Interview of Betty Vogel on her service in the U.S. Army Nursing Corps during WWII Ruth Stewart: [00:02] …Vogel is being interviewed as a member of the Women's Overseas Service League on October 23, 2003, at the Army Community, Army Residence Community in San Antonio, Texas. Um, she was born August 02, 1921. Ruth Stewart is interviewing, assisted by Carol Habgood. [00:31] Betty, tell us a little bit about your early life and getting into nursing and into the military. Betty Vogel: Oh, well, I just, um, I was an only child so, of course, I enjoyed life. Uh, and then I went and graduated from high school in 1939. This was a small town, and, uh… Ruth Stewart: [00:54] Where was this? Betty Vogel: [Blumsbury 00:55], Minnesota. Then I wanted to be a nurse ‘cause I thought I’d see the United States – never think about anything else – uh, and my parents thought I should be a teacher, but I didn’t want to. Uh, so then I went into nurses’ training at Abbott Hospital and, uh, then I graduated in 1942, ‘cause in that time, my dad died so I had to make up time. And, uh, then I, I went to, uh, well, I went out to California to start seeing the world, I mean, the United States. And, uh, I went to a movie and the Japanese were shooting at the young men that were coming down in the parachutes. And I got so excited, I joined the army! [laughter] Then, uh, so then I was assigned to the 203rd. I joined on the 1st of September of ‛43. Ruth Stewart: [1:54] In 1943, okay. Betty Vogel: ‛43. And my orders were for the 203rd General Hospital and, uh, so I was assigned to Fort MacArthur, uh, at San Pedro in California and everybody said, “You’ll never [inaudible 2:15].” Well, in 3 months, I’m on the train going to Camp Kilmer and I wrote all my Christmas cards. And when we arrived at Camp Kilmer, we had a meeting of the whole group and the colonel said, “Did anybody tell anybody where they were going?” and, I’m sorry to say, I raised my hand (the only one). [laughter] So they teased me all the way from then on about if our ship was sunk, you know, it’d be my fault. Anyway, then we – oh, and when I was in nurses’ training, we got the, uh, little Red Cross, uh, you know, it’s like a little nametag and it said Red Cross and we got a Red Cross pin, which I’ve given to the museum because it was one of those that was first given and they didn’t have very many of them. Anyway, so I’m on the train and we arrive at Camp Kilmer and everything was, on Christmas Day, the soldiers lined up and we walked between’m with a big bag, a laundry bag, and as we went to each [inaudible 3:24], we said, “What size?” and they just threw it into the bag. And then they, uh, the soldiers came and did our bedrolls for us. Then, uh, what el-, oh, that was on Christmas Day, the 25th. I got it written down so I could remember, uh, and let’s see, we were… Ruth Stewart: [3:45] And that was which year? Betty Vogel: That was, um, ‛43. We arrived at Kilmer on December 25th, 21st. And then we departed the camp on the 28th. And, the 28th, we leave by train for Camp Kilmer, I mean for New York. And, when we got there, the Red Cross had donuts and coffee and they said, “Oh, where are you going?” and I said, “I haven’t any idea!” [laughter] because I was so upset by having told people. So, we got on the train and it was na-, I mean the plane, the ship, and it was named the Brazil. And, uh, then we leave on the 29th and then we have New Year’s Eve on the ship, but it was so crowded and we could only wash in, uh, salt water and we couldn’t wash our clothes. And one shirt I had, I wore it so much I had to turn it inside out because its collar got leather, like leather. And [laughter] then a lot of people, of course, were sick going over. Then we, on January 8th of ‛44, we landed in the [inaudible 5:05] in Scotland. [inaudible 5:08] Then we arrived at Petworth, which is south of London, and lived in cantonment huts, 2 to a room. And when I walked in, there were, um, straw mattresses on horses, you know, the wooden horses? And a little stove and a little table. And then, uh, the lieutenant that took us to our rooms, I looked at it and I said, “I don’t wanna stay here and I’m going home!” [laughter] and he said, “Oh, Lieutenant [Austin 5:41], I don’t think they’ll let you!” And so I got, well, the first night, I couldn’t eat anything. The