American Daughter Gone to War

by Winnie Smith, Julie Rubenstein (Editor)

From Simon & Schuster, American Daughter Gone to War is Winnie Smith's story of being a 21-year-old student nurse joining the Army "to see the world" and was sent to Vietnam.

American Daughter Gone to War is the extraordinary story of how she was transformed from a romantic young nurse into a thoughtful, battle-scarred adult. It is a mirror for how our country dealt with the shattering experience and aftermath of the war.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, War, Biography, Military Fiction, Medical

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several years ago, walking in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco, I saw a sign for an estate sale. The house was a charming, if a tad worn, typical SF bungalow with rooms filled with wonderful layers and divisions of someone’s life. There was one room with crafts supplies: bowls of buttons, containers with thread spools, piles of notions. One table held stacks of old Life magazines and yellowed, nicely folded newspapers blaring significant historical headlines. The cost per publication was reasonable but what would you do with it save for create a new pile in your own home? History remains a stack of words, whether it be in print or online.

The kitchen, seemingly unchanged for decades, showed off pots and pans and if I remember correctly, an inordinate amount of enamel colanders. I roamed around in awe of all the things that somehow worked together even if they were eclectic in taste, collected to the point of minor hoarding, and at one time, deeply personal.

In the living room while bargain hunters and curious neighbors surveyed it all, I found a stack of books written by the estate’s owner, a woman named Winnie Smith. That book: “American Daughter Gone to War.” Smith lived in that house, in San Francisco, among her possessions, until presumably, she died. I left the sale with one of her books, a shaker box, and two frosted glass lampshades.

“American Daughter Gone to War” is a memoir. Smith trained as a nurse, served one year in Vietnam during the war in her early 20s, saw horrendous injuries, saved lives, sat with soldiers as they died, lived in horrid conditions, had unapologetic affairs, and many days, drank to the point of passing out.

Back in the U.S. she tried to re-assimilate and continue to live a “normal” life, yet nothing calmed, satisfied or meant anything to her except drinking. She only determined she had PTSD many years later when she found herself sobbing for hours on a female veteran crisis hotline. She later advocated for the Women’s Vietnam War Memorial on the National Mall and had a son as a single parent. Smith was a trailblazer, whether she intended it or not.

Her book is a mixture of understatement, resignation, defiance, and more often than not, anger. It’s crisis management every second of every day. The injury descriptions are matter of fact and worse than anything any human should endure and worse than any other human should witness. Her anger is equal opportunity: the army and its incompetency, treatment of service women vs men (don’t even get her started with a nurse’s dress uniform of skirt, panty hose and heals in a hot, humid war zone), the top brass who sexually harassed her, the perceived ingratitude of the local population, and the hatred of the North Vietnamese “enemy” (beware of offensive terms she uses in the book; it’s a bit shocking). Smith doesn’t varnish anything and remembers it all too well.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah I just had to read something more about that time, that place, and that job.

First: NEVER let ANYONE say there were no women in Viet Nam

This is a real memoir of a real person who took part in the real war. It ain't pretty but it is, I believe, closer to the truth than any novel

FIVE PATRIOTIC STARS.
Many thanks to you, Ms Smith, and to all your comrades-in-arms

[Bob Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew Winnie better than anyone when horrible events she repressed more than fifteen years ago came back as flashbacks, usually at night. The PTSD was real and the bedsheets would literally become soaking wet from her sweating during these episode. Unfortunately these nurses, doctors, medics, and men in battle never fully recovered from the trauma of the Vietnam war experiences.

Bob Evans February 2023.

[Louise Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was like I was there. Chest tubes, drainage bottles, teach. I am close to Winnie Smith age and a nurse. Very graphic. You can hear her voice change a s she tells her story. An important book.

Have read and re-read over the years.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book, and a rare female perspective on the Vietnam war. So many stories exist of the brave men on the ground and incredible pilots in the air - this book provides a harrowing perspective on front-line support crew, the medics and nurses.

[Allegra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and difficult. Not for the squeamish or those who want to remain naive. An amazing account of the Vietnam War by a woman who was there as a nurse. Gives a pretty good idea of why some vets come back harboring such secrets and trauma from not only the horrors they have witnessed, but also the horrors they have committed.

[Jwt Jan50 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read first had accounts by nurses from the Civil War, WW1, WW2 and now Vietnam. All equally harrowing. I strongly recommend the review here by Stephanie. This is not an 'easy' read. I purposely did not read it in the evening before bedtime. We need to be reminded of the cost.

[Jill Miclean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time connecting with Winnie. She's angry & bitter at the world before she even gets to Vietnam due to her relationship, or lack thereof, wither her overly critical and mostly absent mother. There is an emotional disconnect that definitely comes across throughout the book and her lack of empathy about anything is hard to take sometimes. I'm sure it's her defense mechanism, along with lots of drugs, alcohol and sex, to help her cope with her childhood then the horrors of war but it also makes her hard to like. I also feel that she never really heals from the war, she just finally finds a way to effectively shut it out.

Not as good as Linda Devanter's Home Before Morning which I'd recommend reading over this, but still an interesting story albeit slow at times.

[Mrs. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating true telling of an American nurse and her tour in the Vietnam war as well as her, and many others, struggle to reacclimate to life back in "the world".

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dad was a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman and a “China” sailor. He did not like the epic war movie The Sand Pebbles because in the opening moments of a 196-minute long film Steve McQueen’s character arrives aboard ship carrying a sea bag that Dad said was not knotted properly. This simple error ruined the rest of the movie for him.

