Pure Grit: How American WW2 Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific

YA Non-Fiction

VG/A  Farrell, Mary Cronk.  Pure Grit: How American WW2 Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific.  Abrams, 2014.  160p.  978-1-4197-1028-5.  24.95.

In December 1941, the Japanese attacked the Philippines where thousands of United States Army and Navy soldiers were stationed, along with over 100 Army nurses. The nurses were not prepared for a war zone. By 1942, the nurses were all considered POWs and were forced into internment camps in Manila. With limited food and many sick people, the nurses persevered and worked hard until they were finally liberated in February 1945. Unfortunately, they were not recognized by the military as the heroes that they were when they first returned to the United States. This book chronicles the experiences of these heroic nurses. It includes archival photos, a glossary, timeline, list of nurses, bibliography and index. The only problem with the book is in the editing, there were several chapter headings with the wrong year listed, which made the reading a little confusing at times. Otherwise it was a fascinating read and look at a little recognized piece of World War 2 history. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial