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Vietnam Nurse
A small town girl from Illinois decided to join the Army in order to help others and see the world. Arriving at the 91st Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai on November 1, 1969, Lou cared for GIs, South Vietnamese soldiers and civilians, even Viet Cong and NVA soldiers. From malaria and hepatitis to double amputees, massive head traumas, and deadly bullet wounds, Lt. Graul saw it all during her year in Vietnam. Thanks to her journal and photographs, you can follow her journey. She takes you through the sights and sounds of combat nursing, water-skiing on the South China Sea, a weekend jeep trip with flak jackets and helmets, and surviving early-morning rocket attacks. When an old boyfriend appears in Vietnam, life becomes even more interesting! She also reports on the four return trips to Vietnam, the latest in September 2014 when she joined eleven other vets making their first return trip to the country.
- GenresNonfiction
108 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2020
133 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 4, 2024
2.75/5.00. I was expecting a little more from this novel, hoping for more perspective on what it was like to be a nurse in the Vietnam War, or even a women in the Vietnam war. This novel was brief and didn’t cover much, and the author plainly tells readers that she didn’t think she was affected as much due to her training in a military hospital before she shipped to Vietnam.
Still, this novel is worth a read for someone who like an introduction to the role of women in the Vietnam War.
Still, this novel is worth a read for someone who like an introduction to the role of women in the Vietnam War.
October 10, 2024
This is a great book to read if you loved “The Women” by Kristin Hannah and want to learn more about the Vietnam experience of military women/nurses. Thank you for sharing your story!
August 24, 2024
I Know
I have a unique perspective from other readers of this book. I witnessed the horrific injuries our men suffered during the Vietnam War.
My Air Force Reserve unit was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Along with base hospital personnel, as medics, we manned a casualty receiving hospital unit for flights arriving from Vietnam. We cared for these men until they were sent out on flights returning them home the next day.
The traumatic injuries she describes, the smells, the mud- and blood-spattered uniforms brought home to me memories from a time in my service long ago."The heroic, stoic nature of these men still stays with me to this day."
In the future, when we commit our forces to a conflict far away, I hope our country commits to a pledge to providing our men and women with all of the resources necessary for them to succeed, with pride for their sacrifice and the honor due them from the American people.
Please remember our veterans who sacrificed so much for us. That memory remains with me to this day.I have a unique perspective from other readers of this book. I witnessed the horrific injuries our men suffered during the Vietnam War.
My Air Force Reserve unit was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Along with base hospital personnel, as medics, we manned a casualty receiving hospital unit for flights coming in from Vietnam. We cared for these men until they were sent out on flights returning them home the next day.
The traumatic injuries she describes, the smells, the mud- and blood-spattered uniforms brought home to me memories from a time in my service long ago. Please remember the following text:
"The heroic and stoic nature of these men remains with me to this day.
In the future, when we commit our forces to a conflict far away, I hope our country will pledge to provide our men and women with all the resources necessary for them to succeed. They deserve the pride for their sacrifice and the honor due to them from the American people."
Please remember our veterans who sacrificed so much for us. That memory remains with me to this day.
I have a unique perspective from other readers of this book. I witnessed the horrific injuries our men suffered during the Vietnam War.
My Air Force Reserve unit was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Along with base hospital personnel, as medics, we manned a casualty receiving hospital unit for flights arriving from Vietnam. We cared for these men until they were sent out on flights returning them home the next day.
The traumatic injuries she describes, the smells, the mud- and blood-spattered uniforms brought home to me memories from a time in my service long ago."The heroic, stoic nature of these men still stays with me to this day."
In the future, when we commit our forces to a conflict far away, I hope our country commits to a pledge to providing our men and women with all of the resources necessary for them to succeed, with pride for their sacrifice and the honor due them from the American people.
Please remember our veterans who sacrificed so much for us. That memory remains with me to this day.I have a unique perspective from other readers of this book. I witnessed the horrific injuries our men suffered during the Vietnam War.
My Air Force Reserve unit was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Along with base hospital personnel, as medics, we manned a casualty receiving hospital unit for flights coming in from Vietnam. We cared for these men until they were sent out on flights returning them home the next day.
