http://www.iptv.org/iowastories/story.cfm/wwii/506/wwii_20070412_miller/video
The video was from this webstie and so was the other facts :)
Ruth Miller
Born: 1921
Reason for entering military service: After completing
nurses training in Marshalltown Miller joined the
Army Nurse Corps in May of 1943.
Assigned: 110th Evacuation
Hospital
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant.
"They were so happy to see somebody from home, from America, and it boosted
their morale that we were there to take care of them..."
Background:
After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Ruth Miller was assigned to
the 110th Evacuation Hospital and sent to Europe in 1944. Miller helped care for
several of the soldiers wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. The 110th's job was
to set up near the battle front, bandage wounded soldiers, and, if necessary,
perform surgery. After treatment the soldiers would be transported to hospitals
farther from the battle. During the month of September, the 110th Evacuation
Hospital moved to Luxembourg and set up a field hospital in the town of Esch.
Ruth Miller, unaware of the events unfolding nearby, was preparing for a New
Year's Eve party along with other nurses from the 110th. The Battle of the Bulge
had begun and casualties were being brought to the hospital where she was
working. As the men were brought in, Miller's belief that her work involved more
than just the treatment of physical wounds was reinforced.
Transcript
Ruth Miller, formerly Ruth Smith, a 22 year old nurse from Marshalltown, had
joined the Army in May of 1943.
(Ruth Miller) Then the more we heard about the war, I began to think that
maybe it would be a good place to be involved—and do my part.
After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Miller was assigned to the
110th Evacuation Hospital and sent to Europe. The 110th's job was to set up near
the battle front, bandage wounded soldiers, and, if necessary, perform surgery.
After treatment the soldiers would be transported to hospitals farther from the
battle.
The 110th went to England in June of 1944. Miller's first assignment was the
Penicillin Team. At the time, Penicillin was a new miracle drug that had to be
mixed just before use.
(Ruth Miller) We just went around every four hours, and if they were
sleeping, we had to wake them up. And the boys said—we’d almost rather go back
and face a German than you people coming around stabbing us every four hours,
but it saved so many lives and it was good.
In one last attempt to get Allied Forces out of Europe Adolf Hitler ordered
his Army to counterattack in December of 1944. During this last desperate move,
the German Army pushed 60 miles into Allied territory. The assault became known
as the Battle of the Bulge. The name was given to this pivotal encounter because
the front line looked like a bulge on battlefield maps. Earlier, during the
month of September, the 110th Evacuation Hospital moved to Luxembourg and set up
a field hospital in the town of Esch. Ruth Miller, unaware of the events
unfolding nearby, was preparing for a New Year's Eve party along with other
nurses from the 110th. As the men were brought in, Miller's belief that her work
involved more than just the treatment of physical wounds was reinforced.
(Ruth Miller) They were so happy to see somebody from home, from America, and
it boosted their morale and—that we were there to take care of them, and I’m
sure it made them think of their own, girlfriends and wives and mothers, ya
know, too. And it was just a really good feeling to know that you were there to
help them out and try and boost their morale, because what they went through,
suffering was awful. They say war is hell, but I say it’s devastating, it’s
cruel, just terrible.
Reason for entering military service: After completing
nurses training in Marshalltown Miller joined the
Army Nurse Corps in May of 1943.
Assigned: 110th Evacuation
Hospital
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant.
"They were so happy to see somebody from home, from America, and it boosted
their morale that we were there to take care of them..."
Background:
After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Ruth Miller was assigned to
the 110th Evacuation Hospital and sent to Europe in 1944. Miller helped care for
several of the soldiers wounded at the Battle of the Bulge. The 110th's job was
to set up near the battle front, bandage wounded soldiers, and, if necessary,
perform surgery. After treatment the soldiers would be transported to hospitals
farther from the battle. During the month of September, the 110th Evacuation
Hospital moved to Luxembourg and set up a field hospital in the town of Esch.
Ruth Miller, unaware of the events unfolding nearby, was preparing for a New
Year's Eve party along with other nurses from the 110th. The Battle of the Bulge
had begun and casualties were being brought to the hospital where she was
working. As the men were brought in, Miller's belief that her work involved more
than just the treatment of physical wounds was reinforced.
Transcript
Ruth Miller, formerly Ruth Smith, a 22 year old nurse from Marshalltown, had
joined the Army in May of 1943.
(Ruth Miller) Then the more we heard about the war, I began to think that
maybe it would be a good place to be involved—and do my part.
After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Miller was assigned to the
110th Evacuation Hospital and sent to Europe. The 110th's job was to set up near
the battle front, bandage wounded soldiers, and, if necessary, perform surgery.
After treatment the soldiers would be transported to hospitals farther from the
battle.
The 110th went to England in June of 1944. Miller's first assignment was the
Penicillin Team. At the time, Penicillin was a new miracle drug that had to be
mixed just before use.
(Ruth Miller) We just went around every four hours, and if they were
sleeping, we had to wake them up. And the boys said—we’d almost rather go back
and face a German than you people coming around stabbing us every four hours,
but it saved so many lives and it was good.
In one last attempt to get Allied Forces out of Europe Adolf Hitler ordered
his Army to counterattack in December of 1944. During this last desperate move,
the German Army pushed 60 miles into Allied territory. The assault became known
as the Battle of the Bulge. The name was given to this pivotal encounter because
the front line looked like a bulge on battlefield maps. Earlier, during the
month of September, the 110th Evacuation Hospital moved to Luxembourg and set up
a field hospital in the town of Esch. Ruth Miller, unaware of the events
unfolding nearby, was preparing for a New Year's Eve party along with other
nurses from the 110th. As the men were brought in, Miller's belief that her work
involved more than just the treatment of physical wounds was reinforced.
(Ruth Miller) They were so happy to see somebody from home, from America, and
it boosted their morale and—that we were there to take care of them, and I’m
sure it made them think of their own, girlfriends and wives and mothers, ya
know, too. And it was just a really good feeling to know that you were there to
help them out and try and boost their morale, because what they went through,
suffering was awful. They say war is hell, but I say it’s devastating, it’s
cruel, just terrible.
This is a picture of Ruth Miller when she was younger.