My profession was nursing and with World War II raging I decided to join the war effort as an Army Nurse. My induction ceremony included six other women who were also becoming nurses for the Army. We got all settled in to our quarters on base. That same evening, six young and handsome Second Lieutenants stopped by our quarters to invite us to go with them to the Officer’s Club to dance! Of course we were delighted by this invitation and took them up on their offer.
We felt really important being in the Officer’s Club. It was all a new adventure. One of the officers asked me to dance and I said yes! Once we started dancing however, I became uncomfortable with the way he was holding me. It felt inappropriate and as I was trying to figure out how to handle it, my eyes connected with one of the other Second Lieutenants who noticed my discomfort. I mouthed the word “HELP” to him, and he came right over to us. He told the other officer “Don’t hold my girl so tight” and cut in on the dance. From that moment on, I knew he was a good man.
That night was the beginning of a new chapter in both of our lives. We began dating and eventually married. After we married, I had to give up being an Army Nurse because at that time you could not be married and be a nurse in the military. Times have certainly changed since then. But we had a very happy life together. We were married for sixty-seven years ultimately having six children. It has been a very full and wonderful life.
Submitted by Mary S.
