Description
Object description
American officer served as flight nurse with 815th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron in GB and France, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in US, 1939-1943: description of training at School of Nursing, Englewood Hospital, Chicago; graduated 1942; further training at other hospitals; joined Red Cross as nurse, 2/1943; story of being recruited as flight nurse with Air Ambulance Corps, 1942; physical examination and induction procedure; rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Aspects of training with Air Ambulance Corps in US, 4/1943-3/1944: posted to Jefferson Barracks, St Louis, Missouri, 26/Apr/1943; description of train journey from Chicago; clothes and uniform; story of not being allowed onto base due to visit by President Roosevelt; description of nurses' quarters and mess; opinion of food; story of wearing boyfriend's Air Corps patch; opinion of Chief Nurse Miss Mullaney; attitude to military service; description of accommodation and work in Ward 10b; insignia and uniform; story of receiving first salute; description of basic training including drill; opinion of drill instructor and use of bad language; posted to Bowman Field, 11/1943; graduated as flight nurse 1/1944; description of further training including drill, bivouacs, hikes, logistics and map reading; contents of first aid bag; use of morphine and sulphur powder; story of taking turns as drill instructor.
REEL 2 Continues: posted to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 2/1944; description of train journey to camp; physical examination and inoculations; description of uniform and field packs; of-duty trips into New York. Aspects of voyage aboard the Isle de France from New York to GB, 3/1944: opinion of accommodation; length of journey; problem of seasickness; disembarked Firth of Clyde, Scotland. Aspects of operations with 815th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron in GB and France, 3/1944-2/1945: organisation and staff; assigned own surgical technician; reception on arrival in Scotland; description of night journey on troop train to Lambourne; travelled in GI truck; description of uniform and kit; opinion of accommodation in stately home at Welford Park; story of making shorts out of uniform trousers; reason for not being allowed to work in hospital; duties in dispensary including rolling bandages; volunteered for service on US bomber base at RAF Kimbolton; opinion of accommodation and facilities; duties waiting for wounded to come back from missions and transporting to base hospital; attended debriefings of crews; story of damaged aircraft landing; no casualties during period at RAF Kimbolton; recreational activities including cycling; story of giving baker copies of Chicago Daily Tribune to wrap bread; further drill training; attended French classes; off-duty visits to London; always wore uniform and carried gas mask.
REEL 3 Continues: description of accommodation on troop carrier base at RAF Membury; description of flights to France in aircraft carrying supplies of ammunition and gasoline; reason for not being allowed to carry trench knife on flights; attitude to service as flight nurse; story of being injured when aircraft took evasive action; story of friend taken prisoner by Germans; reaction to not receiving medal having only completed 12 missions; story of kidney infection and medical treatment in camp hospital; story of volunteering for mission to southern France with troop carrier squadron; story of flying to Naples to visit friend's wounded brother; story of being admitted to 43rd General Hospital in Aix-en-Provence with serious kidney problem; story of hitchhiking to Paris; returned to US aboard hospital ship, 2/1945. Aspects of period in US and Panama, 1/1945-11/1946: description of further medical treatment; discharged as disabled, 6/1946; resumed duty on flight status; story of working in dispensary at Howard Field, Panama with 1st Rescue Sqdn. Further aspects of operations with 815th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron in GB and France, 3/1944-2/1945: role of Sqdn delivering supplies to Patton's 7th Army.
REEL 4 Continues: story of Patton sending bottle of champagne to medical staff; description of treating badly burned tank crew member; story about supply of Red Cross cigarettes being stopped; duties collecting wounded from forward field hospitals and treating victims of car accidents; description of base at RAF Membury; story of glider with airborne troops crashing on take–off and treating casualties; attitude to war and loss; reflections on service as flight nurse; story of pilot not having map; story of plane stuck in mud and giving K rations to patients; restricted to one canteen of water for all purposes; story of flight on DC4 from Prestwick to US; role as stewardess; opinion of conditions on Douglas C47; story of first flight to France and bringing back Germans POWs; problem of poor communications during war leading to abortive missions. Reflections on period of war rservice.
