Nurses During The Vietnam War - 1492 Words

Nurses that served in the Vietnam War experienced a tremendous amount of horrific tragedies and stressful events. They are commended for all of the time they served and the dedication to their country, along with the advice they brought home with them. All of the nurses who signed up for the war were volunteers. Approximately 7500 US military nurses served in Vietnam during the war (Scandell 600). Women volunteered for a number of reasons such as to begin a military career, acquire more nursing training, or to pay for a nursing education. Patriotism and a sense of duty were ultimately the motivating factors behind their decision. An army nurse summed up these reasons for volunteering when she said, I had a very good friend die in Vietnam and another friend severely injured. How could I say, â€Å"Oh no not me,† when the men my age were going. What I thought I should say was, â€Å"How come not me. ** From earlier in their lives, girls learned the responsibility of caring for others. While boys played baseball outside, girls played house inside. They viewed themselves as mothers, sisters, and friends- not as individuals (Norman 7). Nursing then became the logical career choice for women. Once they arrived in the war zone, Army, Navy, and Air Force nurses experienced professional strains of working with young, severely wounded casualties who were often younger than them. A Navy nurse recalled, All our patients suffered multiple traumas, but what were most difficult were theirShow MoreRelatedThe Vietnam War Of Vietnam1534 Words   |  7 Pages The Vietnam War began November 1st, 1955 and ended April 30th, 1975. It was a long costly war that involved North Vietnam and their Southern allies, known as Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its main ally the United States. This war was very unpopular at home and would end with the withdrawal of the United States and the unification o f Vietnam under communist control. Many think of war as something that just men are involved in but very rarely do people think of the role of women in the warRead MoreEssay on Nursing During the Vietnam War675 Words   |  3 PagesNursing During the Vietnam War The Vietnam War was the longest war ever fought by U.S. military forces. U.S. personnel were engaged from 1961 until 1973. Approximately 10,000 U.S. military women served in Vietnam during the war. Most were members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Nurse Corps. All of the Army nurses were volunteers who attended a six-week basic training class, and then were assigned to one-year stunts in Vietnam hospitals and mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) units. Most ofRead MoreWomen During The War : The Silent Heroes1676 Words   |  7 Pages Women in the war: the silent heroes When the war broke out many men were deployed to fight but, without the help of women many of the men would have never survived. Between 4,000 and 15,000 women were sent to Vietnam for various reasons. Approximately 90% of the women were nurses. Though most of the women were nurses a select few were there in all military branches. Even though these women were in the specific branches they never fought on the frontline. The WAC, Women s Army CooperationRead MoreThe Vietnam War, American Men And Women Soldiers1368 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the Vietnam War, American men and women soldiers, the majority of whom had volunteered, were sent to a place where nothing was accommodating. Not even the soldier’s issued equipment was adequate or accommodating. They were not emotionally, psychologically, or materially equipped for what they would encounter in Vietnam, or upon their return to a place where they should have been safe; home. The Vietnam environment was nasty, brutis h, and dehumanizing on the soldiers. Young men and women, mostlyRead MoreThe Role of Nurses in the Vietnam War Essay1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Nurses in the Vietnam War On March 15, 1965, large shipments of troops arrived in South Vietnam. These troops occupied the country until 1973. During this time, many men fought and died for the United States of America. The numerous nurses that operated on thousands of soldiers are often forgotten. The soldiers that the nurses operated on were usually blown apart and crippled for life. The nurses worked diligently to save these men. Even by working hard to save these men theyRead MoreWomen During The Vietnam War1294 Words   |  6 PagesWomen were a heavy presence in the Vietnam war. While 1/3 of the men in the Vietnam were drafted; most of the women volunteered. Many women wanted to escape having to settle down and get married and some had something to prove to their families. While others just wanted to help their country. 90% of the women were nurses, but they were also air traffic controllers, physicians, intelligence officers, clerks, among the positons. In the 1960’s, American women took a role and supported their countryRead MoreWere Women a Help or Bother During the Vietnam War?1212 Words   |  5 Pagescourse because all throughout history women have made significant contributions to America, especially the Vietnam War. The United States has been slower to include women in its military planning and actions. Men believed in saving the United States from communism, and many women believed they could make a difference in the battle. Women, military as well as civilian, volunteered to go to Vietnam for a variety of reasons, as they wanted to show love and companion to men, they wanted to show their independencyRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources exemplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreComparison Between War History And The Vietnam War1514 Words   |  7 PagesCONTRAST IN WAR HISTORY KHALED ALRASHIDI ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Date : 03/03/2016 ENG #107 KURT MYERS On March 29, 1973, the last combat of the US troops finally left southern Vietnam. Four years had elapsed since the start of withdrawing operation by the US battalion from Vietnam. Approximately 2.5 million Americans soldiers among them officers, counselors, nurses, physicians and other units of personnel s in the US served in the Vietnam warfare. It was time to return home though theRead MoreThe Vietnam Womens Memorial Foundation Essay583 Words   |  3 Pages There is little official data on female Vietnam War veterans, because the military mostly favored recording the achievements of men in the army. The Vietnam Womens Memorial Foundation estimate that approximately 11,000 women were stationed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1973. Only about ten percent of women served as soldiers. The ones who did were normally treated as second class soldiers; their role was perceived only as a helpmate instead of a soldier, and they were often put in dangerous situations