Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse

The United States is still fighting World War II. Cherry Ames is still an Army Nurse, this time aloft--as a flight nurse. Cherry is reunited with her corpsman Bunce--the two of them are in sole charge of ferrying severely wounded men out of the battlefield and to the nearest Army hospital. Much to Pilot Wade Cooper's chagrin, he has been taken off bomber duty to fly the wounded to safety--until Cherry makes him see otherwise. Off duty, the nurses "adopt" 6-year-old Muriel Grainger, who has known nothing but war in her short life, and whose mother has been killed by the Germans. Her father is often out on mysterious errands that cause some to label him a "spy." Cherry makes it her risky business to find out if this is truth or rumor.

My second favorite book in the series. I remember being enthralled by the descriptions of wartime England and the privations they had to endure. I loved that the nurses adopted one of the English children as a mascot, but I liked it even better when they invited all the village children over for a holiday dinner and presents.

First line:
~Lieutenant Cherry Ames, of the Army Nurse Corps, training at Randolph Field, Texas, to become a flight nurse, decided to take time out, this hot September morning, for a coke~

What did I think?
Cherry, the central character in a series of 27 mystery novels with hospital settings, is a sweet, dedicated working woman. These books were originally published between 1943 and 1968. I read them first when I was a pre-teen and really loved them. I had no idea that these books were written to encourage girls to become nurses as a way to aid the war effort! I did become a nurse and at 61 years of age, I still own 6 of the series. I decided it might be fun to re-visit one of them last month during the MysteryCat Challenge to read a YA / show more children’s mystery.

This one is pretty much as I remember the series. Not exactly a mystery but something mysterious is going on and Cherry is concerned about it. She doesn’t solve a mystery but we are with her as she is confused and eventually has the mysterious circumstances explained to her.

This book is definitely dated but still was a fun easy read. I used to think I was keeping these books for my grandchildren to read (not that I have any grandchildren yet!) but I don’t think that I want my grands to read this. Too syrupy sweet. And with some unprofessional behaviours that we would not condone in a nurse today.

3.5 stars show less

the postmistress got me in the wwii mood. otherwise, nothing in common here.

***

LOVE the wwii propoganda... in the grace harlowe overseas books, germans are "huns," and 25 years later, they're "jerries"...oh, the period atmosphere!

5 Stars

Vill läsa nästa bok i serien nu men jag har för tillfället ett hål i min samling... Det får vi nog fixa.