Vietnam: In Their Own Words

Julie L. Decker PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor Nursing, Penn State
As a current member of the undergraduate faculty, she has developed classes for students focusing on the specific healthcare requirements and issues of the Veteran population. Also developed a course focused on the history of nursing in which the role of military nurses is highlighted from their service in the American Revolution to the current theaters of operations. She has talked at length on the service of nurses in the Vietnam War.

Dixie Ferguson
Served with the American Red Cross in Vietnam 1966 – 1967 assigned to the 1st Calvary Division (An Khe) and Bien Hoa as support in III Corps.
The Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Program Overseas (SRAO) was a one-year tour in country as morale boosters for American troops. Women college graduates ran recreation centers, visited hospitals, and traveled to front-line landing zones and base camps to bring games and smiles to soldiers. Continues to volunteer for the American Red Cross.

Louis Kern

John Toensing
U.S. Army 1965 – 1973.
Served in Vietnam 1967- 1968 68th Assault Helicopter Company -Bien Hoa, RVN. Was later assigned to HQTS, 2nd BDE, 2nd Armored Division in Ft. Hood, Texas, and flight instructor school in Ft. Rucker.
In Dec 1969 joined the 385th Engineers (Reserves) in Minnesota and continued flying Hueys and Jet Rangers until July 1973.

Edie McCoy Meeks
Army Nurse Corps, Vietnam 1968-69. 3rd Field Hospital Saigon, 71st Evacuation Hospital, Pleiku.
Former member Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation board of directors.

Diane Carlson Evans
Army Nurse Corps, Vietnam 1968-69. 36th Evacuation Hospital, Vung Tau, and 71st Evacuation Hospital, Pleiku.
Founder, Vietnam Women’s Memorial; Chair Vietnam Women’s Memorial/Eastern National Advisory Group.

Kelly Fox
Supervisory Park Ranger, National Park Service, National Mall and Memorial Parks. Has served the NPS for over 8 years, was in the U.S. Peace Corp volunteer in Ukraine. Visiting family in Lafayette, Indiana she heard of her grandmother’s cousin Captain Mary Therese Kinker and her heroism.

Ceremony at The Wall