The Women: A Novel

Though this fact is not widely known, 11,000 American women were stationed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. While female nurses were already stationed in Vietnam in the 1950s, as the conflict escalated, the United States Army launched a women-centered campaign called “Operation Nightingale.” Advertisements created a glorified image of nursing, promising romantic opportunities for those seeking husbands. While some women did seek husbands, others were tempted by the allure of adventure or funding for college. Some, like The Women’s Frankie, simply acted out of patriotism. Most women served for one year, though many reenlisted at the end of their respective tours. Though there were seasoned nurses among the enlisted, the majority were young women with little experience.

Conditions for American nurses in Vietnam were just as brutal as those for soldiers. Nurses lived in small housing units called “hooches,” which were often infested with insects, rodents, and mold; climate and language barriers also proved challenges. While most nurses enjoyed their greater autonomy, they still faced sexism and sexual harassment. They also faced illness and injury, some suffering long-term health problems from napalm exposure (Severson, Aaron and Lorilea Johnson. “In Country: US Nurses During the Vietnam War,” Working Nurse, 5 Oct. 2020). Among the 58,000 named American veterans who died during their service, eight were women, all of them nurses (“Women in Vietnam,” Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund). American women also served in non-nursing positions, including intelligence, communication, and military administration.

As indicated in the novel, women faced the same challenges as soldiers upon returning to civilian life in the United States. Little publicity was given to nurses, and it was not until decades later that their post-traumatic stress was studied. Some studies found the prevalence of PTSD to be higher in women who served in the Vietnam War than those who served in other wars. In 1984, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project began, which lobbied for a formal memorial in recognition of the women who served. The monument, a 15-foot bronze statue, was completed and installed in the Washington DC mall in 1993.