CNJ+ May 2024

ternment. Both civilians, military prisoners, and nurses were down to skin and bones and had to dodge bullets to get to the amphibious boats that awaited their rescue, but miraculously, all 77 nurses taken captive survived. After liberation, all of the nurses were awarded Bronze Stars and Presiden tial Unit Citations for their heroism. They were also promoted in rank. They were very humble and stated that they were just doing their jobs. After they received Bronze Stars for valor, and many of them were welcomed home with local celebrations, there was brief fanfare going forward. Little more was done for them. Captain Maude Davison, who had to take medical re tirement in 1946, was recommended for the Distinguished Service Medal, however, the War Decorations Board refused to grant it stating that Davi son’s heroism had not been an independent action but was at the direction of the male medical officer. The nurses were also denied many of the benefits granted to men returning from the war since they were not considered com bat forces, and many veterans’ service organizations like the VFW and the American Legion did not even accept female members until three decades later. Fortunately, in recent years, more has been done to remember and rec ognize these inspiring women. In 1980, former soldiers who had survived POW camps dedicated a bronze plaque at the Mount Samat shrine “in hon or of the valiant American military women who gave so much of themselves in the early days of World War II.” After years of campaigning, Davison was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on August 20, 2001. Some of the women on the front lines went on to publish their memoirs about their experiences. There were also movies made, based on the true stories of these courageous nurses. These movies tell it all. “So Proudly We Hail” (Paramount 1943) The movie was based on a book written by Lieu

tenant Colonel Juanita Hipps, a World War II nurse – one of the “Angels of Bataan” – who served in Bataan and Corregidor after MacArthur withdrew to Australia, which ultimately led to the surrender of US and Philippine troops to Japanese forces. “Cry Havoc” (MGM 1943), “They were expend able” (1945) Lt. Juanita Hipps Redmond, one of the few nurses to escape earlier on, (as mentioned above) published a memoir of her experiences on Bataan in 1943 that concluded with a dramatic reminder that after she was evacuated from the island, many of her colleagues were still there. She describes her time in Bataan and Corregidor and the three months after the start of the Battle of Bataan, where 60,000-80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war, many wounded, were forced to March 65 miles inland to internment camps. Those who couldn’t keep up were killed on the way. This was known as the Death March of Bataan. Other noteworthy books on the subject include — Angel of Bataan — a book based on the life of WWII army nurse Alice Zwicker — the only ser vice woman from Maine who served at Bataan, Manila, and Corregidor and was imprisoned for 3 long years in Santa Tomas. Angel of Bataan - written by Melissa Bowersock, based on information and letters written by prisoner of war, army nurse Marcia L. Gates to her mother. We Band of Angels of written by Elizabeth Norman. Though they weren’t much written about throughout World War II his tory, these frontline nurses deserve our respect and remembrance for their unwavering service and devotion to saving as many lives as they could while in combat. Let us never forget their sacrifice not only to their nursing profes sion but to the thousands of soldiers that they aided during the war. Though none are still alive today, to your memory, we salute you!!!!!

26 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

MAY 2024