We Band of Angels

We Band of Angels chronicles the experiences of American military nurses stationed in the Philippines during World War II. The book follows their journey from peacetime nursing duties through the Japanese invasion and its aftermath. The narrative focuses on a core group of Army and Navy nurses who served in Manila and Bataan, documenting their professional roles and personal lives. Norman draws from interviews, diaries, letters and military records to reconstruct their wartime service. These nurses faced battlefield conditions, internment, and severe hardships while continuing to care for the wounded and sick. The book tracks their individual stories from their early careers through their wartime experiences and beyond. The work presents themes of resilience, duty and the overlooked role of women in military history. Through these nurses' accounts, Norman examines questions about survival, professional dedication, and the human capacity to endure.

Readers found this account of American nurses in WWII Philippines filled gaps in an overlooked part of military history. Many praised Norman's research and her ability to weave personal stories with historical events. What readers liked: - Detailed firsthand accounts and personal narratives - Focus on the nurses' resilience and dedication - Balance of individual stories with broader context - Inclusion of primary sources and photographs What readers disliked: - Some found the large number of characters hard to follow - A few noted choppy transitions between storylines - Several wanted more details about specific battles - Some felt the ending was rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (500+ ratings) Reader quote: "Norman lets the nurses tell their own stories through letters, diaries, and interviews, giving an intimate view of their experiences without sensationalizing their hardships." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌟 All 77 American military nurses stationed in the Philippines became prisoners of war during WWII - the largest group of American women POWs in U.S. military history. 🌟 Author Elizabeth Norman spent over six years researching this book, conducting interviews with surviving nurses and tracking down personal diaries, letters, and official military documents. 🌟 The nurses, later known as the "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor," treated patients in open-air field hospitals while under constant bombardment, and continued caring for the sick and wounded even during their three years of internment. 🌟 Despite their harrowing experiences, these nurses had a 100% survival rate among their ranks, though many suffered from malnutrition, disease, and post-traumatic stress. 🌟 Several of the nurses continued serving in the military after their liberation, and one, Josephine Nesbit, became the first woman in the U.S. military to receive the Legion of Merit medal.