Interview of retired Colonel Esther Jane McNeil on her long career in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps

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Description:

Eighty-four year old retired Army Colonel Esther Jane McNeil discusses her long career in the U.S. Army. McNeil says that she grew up in rural Pennsylvania, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in 1940, enlisted in the Nurse Corps in 1943 and was first stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. She says that despite some health problems, she was finally sent overseas to India and was made head of the operating room at the 20th General Hospital in Ledo, India. McNeil was on leave in Darjeeling when she received orders to prepare for the invasion of Japan, but says that the war ended before her unit had even made it to the Philippines. After the war, McNeil says that she joined the Army Reserves and then went back to active duty during the Korean War. She also discusses the various positions she held until her retirement in 1971. McNeil is interviewed by Doris Cobb.

Date Issued:

2003-10-22T00:00:00Z

Data Provider:

Michigan State University. Libraries

Collection:

Women's Overseas Service League Oral History Project

Place:

India and Assam

Subject Topic:

Career in military nursing, Military life, World War, 1939-1945, Veterans, Nurses, Women veterans, World War, 1939-1945, World War, 1939-1945, Participation, Female, and Military nursing

Subject Name:

McNeil, Esther Jane, 1919-, McNeil, Esther Jane, 1919-, United States, Army Nurse Corps, United States, Army, United States, Army, and General Hospital, 20th

Subject Genre:

Interviews, Interviews, Interviews, Interviews, Interviews, and Personal narratives, American

Language:

English

Rights:

In Copyright

URL:

https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m5f40b