I’m a veteran Vietnam-era 2nd Class Hospital Corpsman who rated this book one less star because Nurse Smith refers to Army enlisted medical personnel as “Corpsmen” throughout her book. Army enlisted medical personnel are Medics. They are not Corpsmen. The 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon was an Army Hospital staffed by Army doctors, nurses, and medics. Navy Corpsmen served at the Naval Station Hospital Saigon. To read about Army “Corpsmen” serving with Nurse Smith time after time after time grated on me, hence the lower rating. I am my father’s son.

That said, this is a remarkably honest book. It is not for the faint at heart. Smith writes about the horror and gruesomeness of a senseless and unjust war. I thank her for her service.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir recounts an Army nurse's experience in Vietnam. Predominantly memories of hospital activities and escapades with infantry officers and helicopter pilots in country it is a fast paced read. Her thoughts and portions of letters from her mother reveal attitudes of the country at the time. Throughout the book one sees a change in attitude toward life and toward war. On page 335 is perhaps the most telling paragraph. Her descriptions of post Vietnam, post Army experiences lead up to a realization her Vietnam experience really changed her. The final line of Country Joe MacDonald's "Girl Next Door" - "who will save her now?" took a long time being answered. For the most part it is other vets that have been through it.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Devanter's Home Before Morning, but still an interesting story of Smith's transition from an optimistic Army nurse to a borderline burnout seething with resentment for rear-echelon officers, USO entertainers and patients with trivial injuries. Reading this after Devanter's book, I can see both woman were emotionally gutted by the war but dealt with it in different ways.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting reading about the atrocities these nurses faced on the front lines.
Though I know that a lot of swearing is going to take place in battle areas, the amount of vulgarity in this book (got worse as it continued) and the personal details were given in more detail that was necessary. I wanted to finish but skimmed from the 2nd half on because of the words.

[Ted Mccormack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a U. S. Army nurse and her experiences during her one year in Vietnam treating some of the most seriously wounded soldiers. It also deals with her battle with PTSD for many years after she returns. Some of the details of wounded soldiers can be gruesome.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word. Devastating. I bought and read this autobiography in 1996. After just finishing the audiobook The Women by Kristin Hannah, I realized I had a copy of this book. It was mentioned at the end of the audiobook. A difficult read but highly recommend.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very emotional and educational.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third of three books I have read following "The Women" by Kristin Hannah, and one of her sources. This book by Winnie Smith I found the hardest to read, maybe because it was a culmination of so much reading on the subject, and very moving. Winnie documented her entire Army experience from beginning to end in addition to providing graphic details about her tour in Vietnam. Her book is different from the others because she included more information about the Vietnamse people and the cultural things she picked up as well as the hate and disdain the American people had towards them. It is hard to truly understand the trauma these men and women incurred as young people and the fact that some have taken the time to write it all down for us (as well as themselves) helps us to understand that anyone who goes to war of any kind and in any capacity is going to be changed. Once I got to the end of the book I understood why there is no social media imprint of Winnie Smith, she has created her own world and family in order to be safe and provide the best of herself for her son. My hope is that time and distance from the events of Vietnam and the help she has been able to get have brought her peace at this point in her life.

[Michael Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the U.S. lost the war in Vietnam, the nation blamed the debacle on those who fought it. The brave and intrepid women who sacrificed so much working under terrible conditions were ignored in the process. Winnie Smith or someone like her saved my life in Vietnam, and I think about them daily.
This book portrays a young girl exposed to the horrors of war and its effect on her life. It is an illuminating story of how badly America treated its heroes and the terrible effects of the war on their lives. It should be read by everybody who mistreated Vietnam veterans and the politicians who sent them to Vietnam.
The women who served their country in Vietnam are true heroes who deserve not only our thanks but also profound respect.

[Dr. Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in ‘92 about a war that ended in ‘75, still too close to the war for the author to see the bigger picture. This is a great book to show you in detail the horrors of war and the racism and bigotry that come with it. After 200 pages I had to skip to the end where “gook” and “street urchins” did not seem to dissipate. Actually, it was us who were the gooks (def meaning “stranger”) and we would dare to call orphans “street urchins” when we created them. And, the constant reference to “Communist anti-war” protesters was so misguided. I absolutely honor her work as a nurse, especially in a war zone. If you’re looking for a historical book with an uplifting ending, this is not it.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want a story, what a journey! The writing is excellent, the story so painful. I recognized much of what she wrote but since I served there toward the end of the war, I did not see anything as horrid as she did. It’s so sad that she did not get help sooner. So sad that anyone had to suffer/die in that ill-fated war.

[Katie Fromme · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-4.25 ☆ - Nonfiction - Story of Winnie Smith, who served in Vietnam War as a nurse. I read this after reading The Women by Kristin Hannah. Such a moving story and heartbreaking. Wish I would have allowed a little more time in between the 2 books though.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only got through a few chapters. Found it a bit dry, transition to military life seemed matter of fact, other transitions a bit abrupt.

Would have liked to read the whole story, but it wasn't easy to read .. the style of writing, not the topic.

[Martha Highfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping. The author takes you with her into the thick of war and back again. She reveals the physical, psychological, relational, and spiritual pain of a war that many Americans want to forget....Yet it and its warriors must be remembered.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking account of Winnie Smith's experience as a nurse during the Vietnam War and back at home after her tour ended.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

LP

[Kim Freitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlightening and eye opening

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a painful read for so many reasons. Yet it’s a voice that we don’t hear enough of, our women veterans.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very touching book.

[Jenna Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's heart breaking to read how the Vietnam War impacted Winnie (and others) during the war and for the rest of their lives.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had read this before The Women. I liked the book but often was confused about dreams vs reality. My heart goes out to all Vietnam vets.