Ione McCormick talks about her nine years of reserve
 and active duty service in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps


Ione McCormick:	My name when I was in the service was Olive Ione Phillips, and my present name Olive Ione McCormick. Address 11203 Southwest Kendrick, Tacoma, Washington. In answer to the questions. 

[00:23] Number one, what branch of service did you serve? The Army Nurse Corps. 

[00:28] How long? Nine years, which included active duty and reserve. 

[00:35] Where? The Philippines, Manila, and the Presidio, San Francisco. 

[00:42] What influenced you to volunteer? Patriotism, also having no brothers or sisters who were eligible for the service. 

[00:53] What did you do prior to enlistment? Staff duty, Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. 

[1:04] What did you do in the service? Staff and central supply set-up. I set up the central supply for the 313th General Hospital in Manila. 

[1:16] Did you expect this experience to prepare you for a career? No. 

[1:20] Did it? No. 

[1:23] What was your pay? Uh, the best of my memory, $75 to begin. 

[1:30] Were you given equal opportunity for service and education? Yes. 

[1:37] What assignments were given to women? Nursing and central supply. 

[1:44] What was the nature of your housing? Uh, 25 to a, a long tent, uh, over corrugated tin. Um, also, uh, private, uh, rooms in the nurse’s home in San Francisco. 

[2:05] Uh, medical care? Uh, the usual care that most army people receive. 

[2:14] What was your uniform dress? Uh, olive green, uh, for duty, um, striped brown and white seersucker [coughing].

[2:30] What were your memorable experiences? Ship travel and going to different stations. 

[2:40] Can you compare service careers then with the present? Uh, I really know not too much about the present. 

[2:51] Did you experience conflict between being feminine and being a military professional? No. 

[2:59] Did you use the benefit of the GI bill? No. 

[3:03] What demanded the greatest adjustment, uniform dress, living with others, regulations, lack of freedom, or terminology? If any, terminology. 

[3:16] What was the most unpopular regulation? I really do not remember of any. 

[3:23] What did you do after your service was concluded? [coughing] Went back to the, um, civilian nursing field. Well, [inaudible 3:35].

Speaker:	[3:36] How long have you been in the, in the, uh, Overseas Women?

Ione McCormick:	Oh, uh, I joined the Overseas Women, uh, League, in 1976. Met very interesting people and enjoy it very much. I thank you.

Speaker:	[3:54] What offices have you held?

Ione McCormick:	Uh, office of, uh, vice president.

Speaker:	[4:01] Unit vice president. Unit vice president. 

Ione McCormick:	Uh, unit vice president.


/jw