Donut Dolly: An American Red Cross Girl's War in Vietnam (North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series)
“Donut Dollyis an engaging and useful account of an almost totally ignored facet of the Vietnam War. Kotcher and her colleagues attempted to make life more bearable for the soldiers and airmen engaged in the war, and along the way her insights are fascinating.”—G. L. Seligmann, co-editor ofThe Sweep of American History“Memoirs about women’s experiences in the Vietnam War are hard to come by and outnumbered by books filled with men’s combat experiences. Women’s experiences reveal an entirely different dimension of the war. The day to day interactions that Kotcher had with servicemen certainly succeeded in warming their hearts and reminding them what they were fighting for.”—Meghan K. Winchell, author ofGood Girls, Good Food, Good Fun“One day while guarding Highway 13, we had the rare pleasure of your ladies visiting us. I couldn’t believe that you would come to such a terrible place. You were a treat for us to see. We wanted to go home so bad. To see you was a blessing. You may never know how many lives you touched by coming to visit us.”—Gary W. Dyer, Sergeant, C 1/28, 1st Infantry Division, Quan Loi, 1967-68"Readers may be surprised to learn details of the role American Red Cross women played, often serving in dangerous and remote areas as the first women officially allowed in a combat zone. Kotcher was smart, open-minded, and sympathetic and was able to bond well with soldiers from all walks of life. Her memories are especially interesting coming from a time when gender norms were changing both at home and in war. Recommended to readers interested in baby-boomer memoirs, personal stories of the United States in Vietnam, and women's studies."--Library Journal"Donut Dolly. . . offers a unique perspective from one of some 600 young women who served, often in harm's way, to bring a touch of home to the Americans in Vietnam."--Vietnam Magazine