“We are everything at times…”

The care of dedicated and selfless WWII nurses saved many soldier's lives.

In my new book Dear Nora, Nora writes home to her mother: "Patients thank us profusely for the smallest thing we do, and they don’t complain. They ask for painkillers only when they are desperate. They cry a lot, especially the young ones. For most, it’s the first real care and rest they’ve had in a long time. Boys often just stare at me, or they’ll tell me I remind them of their girl at home, or they’ll grab my hand and say, "Won’t you just sit here for a while?” We are everything at times—mother, wife, sister, sweetheart. It’s a lot to live up to. Many are young but have the eyes of much older men. Their eyes often say more than their words." 

The oldest WWII nurse, Lt. Regina Benson, was 105 when she passed away in January 2025. Upon receiving the Angel of Honor award in 2020, she said, “None of us deserved medals. We just did what millions of Americans did. We served together for our nation and for our freedom.”