WWII Veteran Alice Darrow, 106, Inspires New Campaign to Honor Wartime Nurses

Even at the age of 106, Alice Darrow can still vividly remember the noises, sights, and dangers of World War II. Darrow was a young U.S. Navy nurse who served during some of the conflict's deadliest periods. She tended to soldiers suffering from burns, gunshot wounds, and battlefield trauma while dodging incoming fire herself.

A pioneering corps of military nurses, including Darrow, carried medical packs across active combat zones, remained by the bedside long after shifts ended, and, in some cases, paid the ultimate price. The war resulted in the deaths of numerous nurses due to hostile fire. However, others endured years of imprisonment as captives of war. A majority of individuals returned home to resume their quiet, unremarkable existence.

"To them, you are everything because you are caring for them," Darrow reflected from her residence in Danville, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was referring to the wounded service members she had served.

A patient who arrived at Mare Island Naval Hospital in California with a bullet embedded in his heart was believed to be beyond saving. After surviving the surgery, he ultimately became a defining figure in Darrow's life, one of numerous personal stories she retains eight decades later.

Today, 80 years after the end of World War II, Darrow and a coalition of retired military nurses, veterans, and supporters are advocating for long-overdue national recognition. The group is advocating for the recognition of World War II nurses with one of the nation's most prestigious civilian honors, contending that their vital efforts have been disregarded for far too long.

The proposed honor would formally recognize the distinctive risks wartime nurses faced, which often resembled those of combat personnel. Witnessing numerous casualties, improvising treatment methods, and working under fire with limited supplies exposed numerous nurses to psychological stress.

According to advocates, the recognition initiative is intended not only to pay tribute to the surviving nurses, who are now all in their 90s or older, but also to enhance the historical record for future generations. The coalition intends to present its case to federal officials and to secure bipartisan support.

Darrow, whose career spanned from warfront hospital wards to decades of community service following the war, continues to serve as a testament to the compassion and resilience that characterized nursing during the war. Supporters of Darrow assert that her narrative exemplifies the broader legacy of thousands of women who served without expecting recognition.

The campaign continues as the number of surviving WWII nurses each year decreases, intensifying the urgency of the effort. Darrow's tribute would honor all the nurses who served with her and those who never returned home.