Missing In Action

[Arrow]

MISSING IN ACTION

A World War Two evacuation plane being loaded with wounded troops in the Pacific.

Most of the stories about military personnel MIA - Missing in Action - are about men. One doesn't think of women in those terms. One family does and they were gracious enough to share that story . 2nd Lt. Eloise M. Richardson was born April 18, 1920, the second eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William F. and Cora (Corrigan) Richardson. Their home was in Marseilles (LaSalle County) Illinois. Eloise was graduated from Marseilles High School at the age of 17. She needed only three years of high school to earn her diploma. Eloise had planned to attend Ryburn-King School of Nursing in Ottawa, Illinois but was forced to defer her plans until she met the age requirement of 18 years. She began her nursing training in February of the following year. Upon graduation from Ryburn-King, Eloise was on the nurses staff at the hospital and later did general duties at Cook county hospital in Chicago. In 1942, Eloise enlisted in the Army with the 24th evacuation unit and received her basic training at Breckenridge, KY. She earned her gold wings from an air evacuation unit at Bowman Field, Kentucky in October, 1943. In December of 1943, at age 23, 2nd Lieutenant Eloise Richardson transferred to the Army Air Force division of nurses. She came home on leave sometime around the first of November, 1943. On March 8th of 1944, Eloise left San Francisco for overseas duty. She was stationed on Guadalcanal as a flight nurse. Flight nurses duties included removal of the wounded from combat areas by air. On the trip between the combat zone and the hospital behind the lines the flight nurse is in complete control of the C-47 hospital ships.



A WWII Flight Nurse tending wounded troops on board an air evac flight.On May 18, 1944, Eloise was on a routine flight between the western coast of Bougainville and Guadalcanal. The plane was carrying wounded men including officers and parcels of mail. The plane never arrived at it's destination. No evidence of it's whereabouts has ever been recovered. On May 19, 1945, one year and a day after her disappearance, Eloise was declared officially dead. In August of 1945, Eloise was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The decoration was sent by Brig. Gen. Roland Walsh of the Philadelphia Quartermaster depot. The medal was received by her parents. Lt. Eloise M. Richardson, N-731623, Army Nurse Corps, MIA May 18, 1944, FOD May 19, 1945, gave her life in service to her country. Let history remember that women have served voluntarily since this nation began.

[catman]

Sis...very nice and touching story, thank you!

Trav

[Tina]

Thanks for sharing the story...
Its so true that ppl do forget about the women..
love ya
Your friend and God Bless,
Tina

[Arrow]

Press Release November 15, 2002
(301) 585-4000 Contact: Mokie Porter

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA MOURNS THE LOSS OF LYNDA VAN DEVANTER

Washington, D.C) - Lynda Van Devanter, one of the nation's foremost women's veterans advocates, died November 15, at her home in Herndon, Virginia, after a long illness. "This is an extremely sad occasion," said Thomas H. Corey, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). "Lynda was a giant in the field of veterans affairs. She was a forceful and effective advocate for all veterans. She was a valued friend, a devoted colleague, an accomplished nurse, and a loving mother and wife. She will be missed terribly."

Lynda Van Devanter, who was born in 1947, served as a U.S. Army nurse at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku from 1969-70. In 1979, a year after the founding of Vietnam Veterans of America, she helped launch and became the head of VVA's Women's Project. She also began counseling other Vietnam veterans and conducting seminars around the country.

In 1983, she wrote a highly acclaimed memoir, Home Before Morning, which was reissued in 2002. "Lynda's book stands as one of the most powerful, evocative, and influential Vietnam War memoirs," said Marc Leepson, the arts editor of VVA's national newspaper, The VVA Veteran. "Home Before Morning" changed people's attitudes about the women who served in the Vietnam War, especially the nurses who faced the brutality of the war every day and whose service was all but ignored during the war and in the years immediately after."

Vietnam Veterans of America honored Lynda Van Devanter with its Excellence in the Arts Award in 1987 and with the VVA Commendation Medal in March of 2002. "It was the least we could do to recognize what Lynda has done for America's veterans. She truly exemplified our motto, 'In Service to America.' Her loss is a tragedy for her family and for all Americans who care about veterans,"said Corey.


Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is the nation's only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated to the needs of Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA's founding principle is "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another."

[philly]

Thank Arrow!!!

What a truly touching story...

And I love to see women supporting and honoring other women.