Clarice Luther Interview
Clarice was born in Aug, 1917 in Hennepin Co, MN. She was the fifth of 11 children. She graduated high school in 1935. She had an Aunt that was a nurse in WW1 and following her example, she went to nurses training school from 1935 to 1938. She was working as a nurse in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She was determined to join the Army to care for soldiers and in Dec 1943 she went to Fort Snelling, Saint Paul to join the Army Nurse Corp. She was the only women of 200 to 300 that enlisted that day and she was sent to Presidio in San Francisco via train. Her first assignment was Camp Adair, Oregon and later to Torney General Hospital in Palm Springs, CA. This hospital cared for men returning from the South Pacific in World War 2. She cared for soldiers and helped them adjust to their injuries as they reintegrated back into society. Often times the nurses represented the love ones, mothers, girlfriends, or sisters of loved ones. At 5 feet, 2 inches, she did not weigh enough to be assigned overseas. She married in April 1944 near Palm Springs and left the service in Oct 1944 after becoming pregnant. Her husband was also in the Army and had been discharged prior. Her highest rank was Lieutenant and she received the American Campaign Medal and the World War 2 Victory Medal from her service. Post service, she raised 12 children. She eventually rejoined the workforce as a nurse and worked until age 75.
DetailsContact
View as table
Share via email
Share via Facebook
Share via Twitter