Donut Dollies Deployed in Vietnam War
Gaining their nickname from World War Two and Korea, from February 1962 to March of 1973, Donut Dollies were deployed into Vietnam to provide support and a sympathetic ear for millions of U.S. servicemen, hungry for news from back home, not to mention the chance to spend quality time with the girl next door.
Who Were the Donut Dollies?
Selfless, brave and resilient, armed only with their smile and bubbly personalities, the American Red Cross Donut Dollies traveled in pairs by helicopter, jeeps and halftracks, logging some 2,000,000 miles into remote fire bases, where they brought much-needed warmth to soldiers counting down to the day when their year of service was finally over.
During the height of the Vietnam War, over 600 young women responded to somewhat ambiguous Red Cross ads seeking “qualified young women willing to serve one year overseas.” To be considered for the job, standards for acceptance were higher than those of the military, requiring a woman to be 21 years of age, college-educated, replete with letters of recommendation and an outstanding personality.
According to Red Cross advertisements, the job “requires a capacity for hard work under less than ideal conditions.”
Two Weeks of Training
After only two weeks of training in Washington, D.C., the women shipped off for Vietnam in their signature pale blue outfits, manning recreation centers, while visiting the wounded in evac hospitals throughout South Vietnam.
No one appreciated the presence of Donut Dollies more than troops stationed at remote fire bases in-country, where they spent much-need time with wholesome American women, talking about home or sports or music with fresh-faced beauties in ponytails, makeup and a hint of perfume, helping many servicemen catch a moment’s break from the harsh realities of war.
Sometimes sleeping in bunkers under incoming mortar and sniper fire, Donut Dollies witnessed first hand some of the worst tragedies of life in-country, leaving many Vietnam Veterans, even five decades after the war’s unceremonious end, with fond memories and deep respect for the Donut Dollies that brought moments of sunlight to their darkest days as fighting men.