next morning they had powdered eggs, I didn’t eat anything. Well, by noon, I could eat [laughter] whatever they fed us. And then, uh, from Petworth, we went to [inaudible 5:58] in England and we were bivouacked, Dorothy [Balso 6:03] and I were bivouacked in this private home, where people were divided up in a private home. So cold that we took our jacket and [skirts 6:13] on and she put her army blanket on the bottom and I put mine on top and, uh, that’s the way we slept. And then in the morning the water – we’d put our hands in the water just like this, [laughter] a little bit because it was so cold. And I look back and I think, I can’t remember where we brushed our teeth. Of course, the next day, she, the lady moved us in where we had a bunk, not a bunk, a cot this way and a cot this way and then a chair and the bathroom was outside. Once a week, they’d pull in the tub in the kitchen and that’s when we got a bath, just once a week. And it was cold! And then we’d gather over in what was called [Rafter 6:57] Hall. We were not doing anything, and we were just standing around and they only had a little fireplace. We almost froze. [See, you start me talking 7:06]… Ruth Stewart: [7:08] [inaudible 7:08] Betty Vogel: And then, [laughter] uh, let’s see, March 17, we arrived in Barford and, uh, we were, uh, they’d just finished the hospital there and we did get a few patients. But, uh, and then of course we heard all the planes going over so we knew it was D-Day. And then when we got some of the patients back, having never been in a war situation, we put’m to bed and tried to wash’m and get’m all cleaned up and they kept coming too fast so we just went in and just put’m in bed. And, uh, then we stayed there. We all got bikes ‘cause we had to ride around and then June, oh, about June the 6th we, that’s when we heard all the planes all night and I remember we said, “Uh-oh, D-Day today!” Then, July 10th, we left Barford and then the trucks we went to Exeter on the way to South Hampton. And on South Hampton, when we left for France on the HMS Duke of Wellington and we all got sick. I didn’t even tell you about the first [inaudible 8:20]. Well, ‘cause we were stationed at Cherbourg when we first got out, we went into Utah. That’s going backwards. No, we went into Utah Beach and then we were at Sainte-Mere-Eglise and then we were at Cherbourg and we thought we were gonna stay at Cherbourg but then they said, no, we were going to Paris, Garches, this little town. So we rode a train. If you can imagine sleeping on the floor of a train and I said to Edward, “I imagine we all smell.” And he said, “That’s all right. Everybody smells so you can’t smell one another.” [laughter] So then we arrived in Garches and, uh, then I was married to Edward December 14, 1944. Ruth Stewart: [9:07] What was that? Betty Vogel: I married Edward. Ruth Stewart: [9:09] Just, just a minute then. In Garches? You were stationed in Garches? Betty Vogel: Uh-huh. And had to go to Paris to get married. Ruth Stewart: [9:17] Okay. Betty Vogel: Then we came back and the chaplain had the service for us. Ruth Stewart: [9:21] Okay. Betty Vogel: It was during the Battle of the Bulge and, uh… Ruth Stewart: [9:27] Tell us, tell us a little more about being stationed at Garches and what was going on there. Betty Vogel: It was a little, little town then. And we’d walk to get the train, 2 miles away. Uh, and then we’d go into Paris and the metro was nice then and there weren’t any cars in Paris so it was just wonderful. You just wandered all over the street. We went in there and got our hair fixed. We took our own soap. Uh, other than that, we didn’t le-, you know, you couldn’t go anyplace. So we just stayed there and, good heavens, I don’t know. We were bisad-, billeted way up on the hill so that gave us good exercise, up and down. But, other than that, we didn’t do anything. You know, worked 12 hours a day and that was about all. Ruth Stewart: [10:19] And these were casualties you were taking care of? Betty Vogel: Mm-hm. [inaudible 10:22] when I looked out the window after the Battle of the Bulge, you could see the ambulance. Our par-, I mean our hospital was in a [Q 10:32] shape, so they’d have to come up one side and right under the, this part of the building, uh, was the [admittants 10:39]. And they were lined up from