of the military family! 

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

That we were there for the troops!  Our main goal was to put a smile on their faces!  Many of the soldiers only wanted to take pictures of us, with them.  They wanted to send the pictures home to their mothers, so they wouldn’t worry so much, seeing American girls with them! 

I would like for my family and friends to know that I did what I thought was right at a time when so many people did not support our men and the military! 

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

The veterans that knew us are always appreciative of our service!  My second husband is a Vietnam veteran.  He served as a pilot in the Air Force for 23 years.  We have lots of friends that are veterans and they are appreciative of the Donut Dollie’s service. 

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

The beautiful country.   The soldiers, never complaining, always grateful for what they had.  The soldier’s love and worrying about their families at home!

No matter how rough the terrain was or what little the soldiers had, they would always say that they had it great, compared to the guys in the next group! 

When we were traveling on top of tanks and passing by troops of weary men, one would see us (we always traveled in pairs) point and yell “round eyes”!  Then the whole troop would wave and yell!! 

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Closing thoughts…

I was the only “Dollie” that married a soldier, who was later killed during his 2nd tour in Vietnam.  We had met at Fort Leonard Wood (MO) after our tours in Vietnam.  I resigned from the Red Cross and followed him through helicopter training.  We had a son!  His dad was shot down during a helicopter mission when he was 7 months old. 

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In our 52nd edition of the Donut Dollie Detail, Justine tells how she was inspired by her mother’s service as a radio operator in WWII, how she encountered a soldier in the hospital who was injured in a very unexpected way, and she shares over a dozen interesting memories from her time serving in Vietnam.

Please share the Donut Dollie Detail with family, friends and veterans you may know, and make sure to like/follow us on Facebook to learn when the next edition is posted.  

Please meet Red Cross Donut Dollie Justine Lee (Lewis) Moyer…

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

After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Elementary Education, I was not quite ready to begin teaching.  At that time, the thought of being in a classroom all day just did not “feel” right.

Believe it or not, as I was browsing the want ads, I saw that an employment agency in San Francisco was recruiting women for a job with the American Red Cross.  I flew there for an interview and was accepted for the position.

I figured if I were a male, I probably would have been drafted and sent to Vietnam.  Joining the SRAO was an alternative to being drafted and a way to do my part.

In a way, I was also following in my Mother’s footsteps.  During WWII she was in the second Naval training class of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), and served as a radio operator.

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

I was stationed in Nha Trang from June 1968 to January 1969 and Pleiku from January 1969 to July 1969.  I’ve always gone by Justine.

What was a routine day like in Vietnam?

Nothing was “routine” as a Donut Dollie, not even the roof over my head!  In Nha Trang I lived in a spacious French villa, right off the South China Sea and visited the beautiful beach as time permitted.  In the Pleiku highlands I lived in a house built by the Civil Engineers and learned all about “the rainy season”, and while on TDY (temporary duty) in Phu Bai, I slept in a MASH tent and got to visit the Imperial City of Hue.

Each day unfolded in a different way.  I either (wo-)manned the SANDS Recreation Center in Nha Trang, remained on base to create another mobile program (game), designed those crazy short-timer calendars, helicoptered out to take our program and at times the mail to the fire bases, Kool-Aided the flight line or visited the units on base.

Meals were mostly eaten in the chow hall, but out in the field we often dished up the food.  It was a great opportunity to joke, smile, and boost morale as all the guys eventually came through the line.

At the close of the day, after unwinding with friends, the duty officer came to make certain we were all safely home, and that the guys had all skedaddled!

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

The very first time I was out, in the middle of our programming, a really loud siren went off.  Immediately everyone ran off in a different direction while I stood there like a deer in the headlights.  It didn’t take long to realize that “incoming” was raining down on the base.  Thankfully one of the airmen ran back to get me, grabbed my arm and dragged me to the nearest shelter.  It could have been a close call, and it taught me to be more aware of my surroundings from then on.

Another time we were awakened in the middle of the night, and huddled in our shelter as the alarm sounded.  Cortina, our dog, came flying in for cover and whimpering in fear.  I can still hear the sand shifting in the sandbags (that were packed around the huge culvert pipe) as the shrapnel hit.  I later discovered that the man who became my husband, was crossing the open field between compounds and dodging those very rockets!