The traumatic injuries she describes, the smells, the mud- and blood-spattered uniforms brought home to me memories from a time in my service long ago. Please remember the following text:
"The heroic and stoic nature of these men remains with me to this day.
In the future, when we commit our forces to a conflict far away, I hope our country will pledge to provide our men and women with all the resources necessary for them to succeed. They deserve the pride for their sacrifice and the honor due to them from the American people."
Please remember our veterans who sacrificed so much for us. That memory remains with me to this day.
April 4, 2024
HEROES
I was 9 when Lou joined the Army. I had a cousin I'd never met in Vietnam. He didn't make it home. I had always wanted to be a nurse, and I thought I wanted to be an Army nurse. I guess I'm glad I was too young.
I worked at the VA clinic and my PTSD vets broke my heart. I absolutely hate war and how it completely ruins a life. I have a good friend who has severe PTSD from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lou's book gives a real look from inside the war. Not the garbage our government tried to sell. I greatly admire the men and women that served, and I will forever be heartbroken by what they're dealing with now.
Thank you, Lou. For going and for sharing. You're all heroes in my mind.
I was 9 when Lou joined the Army. I had a cousin I'd never met in Vietnam. He didn't make it home. I had always wanted to be a nurse, and I thought I wanted to be an Army nurse. I guess I'm glad I was too young.
I worked at the VA clinic and my PTSD vets broke my heart. I absolutely hate war and how it completely ruins a life. I have a good friend who has severe PTSD from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Lou's book gives a real look from inside the war. Not the garbage our government tried to sell. I greatly admire the men and women that served, and I will forever be heartbroken by what they're dealing with now.
Thank you, Lou. For going and for sharing. You're all heroes in my mind.
March 6, 2024
The best Vietnam Nurse book I have read! It had all of the elements: the nursing skills required, describing triage, taking us through day to day life as both a nurse and a human being in a war zone on the beach and in the jungle! She talks about love and loss then and now. Shred has such an open mind about the soldiers, it was very refreshing.
Lou has returned to Vietnam 4x since the war and explained PTSD to me in a way I've never grasped. The 5th star was sealed because she is an excellent excellent writer!!
Lou has returned to Vietnam 4x since the war and explained PTSD to me in a way I've never grasped. The 5th star was sealed because she is an excellent excellent writer!!
May 28, 2022
A Nurses' Mission & Commitment
Very well written and interesting reading! In addition to performing her mission, Lou touches on both operational and personal components in helping servicemen, women and Vietnamese civilians. In addition to her story, Lou has touched (and helped save) the lives of wounded service members, and passed along her knowledge to students and readers alike. Well done, and Welcome Home! Thank you!
Very well written and interesting reading! In addition to performing her mission, Lou touches on both operational and personal components in helping servicemen, women and Vietnamese civilians. In addition to her story, Lou has touched (and helped save) the lives of wounded service members, and passed along her knowledge to students and readers alike. Well done, and Welcome Home! Thank you!
August 17, 2024
This book is partly about the author's experience in Vietnam as a nurse and partly about the reasons she chose to go there and how she spent her time in the years afterwards recovering and returning to Vietnam four times. It's an interesting read and worth your time if you are interested in women serving in Vietnam.
June 26, 2024
Loved this, a quick read, but I really enjoyed reading a first hand account of a nurse in Vietnam after reading the women. I’m also in the thick of it with TOG and it was a nice little break.
May 17, 2025
Grateful that the author wrote down her story. Interesting to read about her experiences in the Vietnam War. A true hero and an inspiring journey.
June 24, 2025
Welcome Home Lou
Welcome home Lou and thank you for sharing your experience in Vietnam
It brought back lots of memories of my year there
Greatly recommend your book
Welcome home Lou and thank you for sharing your experience in Vietnam
It brought back lots of memories of my year there
Greatly recommend your book
January 3, 2026
A quick, enlightening, wonderful read. Doesn't dwell on gory details (though being a nurse in a combat triage tent there certainly would've been ample opportunity). Lots of reflections on service, women in uniform, recognition, life after the war, going back to Vietnam on several trips, and so forth. I kinda wish every vet could find their way to writing a story or two or even a little memoir like this one.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews