Vietnam War Nurses: Unseen Heroes Share Untold Stories 50 Years Later

Fifty years after the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam, the women who served as nurses during the war are breaking their silence. Their stories—raw, emotional, and often overlooked—reveal a side of the conflict rarely seen in history books.

The Forgotten Frontlines: Nurses in the Vietnam War

While soldiers fought on the battlefield, military nurses waged their own war in overcrowded field hospitals. Working 12-hour shifts in sweltering heat, they treated everything from gunshot wounds to jungle diseases, often with limited supplies.

• Arriving fresh from nursing school, many were unprepared for the horrors of war
• Field hospitals could receive 100+ casualties in a single night
• Improvisation was key—using soda bottles for IV bags when supplies ran low

War's Aftermath: The Invisible Wounds

The trauma didn't end when these women came home. Unlike combat veterans, nurses struggled to have their PTSD recognized:

1. Many were denied VA benefits for mental health treatment
2. Civilian life felt alien after months in combat zones
3. Some faced hostility from anti-war protesters

A Legacy of Courage

Today, these women are finally receiving recognition. The Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington D.C. stands testament to their sacrifices, while oral history projects preserve their experiences for future generations.

What do you think?

• Should Vietnam War nurses receive the same recognition as combat veterans?
• Why do you think women's wartime contributions are often overlooked?
• Does the U.S. do enough to support medical personnel returning from war zones?
• Would you have volunteered as a nurse in Vietnam knowing the risks?
• Are we repeating history by failing to properly support today's combat medics?