She Was an American Combat Nurse During World War II
by Jeane Slone
She Was An American Combat Nurse During World War II
Historical Fiction
Grady Hospital, Georgia, 1941. Meet Beatrice Harrington, Chief of Nursing in the White section and Dora Mae Williams, Chief of Nursing in the Black section. Because of segregation during that time, these two exceptional nurses never meet in person, although they share similar career paths. War is ravaging Europe and racial discrimination is rampant in the U.S. Both nurses join the Army Nurse Corps and work in jungle hospitals—Bea in Baguio, Philippines province of Bataan and Dottie in Tagap, Burma.
Through opposing chapters, this historical book allows readers to compare and contrast the experiences of these two strong, dedicated, and skilled nurses in the face of combat danger, human suffering, and discrimination. With fortitude and personal resilience, each nurse displays unsurpassed courage amid lethal combat conditions. This book portrays keen historical depictions of the era with narrative and photographs that deftly convey the experience and impact of segregation both in general society and in the Armed Forces. The strength and dedication of these two extraordinary nurses and the nurses under their command will inspire, educate, and leave an indelible impression on the reader. A thoroughly researched historical novel that took five years to complete.
What others are saying about “She Was an American Combat Nurse During World War II”
I loved this book. Jeane has captured these two nurses so well they became real to me as did the other characters. Using the genre of historical fiction, I got a complete picture of the time and experiences of nurses and the worlds they worked in.
My niece had not heard of the Bataan Death March, and she is 41! I know from speaking to others that a lot of the history of WWII is being lost, and especially the part nurses played in ensuring that our military personnel were well cared for was largely forgotten. As a veteran and a nurse, I could relate to this both personally and professionally. Jeane Slone’s work is so good, all students and the general public need to and must read her books. — Donna Cambra BSN (retired Army Nurse), MFT
I was very moved by the story even though I knew from Jeane’s other four books that the women were strong. But it was a surprise to see how strong, dedicated and skilled they were here in the face of combat danger, human suffering, and discrimination. I wouldn’t be surprised if the book becomes a movie. —Bob Matreci, Pacific Coast Museum staff member, Santa Rosa, CA, and World War II history buff
Jeane Slone shines a powerful spotlight on the immense courage, extreme fortitude, and personal resilience of World War II nurses serving our country while enduring intensely difficult and potentially lethal combat conditions. The story is insightful with its keen historical depictions of this critical era, and deftly conveys the experience and impact of segregation in the Armed Forces. Certainly, the strength and dedication of her characters will leave an indelible impression on readers.
Anita Rowell, co-author with her father, Dr. Granville Coggs, of his biography, Soaring Inspiration: The Journey of an Original Tuskegee Airman