In comparison, nurses arrive in a chauffeured jeep, smiling and wearing pristine white clothing. At a time when there is an immediate need for nurses, the newsreels make the nurses appear undedicated, a giggly untrained lot. Women's work is also negated and disqualified in newsreels that emphasize nurses in training. The voice-over commentary suggests their hard exercises are mere play or, at the very least a slight distraction from their vacation. Images that might diverge from traditional femininity were juxtaposed and undermined by representations of female silliness, and weakness in will power, to reinforce societal gender norms.
Nurses exercise while the camera prowls through a clothesline full of women's undergarments.
The respect men had for their fellow soldiers did not extend to the nurses. If respect was gained, it was qualified with some belittling remark regarding sex and gender. This served to separate, subordinate and contain nurses from a male space. Five Army Air Force nurses were presented with the coveted air medal and oak leaf clusters in honor of their heroic exploits. The medals were presented by Major Hubert Harmon and he said, I want you to know that in the hearts of the 13th Air Force, you are not only lovely ladies, but real comrades.