No Time for Fear: Voices of American Military Nurses in World War II

By Diane Burke Fessler

Book Overview

No Time for Fear summons the voices of more than 100 women who served as nurses overseas during World War II, letting them tell their story as no one else can. Fessler has meticulously compiled and transcribed more than 200 interviews with American military nurses of the Army, Army Air Force, and Navy who were present in all theaters of WWII. Their stories bring to life horrific tales of illness and hardship, blinding blizzards, and near starvation--all faced with courage, tenacity, and even good humor. This unique oral-history collection makes available to readers an important counterpoint to the seemingly endless discussions of strategy, planning, and troop movement that often characterize discussions of the Second World War.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087013440X
• ISBN13: 9780870134401
• Release Date: May 1997
• Publisher: Michigan State University Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Softcover available now - reprinted 2007

NO TIME FOR FEAR: VOICES OF AMERICAN MILITARY NURSES IN WORLD WAR II has been reprinted in softcover, latest printing 2007, ISBN 978-087013440-1. The book contains oral histories of more than 100 nurses who served overseas in all theaters of war during the 1940s.

An Excellent Resource

The voice of women veterans is one too seldom heard. Now, with WWII veterans dying at a rate of over 1,000 per day, those voices will all too soon become silent. WWII was the first time women joined the military, and they encountered prejudice and hardships every step of the way. The nurses who served in the military witnessed horrors that many of the men encountered, but with much less preparation and little resource for healing after the war. All but forgotten for the roles they performed, this book brings to light their stories as they can only be told- by the women veterans themselves. Much of the information is rarely found in available books, and "No Time for Fear" is an excellent resource for that information- particularly on the women who served aboard hospital ships and those who were taken as prisoners of war. The personal accounts tell stories of war as well as stories of the lighter side of day-to-day living that was the human side of life as a nurse in the military. An excellent overall account of WWII military nursing, and one that will likely encourage the reader to delve deeper into our nation's history of female veterans.

No Time for Fear

This is a wonderful look at the dedication, work and hardships of the nurses of World War II. Some of their stories have never been told and it was hard for me to put the book down. Their work was demanding, difficult and exausting but the book also tells about the fun and even some romance. Many were killed and captured. Women in combat is not a 21st century idea!

Unsung Heros of WW II - Interesting Real Stories of Nurses

This book is excellent to get a real feel of what being a World War II Nurse was like. The book shares the best and worse times experienced by Nurses from around the world during very difficult days of War. I have attended signing parties and the experience and warmth is outstanding. A must read book for all World War II history readers who want to understand the real heros just doing their jobs of saving lives.