there and as far as you could see down the road were the patients. And we also took care of German patients. I, I was on the ward for the German patients and one had a little, uh, shrapnel and I did an awful thing. I went and got a little knife and I cut it out. And after that [laughter] they called me [Herr 11:06] Doctor. [laughter] Ruth Stewart: [11:07] [laughter] Betty Vogel: And, uh, so, but oh my, it was [easy 11:12] when the, they’d come around to inspect, those Germans really, their beds were straight, their arms were out, uh, you know, they knew discipline. They did everything. Then, let’s see, oh, on the 10th of July of ‛45, our [inaudible 11:30] was broken up and I was sent to a train in [Gardinore 11:34]. Now I cannot remember ever eating and I can’t remember brushing my teeth. That worries me. [laughter] Anyway, to when we were stationed, when I was stationed at the train hospital, to bathe, you had to go upstairs in the train station to where there was just a big bathroom with showers and that’s where we got our showers. From there, I was sent to the 123rd up in [Raymond 12:05]. And, uh, that was awful. We went on the train again and in the middle, and I was gonna call somebody to find out, one of the small towns on the way was bombed out and the train station, and we got off the bu-, the truck and we were just sitting in the, uh, blown-up, uh, rain, train station when finally somebody came from another, uh, small hospital and picked us up. And then we got on the train, oh, and went off to the 123rd. And Edward was at the, whatever the center was there, I forgot, in [Raymond 12:45]. Then, finally, they said, “Oh, you have 58 points and you can go home!” So the next thing I knew, I’m down to, uh, um, [inaudible 12:58]. And we went off to Luxembourg one day and I rode back with a cake in my lap, all the way back. I liked sweets then. Then, let’s see, after we, so then we went off to, uh, uh, where did we go? Oh, we left [inaudible 13:21] to come home. And at Camp Phillip Morris, and, I, our ship on the way home was called the West Point. And then on the, when we were taking the train to Fort Sheridan, where we were relieved of duty. And then finally when Edward came home, well then, I became a housewife. And I was always gonna go finish but I never got around to it. [laughter] Ruth Stewart: [13:47] So, how long were you actually in the military? Betty Vogel: Eh, I think this was 2 years and, 2 years and 3 or 4 months. Ruth Stewart: [14:04] And, where was it that you were discharged? Betty Vogel: Fort Sheridan. It’s outside of Chicago. Ruth Stewart: [14:12] Okay. And, since then, have you joined any military or veterans’ organizations? Betty Vogel: Just WOSL. I’m not much of a joiner. Ruth Stewart: [14:24] What kind of activities have you followed since your, um, retirement from the military? Betty Vogel: Bridge and bridge. I came in for a while and then I would go into a little craft group. But since I’ve been out here, I just play bridge. And eat. Ruth Stewart: [14:44] Did, going back to the 2 years, a little over 2 years you were in the military in active combat area, has this affected your view of the military or war? Betty Vogel: I don’t think we’re meant to be com-, combat. I’m against that. And, of course, now – have you got that thing turned on? Ruth Stewart: [15:07] Mm-hm. Oh, it’s on. Betty Vogel: Well, then I can’t tell you what I was going to say. Ruth Stewart: [15:11] [laughter] Betty Vogel: I don’t think it’s, you know, I look back and we had a good time, we think. After the war is over, you always have a good time. So, uh, I guess that’s all. Ruth Stewart: [15:28] Is there anything else you could, like to tell us about the time that you were in the service? Betty Vogel: Well, no, because it’s kind of silly. Ruth Stewart: [15:36] Oh, that makes interesting stories. Betty Vogel: Edward and another, 2 other nurses, I think, were sent off to a field hospital and, now, I was a whole chicken the whole time I was over there, scared I’d step on a mine, and so they let us ride along, and a couple of other women, and we got there and, of course, the people that were gonna work were sent off to bed and we were sent to the surgery ward. And I’d never been one to stay up late at night and, at 3:00 in the morning, I’m holding the head of a, a [poor 