"Angel in Olive Drab.."
"Angel in Olive Drab.."
By Don Southwell,
Chair Region 1D Veterans Committee
For the commemoration of Veterans Day last year I traveled to Washington, D.C., as did thousands of other Veterans from around the country. This was a Veterans Celebration to be remembered. The Vietnam Women's Memorial Project had yielded a magnificent tribute to the patriotism and courage of the over 11,000 military women veterans and over 20,000 civilian women who served in the armed forces during the Vietnam War.
(This portion was taken from the dedication program prepared by the Vietnam Women's Memorial Project.)
In 1984, Diane Carlson Evans, a former army nurse and Vietnam Veteran, embarked on a mission to place the Vietnam Women's Memorial on the hollowed ground of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In October 1988, Congress unanimously approved legislation that President Ronald Reagan signed, authorizing the project to build a memorial on federal land to honor the military women who served in Vietnam. The Vietnam Women's Memorial is the first memorial honoring women's military service, placed in the nation's capitol. It is on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 300 feet southeast of the statue of The Three Servicemen, directly across from the Wall. Designed by sculptor Glenna Goodacre of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Vietnam Women's Memorial is a multi figure bronze sculpture in the round portraying three Vietnam era women, one of whom is caring for a wounded soldier.
As with every Veterans Day, many Veterans come to Washington, D.C., but this year it was different. There were many, many more Women Veterans than I had ever seen before, for this was their time. A time to remember, a time to see an old friend, a time to be honored, and a time for healing.
At 11:00 AM there was to be a parade down Constitution Boulevard. As those who were marching lined up with the groups they served with, you could see proud women veterans holding signs with the unit of service written on them so others could find their units. Many units were hospital units because 90% of the women who served in Vietnam were nurses.
As we prepared and lined up for the march, I noticed a small sign held high above the rest. As I read the sign which said "7th Surg.", many memories came back to me because this was the surgical hospital unit from my old base camp at Swan Loc [Xuan Loc], Vietnam where the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment called home. The 7th Surg. Was where many of the wounded I dusted off, got their first opportunity to be treated by a doctor or nurse.
The memories were very clear because I made that trip myself after a helicopter crash I was in. The helicopter crashed into a jungle area with tall trees. As the tail rotor hit the tree tops and was sheared off, the helicopter started spinning. When the tail hit a tree large enough to stop it, the momentum threw me out of the open door. The helicopter at this point, was approximately fifty feet off the ground and falling like a sack of rocks. I hit the ground and several trees first and ended up wrapped around the base of a tree approximately fifty feet from where the helicopter came to rest.
When I arrived at the dust off pad of the 7th Surg., I had just turned nineteen years old, three months earlier. I was scared because I had no feeling in my legs and was unable to move them. As the helicopter touched down, a nurse was there telling me I was going to be alright. This was the standard line you tell all the wounded. The one I had used so many times in my duties as a medic. I was to say the least, unsure of my future and it would include the use of my legs.
The nurse stayed with me and reassured me most of the night. When I awoke the next day she was still there. I had never seen an Angel until then and was surprised she was wearing olive drab. Three days later I walked out of the hospital ward and was able to rejoin my unit in just two weeks.
I never got a chance to say thank you to my "Angel in Olive Drab" until Veterans Day 1993. You see, she was the one holding the "7th Surg" sign. As I walked up to her my heart swelled, as did my eyes. I told her how important her kindness was to me and gave her a big hug. I was finally able to say thank you to my "Angel in Olive Drab". I will never forget the women who served their country during the Vietnam War. Their patriotism and courage will always be an inspiration to me as long as I may live.
Photo Courtesy of The Dallas Morning News - Matt Mendelsohn -- Nov. 1993
Caption Reads: "Peggy Mikelonis of Tampa, Fla., comforts a sobbing
Buck Troesch of Cibolo, Texas, during a parade Thursday in Washington, D.C.,
honoring women who served in the Vietnam War. Mr. Troesch said
Ms. Mikelonis' former sugical unit saved his life during the war."
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The above article was given to me by a good friend and Vietnam Veteran, William Bruisma, early in 1994. The article appeared in a local publication in Michigan. Thank you, Billy, for sharing this most eloquent story. - Pam
