World War II

   Finally a chance to sit and talk about the things that I had intended for this blog. This morning we had coffee and talked about World War II. I asked her why she decided to join the Army Nurses, and she talked some about patriotism, but more about the feeling that this event was history in the making and she wanted to be part of it. She was also interested in seeing life outside Minnesota, and wondered if she would ever leave if she didn't take the opportunity.
   She enlisted in the Army Nursing Corp and went to basis training in Clinton Iowa with her friend Irene Wreitmann. While at Clinton, the mothers of the nurse trainees were brought by train to see the progress their daughters were making. It was probably the first time her mother Lillian had ever left Minnesota, and she was very impressed with the VIP treatment she received. After graduation, Eleanor went to Colorado Springs, Colorado for additional training. In the Spring of 1943, she left for England aboard a boat and landed in Liverpool, England shortly before Easter Day, 1943.  She remembers going to church in Liverpool for Easter services, and the blackouts the city was under in the evenings. None of the women she was trained with were assigned to England, so she went solo for quite a while. My mother is definitely not a shy person, and I am sure the self confidence she shows today was evident in England.
   Eleanor was assigned to the 187th General Hospital in Scotland. The hospital was centered in a castle that belonged to the King of Ethiopia, Heille Sal-lase. Her serial number was M7795870, I was amazed at how quickly she could recite the number; they must really drill it into you at boot camp.
   Before D-Day she would care for injured soldiers, and once every six weeks she would go on a flight from England to the U.S.A.. They would bring back wounded soldiers to Mitchell Field, which is outside New York City and then reload the plan with supplies for the trip back to England. One thing to look forward to on the flight was the stop over in Greenland where they would stop by Camp Ichabod, a local officers club for drinks.While in the U.S. Eleanor usually called home which was a great opportunity that most serving in the military during WW II didn't have. Her parents were always glad to hear from her and she enjoyed talking with them. Many times people would come to her when they heard she was flying to the States and ask if she would call their family, Eleanor remembers making phone calls for people she had just met to their loved ones to let them know everything was o.k..