MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER Denver, Colorado Unit Transcript of an Oral History Interview All rights, title, and interest in the material recorded are assigned and conveyed to the Women's Overseas Service League for the purpose of publication, use in teaching, or other such uses that may further the aims and objectives of the League, such use and participation to be acknowledged in appropriate fashion and with due credit to: Martha Marshall Baker PREFACE This transcript is the product of an interview conducted 22 March, 1986, for the Women's Overseas Service League, by Marjorie Brown. Signed, dated agreements of release and biographical information accompany the original cassette. Transcribed by Patricia Siggers Lansing, Michigan 15 June, 1989 WOMEN'S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE 2 Oral History Project 4 6 MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER 8 Denver Unit 10 NOTE: Interviewer is Marjorie Brown of the Denver Uni t. 12 MB: What is your name? MMB: Martha Marshall Baker. 14 MB: When did you join the Denver Unit of WOSL? MMB: In 1972, I believe it was. IG MB: Were you in the Service? MMB: Yes. 18 MB: What branch? MMB: Army Nurse Corps. 20 MB: Why did you come into the Service? MMB: I was looking for a change from civilian nursing. I 22 had only spent six months in the civilian life. I had heard about the Army, and I thought I'd like to 24 see what it's about. MB: What did you do before you came into the Army? 26 MMB: I worked as a nurse for six months. WOMEN'S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER, Denver Unit MB: What particular jobs did you have in the Service? 28 m m b : I started as general duty, and after one year I changed my specialty to operating room nursing. 30 This was my primary duty until the last six years of active duty, wherein I spent time in central supply. 32 My final years were in administration as evening and night supervisor. 34 MB: How long were you in the Army? MMB: Twenty years. 36 MB: What kind of duty did you have overseas? Where did you travel? 38 MMB: My first overseas assignment was Germany fantastic assignment! My next overseas assignment 40 was Hawaii (but I was out of the continental United States), and I spent thirteen months in Korea, and 42 five years on the island of Okinawa, and one year in Vietnam. 44 MB: Where were you stationed in Vietnam? MMB: At Long Bien. 46 MB: What kind of housing did you have in general in the Army? 48 MMB: Overall, I felt that it was adequate. I felt that my first overseas assignment -- I was surprised at 50 the type of housing we had. I was a bit disappointed when I left Germany and returned to 2 WOMEN'S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER, Denver Unit 52 Letterman (Army Hospital) to find that our housing was not quite up to the same standards that it was 54 overseas, but it was adequate. MB: How did you feel about the medical care that you 56 received? MMB : Excellent. No complaints. 58 MB: What kind of uniforms did you wear? MMB: When I joined the Army, I must say I was terribly 60 disappointed to have to wear what was called a taupe uniform. Pictures I had seen was of the pink and 62 green, and that’s what I envisioned myself wearing. I forget the length of time that we wore the taupe, 64 but it was a brown uniform and many styles, many articles that could be worn with this uniform but to 66 me, it was unattractive. Then came the green uniform and other variations of green uniforms. I ’m 68 still wearing a uniform today, and I am very proud of it. 70 MB: Can you relate a couple of experiences that you thought were particularly appropriate or exciting or 72 funny to you when you were in the Service? MMB: There have been so many, but one of the most 74 prominent in my mind, that I think I ’ll always remember is: Being in Okinawa and watching a 76 patient progress from the time he was sent from Camp 3 WOMEN ’S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER, Denver Unit Kue (Army Hospital) for his treatment to return to 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 the United States. He was a 19-year old young man who was interested in the priesthood, who lost all of his limbs except his right arm. I visited him on the wards and I found out the most important thing to him would have been to have his hair washed. I worked in supply, and I was able to ask the nurse's permission to take him down to our department and wash his hair; and I found that that meant so much to him. This was at a time when all the wards were overcrowded with patients, so of course the nurses and the staff didn't have all the time to give these patients. Anyway, this progress continued for about two weeks. Soon, it was time for him to depart. The day he was departing was on a Sunday, and he was so nervous; and he said, "Oh, if I could just have my hair washed!" I did this, and he said, "Will you make sure you come to the ward before I depart?" As it happened, when I returned he was on the bus waiting evacuation to Hickam to be evacuated to the States. I boarded the bus, and there he was on the lower level, and when I came near him he beckoned to me; and with his one arm, he just placed it around my 4 WOMEN'S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER, Denver Unit 102 104 neck and he kissed me. That was something I'll just never forget. Of course, I did hear from this young man after he returned to the States. I think he adjusted real well to the things that happened to 112 114 116 MMB: I can't say I had any adjustment at all. I just found it exciting. It was a far cry from what I had done as a civilian all my life. It just seemed to open all doors and avenues; the people I met. I had trained in a multi-storied hospita 1-medical center complex; and my first assignment was Fort Dix, a 5 WOMEN'S OVERSEAS SERVICE LEAGUE MARTHA MARSHALL BAKER, Denver Unit 126 128 130 132 134 136 138 140 142 144 school aide. I did six weeks of training for Blue Cross-Blue Shield. Then, at the end of the five years, I was asked if I would like to teach ROTC. Of course, I knew nothing about ROTC, but the person that asked said, "Oh, you can learn." I have been involved with the Junior ROTC program now for almost eleven years. MB: What has being a member of WOSL meant to you? MMB: I enjoy meeting the ladies from the different Services; the different walks of life that had served overseas, and I found out we had so much to share and relate to. I must say that I've lost a great deal of it by being caught up in the job that I have; that I cannot give it the time and continue with meetings and being involved as I should, but I feel that it's a worthwhile experience. MB: Thank you very much. < End of Interview > 146 Transcribed by Patricia Siggers 148 Lansing, Michigan 6 INDEX BAKER Housing, 2, 3 Locat ions Germany, 2 Hawa ii, 2 Korea, 2 Okinawa, 2, 3 Vietnam, 2 Medical care, 3 Service, 1 Uniforms, 3 i