16:07] soldier while we were putting a cast on him and my eyes began to circle. So they said, they called for somebody and said, “Betty, go out.” So I went out and here were all those German prisoners. I didn’t care whether they were prisoners or not, I thought, “I can’t faint in front of those people!” So I put my head down on the grass and finally got better. [laughter] Uh, oh, and then we had, I was afraid when we went through [Saint-Lo 16:34], I just knew we’d be [inaudible 16:36] behind the buildings that were all bombed out and then we had, oh, a couple tracer bullets on the way to this place and I said, “Oh, I’m going to get in the bottom, under the truck!” and a sergeant said, “Not if I beat you to it!” [laughter] Uh, that’s all I can really think. Well, that when we finally, before I came home, we finally got to go to the Riviera for 3 or 4 days, I can’t remember. Ruth Stewart: [17:07] Mm-hm. Betty Vogel: So, and I have no desire to go back there to look at things. And when I saw, uh, Private Ryan, and I said, “Oh, that looks just like the colors we’d see!” And when they walked with their legs up, [inaudible 17:24]. Anyway, that’s, I think that’s all. Ruth Stewart: [17:29] Well, I surely appreciate your giving us your memories of that period of your life very much. Thank you. Restarting with a few more additional memories of Betty from her days in France: Betty Vogel: Uh, when we were in Cherbourg, we did not have a bathroom and, because they made a slip trench and we didn’t like that, they made what they called a [floor 17:53] holder. And, so women in those days, when we had our period, we used the old-fashioned Kotex and it was very difficult to keep yourself clean. Very difficult. Uh, we’d eat out, of course, there were no big tents. Well, we had tents for the people that lived in’m but we didn’t have a tent for the dining room. We ate out on the grass and the bees just loved our food. [laughter] But that’s why I would, I’m not sure that I’m ready for women in combat. ‘Cause some of the nurses ended up pretty close, but they weren’t out shooting people. And so I can’t get used to that. I think I’m too old to go with the new modern. Ruth Stewart: [18:43] And then you were talking a little bit about the, uh, difference in, in, um habits, bathroom habits from the French to the Americans and they… Betty Vogel: Oh, well, the, uh, yeah, well the [coughing] bathrooms, so many of’m were just 2 feet and a little hole and then you bent over that. And then that, of course, was France. Ruth Stewart: [19:12] Have you been in France lately? Betty Vogel: They had only [inaudible 19:16] that, that’s where the men went in. We women didn’t. Uh, so the men would go in there and the next thing, the French women would come in there to go and they’d almost collapse. They thought [laughter] it was so terrible. And I guess I told you that I was a chicken, didn’t I? During the war? I said, “Ugh, we might get on a, we might walk on a mine.” I wouldn’t do very well [inaudible 19:42] at all. Ruth Stewart: [19:46] Tell us a little more about D-Day. You said that was quite an occasion. Why don’t you describe your day on D-Day and what you heard and saw? Betty Vogel: What I did on D-Day, I worked. [laughter] [inaudible 19:54] I wasn’t one of those that got to go to town so I had to hear everything, uh, second hand. But everybody went in and it was just like, uh, an orgy, I guess. It was wild! But I worked so I didn’t get to see it. Ruth Stewart: [20:16] But there was a celebration then? A major celebration throughout. Betty Vogel: Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Ruth Stewart: [20:21] Was there a lot of noise or did they shoot off firecrackers… Betty Vogel: Not like they do [laughter], not in, like in the rocks, they don’t shoot guns off. Ruth Stewart: [20:29] Mm-hm. Betty Vogel: And, I don’t know about the firecrackers. Oh, another thing, we would go in to hear Glenn Miller’s band. Of course, he was, he’d already died but his band kept on. And, uh, I can’t think of anything more. I told you about going to the field hospital to faint, didn’t I? Ruth Stewart: [20:54] Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Betty Vogel: All right, that’s it, then. [laughter] Ruth Stewart: [20:58] Okay, well, thank you very much and thanks for adding in those other comments. /ab