Martha Raye

[gkainz]

Got this in an email today - google Martha Raye Army nurse has a number of corroborating sites

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The following is from an Army Aviator who takes another trip down memory lane:

It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku. We had run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook ( *CH-47 CHINOOK*) was pretty rough in the back. All of a sudden, we heard a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear.

There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a Special Forces beret and jungle fatigues, with subdued markings, helping the wounded into the Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. 'Maggie' had been visiting her special forces 'heroes' out 'west'.

We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF hospital pad at Pleiku. As we all started unloading our sad pax's, a 'Smart-Ass' USAF Captain said to Martha.... Ms Ray, with all these dead and wounded to process,there will not be time for your show!

To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said....Captain, see this eagle? I am a full 'Bird' in the US Army Reserve, and on this is a 'Caduse' which means I am a Nurse, with a surgical speciality....now, take me to your wounded. He said, yes mam'... Follow me.

Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break.

Martha is the only woman buried in the Special Forces cemetery at Ft. Bragg .

Hand Salute

Down Memory Lane , Once Again' Check it out!
Martha Raye Civilian Warrior
http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/mraye.html
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[AdamZ]

Wow! Its staggering the stuff we never know.

 

[mantakos]

I suspect that there's a mixture of truth and "optimism" in there...
-harry

 

[ScottM]

Some factual errors in that story. Using sources that are reliable and authoritative I did uncover a couple of things.

She is buried at Ft. Bragg

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2334

She was an honorary Lt.Col not a full bird but she was a nurse that did help out. The rest of the story would take a little while to corroborate. But based on the few facts that I did uncover I think it dances around some truths but has some embellishments. I am also not aware of the USAF ever flying the Chinook and I suspect that the comment in the story about a "smart-ass USAF Cpt' has more to do with interservice rivalry than fact.

 

[roncachamp]

I suspect that there's a mixture of truth and "optimism" in there...

There is. Martha Raye was probably second only to Bob Hope as far as entertaining US troops goes. She was known as "Colonel Maggie", but it was a nickname only, she never served in the military. Nor was she actually a nurse, RN or LPN. She had a bit of training in the 1930s, probably on the candy striper level. She had plenty of hands on training though, in military medical facilities in WWII and Vietnam and perhaps Korea as well. Never afraid to pitch in and get her hands plenty dirty. Burial at Fort Bragg was entirely appropriate.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

The special forces Lieutenant on the right is me. The intelligent, great looking lady on the left with the rank of LTC on her collar is Martha Raye. This was taken of us in our HQ area back in DaNang IIRC while I was at CCN in RVN (Vietnam) in early 1969. She was very highly regarded by the folks that knew her well. Was well known to go into front line area where many folks wouldn't to see the troops she loved. When I go to Special Ops reunions, folks gloat when they can produce a picture of her; especially with them.

Don't know about this particular instance, but do know she did help at hospitals and with wounded in the field before they were evacuated. She was out in some areas where wounded came in while she was there and she assisted. Don't know how much or what, but folks I know recall that. She had a pretty direct manner when things didn't go as she wished.

Best,

Dave

 

[SCCutler]

The special forces Lieutenant on the right is me. The intelligent, great looking lady on the left with the rank of LTC on her collar is Martha Raye. This was taken of us in our HQ area back in DaNang IIRC while I was at CCN in RVN (Vietnam) in early 1969. She was very highly regarded by the folks that knew her well. Was well known to go into front line area where many folks wouldn't to see the troops she loved. When I go to Special Ops reunions, folks gloat when they can produce a picture of her; especially with them.

Don't know about this particular instance, but do know she did help at hospitals and with wounded in the field before they were evacuated. She was out in some areas where wounded came in while she was there and she assisted. Don't know how much or what, but folks I know recall that. She had a pretty direct manner when things didn't go as she wished.

Best,

Dave

That, there, is quality testimony!

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Well, I can't do this too often, unless you want one with Miss America in '72 <g>

Best,

Dave

 

[Big John]

Arrived at My Tho south of Siagon fall of '78 and found that Martha had been there a few weeks earlier and she jumped in back seat of 0-1 and went on some missions putting fighters in.

Never heard anything but good about her starting with her Movie days til she passed.

Big John

 

[Dave Siciliano]

John: Could you have meant '68?

I was there for the cease fire on my second tour in '73.

Best,

Dave

 

[John Baker]

Embellishing the life of someone who lived an honorable one, in my books, is just fine. What obituary isn't embellished anyway? That said, from what I had heard of Martha Ray, she needed no embellishing, she was the real thing.

John

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Here's another pic from that same tour in '69. Art was the CO of the Ranger (recon) company in the 25th Division at this time. This is a reason I don't revisit these pics more; so many people in them didn't get back.

Best,

Dave

 

[Anthony]

Thanks Dave. I know that has to be difficult.