They Called Them Angels: American Military Nurses of World War II (review)

Approximately seventy-seven thousand nurses enlisted in the armed services during World War II (p. xvii). This book is an interesting collection of the stories of some of these military nurses who are, according to Kathi Jackson, unheralded and unchronicled. In the last few years, several authors have discovered this once-ignored group of women. Elizabeth Norman's treatment of American nurses trapped on Bataan by the Japanese is one such example that has garnered a great deal of public interest. ¹

Jackson's main purpose was to help the nurses to remember and to feel appreciated—in essence, to help them find their voice. Although sometimes melodramatic, the collection as a whole helps her achieve her purpose and points to the power and value of reflective thought and personal remembrances. The book is clearly descriptive in character, and Jackson admits that she "wasn't attempting to analyze what happened" (p. xii). Even so, the material as presented could be used elsewhere to generate important questions about gendered notions of technology, work, war, and bravery. For example, at the Battle of Anzio the Army command considered evacuating the nurses because of the danger they faced, but instead, kept them in the highly volatile field. They were perceived as highly gendered symbols of American resolve and strength, and their presence was considered crucial to calming and motivating the soldiers.

Jackson uses a varied array of primary and secondary sources to tell the story of the nurses, including the questionnaires and telephone interviews of twenty-five nurses, newspapers, published and unpublished books, diaries, and letters. From the stories, one gets a sense that the nurses were adept at creating substitutes for instruments, bandages, and other equipment in the field when shortages and supply mistakes necessitated inventions. They also practiced beyond the traditional boundaries of their profession, as did corpsmen and Red Cross volunteers. As these stories show, disasters and wars conveniently provide opportunities to test and expand the socially constructed boundaries of skills and knowledge.

The book is organized both chronologically and by battle theater. The first two chapters address the massive print and radio campaigns mounted to entice nurses to enlist, their military training (or lack thereof), and clothing and equipment. Chapters 3 through 10 describe the nurses' preparation for travel, their work, and the dangers they faced in particular theaters of war. Many of the vignettes used by Jackson describe extreme circumstances, hardship, and unflinching bravery. Chapters 11 and 12 break with the previous format. Chapter 11 in particular, "Camaraderie and Romance," is somewhat groundbreaking in that it addresses the rampant sexual harassment faced by the nurses. In many places they had neither the freedom nor the safety to walk unescorted around encampments, and their living quarters were protected by razor wire and military police. The presence of fairly extensive sexual harassment plays in contrast to the nurses' symbolic value during battle, as does their failure to win permanent officer commission status until nearly the end of the war.

In general, this book is an interesting contribution to the growing body of literature on military nursing. The bibliography alone is worthy of attention. But there are several unanswered questions. For example, where are the stories of African-American or Japanese-American military nurses, or the obstacles they faced in trying to enlist and to practice once enlisted? Jackson notes that she found few resources to represent these groups—that situation alone might have prompted further discussion, as these nurses are the most invisible and unchronicled members of the armed forces. Additionally, because of Jackson's purpose, the recollections and quotes provide the sense that "everyone was brave." Considering some of the narratives, a great deal of bravery in many of the situations was both required and exhibited by the nurses. But I was...