Distinguished Women

[PatBC]

Originally Posted by Biscuit

Women served everywhere there were medical units in WWII, I believe. There were female nurses on hospital ships and on islands in the theater. You would be surprised at the number of female POWs during WWII.

The policies of the US military post-WWII can already be clearly defined as sexist and racist by researching the benefits differential between white male troops and let's say 'others'. That being said, I don't hold any resentment or anger towards those making decisions and would be hesitant to label any one person as racist or sexist. A person's policy isn't necessarily a measure of that person.

I do not know one way or the other in the case of the US forces (except Hollywood's view)

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by PatBC

How close to the front were nurses stationed? I know there was nurse taken prisoner in the Philipines anywhere else? How many? Was there US women in a place where they had a chance to show heroism? At battalioon aid stations? Look as the women's who were honored on the list in WW1. The Hospital they were at was bombed. Did a similar event happen in WW2? I have not heard of many attacks by german aircraft on rear units in the later part of WW2 except on airfields. Were there women in the OSS like there was in the SOE?

In the Pacific, the front was so fluid, especially in the island hopping. What was the rear area that morning often became to front line by dinner, so, pretty darned close.

[PatBC]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

In the Pacific, the front was so fluid, especially in the island hopping. What was the rear area that morning often became to front line by dinner, so, pretty darned close.

I do not think the US forces experienced that kind of fliudy that much, except in Burma and Guadalcanal Canal. Did the Marines have nurses?

Seriously except the Philippines was a US nurse ever captured? There was hardly any US servicemen at Guam or Wake I doubt there women.

Most US taken prisoner by the Japanese were sailors or air crew off combat ships besides the Philippines. No nurses on combat ships.

[Biscuit]

Hey Pat,

This may be a little scattered, but you sound a little skeptical and this what I could come up with:

1. Trial of Japanese War Criminals, Documents: 1. Opening Statement by Joseph B. Keenan, Chief of Counsel, 2. Charter of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, 3. Indictment. Washington: Dept. Of State, 1946. [Appendix D's "Particulars of Breaches," pp. 93-96, lists categories of inhumane treatment of prisoners of war and civilian internees in violation of the Hague and Geneva conventions specifying murder, beatings, torture, ill-treatment, illegal employment, and the rape of female prisoners by members of Japanese forces. Appendix D's Section Ten refers to violations of the Hague Convention such as "Killing enemies, who, having laid down their arms or no longer having means of defense, had surrendered..." Also in regard to the Hague Convention, Section Thirteen refers to "Killing survivors of ships sunk by naval action and crews of captured ships..."]. (Prisoners of War: World War II)

2. During the war, 67 Army nurses and 16 Navy nurses were captured and spent three years as Japanese prisoners of war. (Women's roles in the World Wars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

3. The above numbers were found to be too low as the number in the obituary for Sally Blaine was cited as 86 Navy nurses at Bataan alone.

Let me see what else I can dig up when I get home. I have a pretty good book if I can find it. One of the reasons its hard to find information on this is becuase POW and female were pretty much synonomous with rape and people just didn't talk about that in those days. What a war scar to come home with. I read one account where the "comfort women" were raped 5-20 times a day, but don't know if female POWs were automatically relegated to that role.

[PatBC]

In your own link, 16 women were killed of 350,000 that served. The extreme small KIA rate suggests that they were not exposed to a lot of action. If the WIA rate was a hundred times the KIA rate that still means only a tiny number of US women were in dangerous situations. In the case of men the WIA to KIA rate is much less about 2:1, A little higher for marines, lower for US Army.

To me that suggest the number of WIA for women was likely less then 50. Therefore women were either not exposed to much danger, or super incredible lucky.

[Biscuit]

I don't think they were necessarily in the heat of the battle. In one the links I posted, they were captured when their island fell (Guam and Phillipines). There is at least one case of a woman being absconded from her camp/hospital, but she must have strayed from where she was supposed to be and I think she was Aussie. I did find a reference to female nurses serving on hospital ships, which would explain their presence close to the action without high fatalities. Even the Japanese stayed away from firing on hospital ships...I think. Anyway, here's the link....United States Navy Nurse Corps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[PatBC]

Typically medals are awarded when the recipitant carries out their duty while in personal danger. I showed based on the numbers killed it unlikely many women experience personal danger. Without that danger medals are very unlikely. I think that the source of the difference in Medals between the two wars

[Biscuit]

I can agree with that. Not to take away from any of the female recipients from WWI, but I was reading about them and was surprised at some of their commendations. That being said, they all have earned and deserve my respect and thanks!

[PatBC]

I think most nations tightened the giving of medals across the board after WWI. Some of my reading such that in some case (not top valor medals by any means) the recipient did not even know why they received award like the Military medal. I remember reading in one memoir where the author figured he received his because nobody in his unit had received any lately and the command pick him at random.

That might also have some impact in case of the difference for women between the two wars.

[Biscuit]

Thanks for that Pat! The dispensing of medals is a curious thing. I am reading Beyond Band of Brothers and Major Winters is a little critical of the entire system, i.e. the disparity between West Pointers and 'others' and the disproportionate number of medals awarded to high-ranking officers in clean uniforms to enlisted men that had their reccomendations downgraded.