Evening star., 1946-01-10
$150,000 Start
Given Driivefor
Nurses Center
$4,000, 900 Project
Initiated at Luncheon
Gen. Kirk Is Speaker

Pledges totaling $150,000 were an
nounced today at the opening of
campaign to construct social center
or home in Washington for nurses
and other women in the Medical
Corps of the armed services.
With Mrs. Harry S. Truman as
guest of honor, the luncheon at the
Mayfiower inaugurated the drive for
S2,OO0,O00. Surg. Gen. Norman T..
KIRK, main speaker, declared it will
have the wholehearted and unquali-
fed support of every one who knows
the sacrifices and the devotion to
duty of these valiant soldiers of
mercy"
THE valiant and glorious deeds
performed by the nurses in all cor
ners OF the globe in World War II
nave been an inspiring example that
has spurred to greater efforts all
those who served with them" he
said.
Had $1,000 on Duty.
When the national emergency was
declared in 1889, the Army Nurse
Corps numbered only 949. At its
peak during the war, there were ST.
600 on duty of whom about 10000
have been returned to civilian life.
"The medical department. has
established an exceptional record of
performance in this war, largely be-
cause of the grand spirit of team
work that has prevailed in all phases
of its operations" Gen. Kirk de-
clared. ut was not the doctors
alone-it was the medical aid men,
the nurses and every member of the
department, each playing a particu-
lar and vital role, that made this
accomplishment possible"
Nurses, he said, shared the dan
gers and hardships that were the
common lot of all who were in COM
bat, without ever asking any quarter
or special consideration because of
their sex.
Praises Nurses Work.
I'm North Africa I saw nurses iv-
ing in tents just as the soldiers did,
wearing soldiers clothing, combat
shoes and heavy wool socks. In the
summer there was nothing but heat
and dust, with the temperature 120
degrees in the shade. In the winter
there was bitter cold and it was not
uncommon to see them going to
their routine duties wading ankle
deep in mud. Through it all they
showed determination to serve to
the best of their ability and to their
last ounce of strength"
He paid special tribute to nurses
on the Anzio beachhead, who per-
formed their mercy duties within
gunfire of the front. One hospital
was hit while three soldiers were
being operated on, he recalled
Nurses aided two others who had
been wounded by the shell and the
operations continued, despite the Sc |
we're shelling. When it was consid-
cred advisable to move the nurses
off the beachhead because the en-
emy was driving near, they refused
for fear that the psychological re-
action among troops would hurt
their fighting. I'm the bitter 'front.'
line hours of that struggle" Gen.
Kirk declared, "the expression was
often heard by the men, If the
nurses can take it, guess we can"
Corregidor Nurse Mentioned.
He singled out Capt. Gladys
Mealer, chief nurse in the tunnel at
Corregidor, for special honors. "She
was given the opportunity of board
ing the last submarine scheduled to
pay call at the island. She replied
she did not choose to leave as long
as there is patient in the hospital
She knew as well as Gen. VAIN
wright or any one there that she
was signing her captivity warrant"
he said.
SiXty-Six nurses, the dietician and
physiotherapist "sweated in the hell
of the Santo Tomas iriternment
camp for almost three years with
nothing but rice to eat most of the
time and not enough of that" he
continued.
THE real monument to the work
OF the Army nurse is enshrined in
the hearts of the men they served so
well, but it is only fitting that we
should build this monument of a
permanent, practical nature as a.
token of recognition which they
have so richly earned and deserve"
Mrs. Truman was among those
signing certificates of merit which
will be sent to contributors. Aiding
Chairman Arthur H. johnson were