I also remember riding to Wooly Bully (an asphalt plant) in a Jeep, through very red, dusty, Pleiku dirt.  I was seated comfortably on the left rear fender, behind the driver. The road was a washboard roller coaster.  All of a sudden the left side of the vehicle flipped up to what felt like almost a 45 degree angle.  I am certain time stood still.  I was so scared that I was not thinking clearly.  I wanted to get up and get out!  My Donut Dollie partner, seated on the right fender almost fell out, but she kept her wits about her.  She calmed me down and slowly moved towards me.  Wham!  Down went the Jeep!

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Were you ever injured while in Vietnam?

I was never injured while in Vietnam, but I did suffer a serious case of food poisoning after eating with a local Vietnamese family.  I could picture the meat that I often saw hanging outdoors in the market stalls during the heat of the day… no refrigeration, flies everywhere, BUT it would have been a terrible insult to refuse the generous offer of a meal from a poor family.  

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

I had the opportunity to visit the hospital one time that I never forgot.  It was right after a number of soldiers had been medevaced from an active fire base. There were bloody bandages everywhere.  I approached the bed of a soldier with his leg and foot swathed in bandages.  I assumed he was there as a result of a fire fight.  I was so wrong!  “No M’am”, he said.  “ I was mauled by a (Indochinese) tiger!”  Imagine being drafted to fight a “hostile action” and being attacked not by the enemy, but by a tiger!

How was the transition returning home to the United States?

When I returned home I had a difficult time accepting how materialistic we Americans had become, I’m not certain whether the people were driven by a need to have “more” or whether I had changed and was satisfied with less.  It was challenging to transition from thinking “Wow, lucky me, I got a ride into town in an old deuce and a half (truck)”, to seeing two cars in many driveways.  In Vietnam it was a treat if I ever got to see a show on television.  In the states many families had two TV’s and lots of programs to choose from!

I was proud of the time I spent in Vietnam.  After 13 months in country, I think I understood the horrors of war and the fear that young men might experience in being drafted to fight, BUT the constant stateside reports of draft dodgers escaping to Canada really disturbed me.  Years later when draft dodgers were pardoned, I still felt some resentment.

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

The women who served in the SRAO program of the American Red Cross were college graduates recruited from all over the United States.  The gals I met were smart, creative, adventurous, brave and patriotic.  We majored in different areas of study, had different personalities, different appearances and different beliefs, but we all made the same choice.  We put potential careers on hold and answered a call to serve our country by providing the military with a break from the chaos of war and a reminder of their loved ones back home.

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

Although I know many veterans who served in Vietnam, my service has not really been discussed at any length.  When people do find out they are generally surprised and somewhat amazed.  On Veteran’s Day a year or so ago we visited the Veteran’s Memorial here in Sacramento, CA.  My husband and I were overheard as we were each locating the places we served on a big bronze map.  A curious stranger asked me why I was there, so I shared my story.  Then he thanked me for my service!  That really felt good after all these years!

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

My memories are numerous!  Here they are, in no particular order:

The piercing blue eyes of soldiers looking at me through red dirt covered faces

The many men who stood alongside me, extending their arms over my head, smiling at a memory and saying, “I bet you are about 5ft 2in tall!”

My answer to the inevitable question, “Where are you from?”  Trying to connect to as many men as I could, I would say, “Born in Berkeley, California, raised in New York City, living in Tempe, Arizona.”

The supportive gals in blue, holding the other end of the olive drab program bag that we carried everywhere

The marvelous laughter of the men competing against each other during a program game

Snoopy on the short-timer calendars that we provided to the men

The sound of a helicopter… I still look up when I hear one.  Sitting next to a door gunner, looking down at the beautiful blue South China Sea on one side, and the ghostly (Agent Orange) deforested landscape on the other

Spooky (Puff the Magic Dragon), the AC-47 gunship (airplane) firing at night with tracers that lit up the sky

Mama-san scrubbing my soapy blue uniform on the cement with a sturdy bristle brush

Beautiful girls dressed in a traditional Ao Dai

The blackened teeth of Betel Nut chewing natives

Amerasian and Eurasian children begging, and scavenging on trash piles

Water Buffalo munching away in the beautiful green rice paddies

The coveted brass bracelet that was earned by drinking rice wine

Experiencing the mix of other cultures… Vietnamese, Montagnards, British, Canadian, Filipino, South Korean, Australian, Thai, Indian, Pakistani and New Zealanders

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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…

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!

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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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.

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.

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.

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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