Commander Frances Omori, co-editor of Strength Through Cooperation: Military Forces in Asia-Pacific, in this her new book, honors these unsung heroes of the Korean War through stories, photographs, historical documents, and the words of grateful patients. She provides a memorable mosaic of the navy nurses' healing compassion amid the brutality of war. Background While Frances Omori was doing volunteer work for the Women’s Memorial, collecting oral histories of female Korean war veterans, she learned that one reason why the ‘Quiet Heroes’ had never received proper recognition is because the women themselves didn’t think they’d done anything ‘special.’ “We didn’t do much, we were just doing our job....We just did what we had to do, that’s all.” When one nurse received an invitation to attend the opening ceremonies at the Korean War Memorial, she did not go because she assumed the invitation was for her late husband. Now, at last women are beginning to realize that their stories also deserve to be told, that ‘just doing your job’ under appalling conditions is heroic. Their story especially deserves to be told now, with the advent of the three-year commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, honoring the 1,789,000 "forgotten" veterans for saving a nation, the Republic of Korea, from tyranny. It was a war that took 33,686 Americans lives and injured 103,284. Countless of these wounded soldiers, sailors and marines were treated by navy nurses in hospital ships anchored just off Korea. These nurses helped care for a never-ending stream of battle-savaged patients, comforted them in overcrowded wards, and maintained their good humor and morale. After the war the nurses went home, believing they'd “only done their job." Now, the book Quiet Heroes finally gives them the recognition they deserve.

...

SPECIAL EVENT LINK

Take a look at the June 24, 2000 luncheon at the
Quantico Marine Corps Base's Officers Club, in which
author Frances Omori launched Quiet Heroes. Dozens of photos of many of the nurses featured
in her book as well as other military personnel.

To contact us please email Barbara Peterson, Publishing Assistant, at Smith House Press

Recommended websites

Women's History Sites The All Navy Women's National Alliance The Military Woman Homepage Military Women Veterans - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow The Minerva Center National Women's History Museum Navy Nurse Corps Association The Women in Military Service For America Memorial	Korean War History Sites US Korea 2000 Foundation Korean War Book of Hours - the Korean War day by day The Korean War Project Official DoD 50th Anniversary Commemorative website The Chosin Few Naval History and Photography Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Disabled American Veterans

---

---

---

Thank you for being the viewer of this page.