gkainz
Final Approach
Got this in an email today - google Martha Raye Army nurse has a number of corroborating sites
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited: