Date: Wed, 29 May 1996
From: Linda Grant De Pauw H-MINERVA
Reply-To: H-MINERVA
H-NET List for Discussion of Women & the Military and Women in War
Subject: QUERY: American Women in the Vietnam War

From: A.Kearney

I am beginning my thesis research this summer. My topic will be the experiences
of American women who served in the Vietnam War (ie. nurses, Red Cross workers,
missionaries and journalists). If you know of any sources other than the following list of books that I have found please let me know.

Books include:
_Nurses in Vietna_
_Women at War_
_Home Before Morning_
_Women in War_
_Into the Combat Zone_

I am also interested in doing quantative work on the social background of these women. Any information about government documents in this area would also be appreciated. Thank you. Kearney,
East Carolina University

From: Gene Moser

If you want first hand information, I can ask a friend who was an American Red Cross Volunteer, who is in contact with several others. If this would be of help, please e-mail me directly. My friend is not on e-mail and lives on the other side of the continent. I will have to snail mail her and wait for a response, so you might have to wait a bit. The easiest thing is to give me your academic snail mail address and I will send it to Judy. Gene Moser

Date: Thu, 30 May 1996
From: Linda Grant De Pauw, H-MINERVA
Reply-To:H-MINERVA
H-NET List for Discussion of Women & the Military and Women in War
Subject: COMMENT: American Women in the Vietnam War

From:Susan Ashraf

I am curious as to why you omitted military women who served in Vietnam in capacities other than nursing from your population for your study. In case you are unaware, line officers (at least in the USAF) and enlisted women served in the Southeast Asia combat theatre. Nurses comprised the bulk of the military women who served in Vietnam;however, there were other female military personnel assigned there who served in non-traditional fields and specialties. I was a line officer who served in Intelligence. Even received a Bronze Star with a "V" device (yes...in response to another thread....it is hard to be confused as to whether or not you are eligible to wear a V-device since the wording appears on the orders awarding you the decoration).

There were not many of us (it was difficult to get a SEA assignment if you were female--the latrine problem) but we did exist -- in spite of the recently unveiled memorial in Wash.D.C. featuring only nurses. I will now get off my temporary soap box.

Susan Ashraf

Date: Fri, 31 May 1996
From: Linda Grant De Pauw, H-MINERVA
Reply-To:H-MINERVA
H-NET List for Discussion of Women & the Military and Women in War
Subject: COMMENTS: American Women and the Vietnam War

From:Regina Lark

An important book on women in Vietnam is: Virginia Elwood-Akers, _Women War Correspondents in Vietnam, 1961-1975 (Metuchen, 1988). Elwood-Akers examines the famous and not-so-famous journalists through the war years, how they broke through the ranks of a male-dominated profession, being on the front lines, etc, etc. A fascinating read with some great photos too!

Regina Lark

From: Jessica Weiss

See Winnie Smith's AMERICAN DAUGHTER GONE TO WAR for a memoir of Vietnam and post-traumatic stress from a woman's perspective.

Jessica Weiss
Cal. State Hayward

From:"Sara Stratton

Keith Walker's _A Piece of My Heart: The Stories of 26
American Women Who Served in Vietnam_ (Ballantine, 1985) is quite a moving collection of first hand accounts.

Sara Stratton
Department of History
York University

Date: Mon, 3 Jun 1996
From: Linda Grant De Pauw, H-MINERVA
Reply-To:H-MINERVA
H-NET List for Discussion of Women & the Military and Women in War
Subject: COMMENT: American Women in the Vietnam War

From: Josette Wingo

Hi.

Also look for "Visions of War, Dreams of Peace:Writings of Women in the Vietnam War." (edited by Linda Van Devanter--1991 Warner Books) it's in paperback. Peace Josette Wingo

Date: Tue, 4 Jun 1996
From: Linda Grant De Pauw, H-MINERVA
Reply-To:H-MINERVA
H-NET List for Discussion of Women & the Military and Women in War
Subject: COMMENT: American Women and the Vietnam War

Bravo Susan Ashraf for standing up for non-nurses experiences in the Vietnam war. Several years ago a call went out by the publishers of a Dictionary of the Vietnam War for entries. I noticed a glaring gap, and wrote the editors that they did not have any entries for women (someone had already taken Jane Fonda). They wrote me back that "women" was not an acceptable entry, but that they could add "nurses." They did and I wrote it. That was ten years ago. Would an updated dictionary have more entries for women? I don't know.

Linda Alkana

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