And If I Perish: Frontline U.S. Army Nurses in World War II

After reading this, my foremost thought was why is this information not taught in elementary or middle school? Why is the contribution of these brave women not part of our basic history? I learned more about World War II reading this book than in any history course in my 16 years of formal education.
With clear and passionate prose, Evelyn Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee take the reader through the history of American nurses in the North African and European theatre during World War II. It begins with D-Day in Northern Africa, when Allied troops (mostly British and American) landed in Algeria and French Morocco. It was the first and only time that nurses went ashore at the same time as the first wave of soldiers (with D-Day in show more Italy and France, the nurses were sent in two-three days behind the initial forces). The history ends with the surrender of Germany two years later, as the nurses emerged from the exhausted trek from the shores of Normandy to the dense forests of Germany.
It’s hard to explain what these nurses went through – cold that froze water in their cups in Africa, near constant shelling in Anzio, shifting battle lines in Germany, lack of food and sleep, working with low supplies, disrespectful colleges and commanders, and always, surrounded by suffering, pain, and death. Yet, they preserved. Even when they had ships sink under them, tents explode over then, beloved friends died from shrapnel, and had their husbands and boyfriends killed far from them, they preserved. Even when called upon to stay and face almost certain capture, they volunteered. Not one asked to go home, but always forward, always towards the danger, determined to support the men who fought.
Yet, they were not awarded Veteran status when they returned home, nor where they given Veteran benefits. They were often excluded, mocked, shunned, or treated as second-class despite their braver service. It wasn’t until the last twenty year that the US Government stepped up and recognized their sacrifice. Thankfully, Evelyn Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee have preserved their story for future generations.
I highly recommend, particularly if you have young girls. It is a must for all women to know our heritage. show less

It is hard to believe the women who served in the U.S. army as Nurses could have been ignored but not only were they invisible to the pages of history, so were all the Nurses who came after them in subsequent wars that country was involved in, as I am discovering as I read another book on the subject. This time it's about U.S. Army Nurses in Vietnam.(Women In Vietnam, The Oral History by Ron Steinman). Both books are valuable. They are also shocking, very moving and sad, but my thoughts return to the Nurse in theatre in "And If I Perish" who, on running out of suture material, improvised with lengths of her hair to sew up a soldier's ruptured bladder, and I want to give a great cheer for her triumph over adversity. Those splendid women!

Excellent book includes detailed descriptions of Army Nurses close to the front lines and under fire in the North African, Mediterrean and European Theaters during World War II. D-Day Landing during TORCH, the bombing of the Newfoundland and the St. David, Anzio Beachhead, the Invasion of Southern France and Normandy. Numerous first person accounts taken from memoirs and oral histories.

What an excellent exploration into untold stories (as if there were any left!) of World War II. These stories are those of the nurses on the front line who saved many lives and often lost their own.

I have only read bits & pieces so far. I picked up this book because I am participating in a project collecting short bios of local women who served in the military. My 20th century history courses in school did not prepare me for this project. There was nothing whatsoever about any of this in my textbooks. What these women experienced has come as a big shock to me.

The topic of women in combat has been in the news a lot since the Department of Defense lifted its ban on women in combat roles in January 2013. In spite of official policies that insisted that in the past women have been assigned exclusively to noncombat jobs, women soldiers serving as nurses in WWII were clearly exposed to hostile forces and armed combat.

A little repetative at times but a very worthwhile read. Highlights an often overlooked - yet very important - part of WWII...The Nurses.