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

by Kathi Jackson

With the insight and intimacy of firsthand accounts from some of the thousands of army and navy nurses who served both stateside and overseas during World War II, this book tells the stories of the brave women who used any and all resources to save as many lives as possible. Although military nurses could have made more money as civilians, thousands chose to leave the security of home to care for the young men who went off to war. They were not saints but vibrant women whose performance changed both military and civilian nursing. Kathi Jackson's account follows army and navy nurses from the time they joined the military, through their active service, to their lives today. They Called Them Angels presents the stories of women who lived under extraordinary circumstances in an extraordinary time, women who even today bear emotional scars along with lasting pride.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War II, Health, Nursing

222 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2000

About the author

​I inherited my love of writing and history from my father. After we watched
historical movies together, we investigated the people and events to see what they really looked like and what really happened to them. As a child, I read and wrote poetry and stories.

My interest in writing waned during the years of marriage and children until a university job enabled me to write for school publications. The next thing I knew, I had written five novels with time periods ranging from 1812 to current day.

Researching one of these about a World War II military nurse inspired me to tell the world about these women in a nonfiction format. This became my first published book, and the one that became a play in December 2008.

I am easily swept up and totally immersed into other eras and want to base novels on folk songs and fairy tales. My first novel, Lily's War, is based on the old folk song, "Lily of the West."

Reviews

[Danna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kathi Jackson clearly did a tremendous amount of research to put this book together: she did a great job. The stories are wonderful and it's awesome learning about these women, whose stories have been so frequently neglected. However, the reason I didn't give it a better rating is because I got bored halfway through, feeling like I just kept reading the same stories over and over. Jackson does warn the reader, in the introduction, that much of the book is repetitive because she wanted to include as many stories as she could. I wanted to want to read every story and give each equal attention, but I just couldn't. I kept feeling like I was reading a thesis.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal accounts are exactly that, personal. I can't get enough of hearing people tell their stories.

[Dr. Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother was a nurse in WWII, trained as a psyche nurse for military personnel returning home from war. She died when I was too young, too unworldly to ask questions about her duty stationed in Seattle. She told us a couple of sweet, silly stories that she and her nurse colleagues shared, but nothing deeper than that. I had a girlfriend from high school who was a nurse in the Vietnam War, but we never shared more than superficial info. With more quotes than commentary, this book gives valuable insight into war, medical care, and the precursor to the '60s women's movement. I include the women's movement because the WWII generation of nurses were daughters and granddaughters of American Suffragettes. This is the stuff we are made of.

[Deneene Herring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

A lot of information but also includes personal stories. Great mix! Anybody interested in WW2 history needs to read this.

[Reeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book. Can you imagine only having powdered eggs and potatoes to eat and only getting meat twice a month? They must have been weak as a kitten with so little protein. Working 18-hour days, seeing horrendous physical injuries, could only take a bird bath out of their helmet, catching whatever the diseases were where they were, being shot at while you are working, some even dying. The pay-off being indispensable to the wounded.
Quote: “Dancing was definitely a favorite pastime, and dancing was what many Navy nurses had been doing on the decks of the USS Arizona on the last night of America’s innocence, December 6, 1941. Genevieve Van de Drink has fond memories of the doomed ship sharing its decks with two bands and dancers wearing their finest attire.”

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book provided an overview of the role nurses played in World War II. While I learned quite a bit, I was disappointed that it didn't dive deeper into the experiences of women discussed. It felt more like the introduction to a deeper work.

[Sarah Sundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice compilation of personal accounts of World War II nurses who served in every major theater.

[Jennie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time for research!! Loved this one. Thank you to all of the ladies who served our country and continue to serve!