Roadblock- Missing Army Nurse

My grandmother (Mary Gertrude Brown at the time) was a nurse in the Army during WWII. We not only heard fantastic tales of her time working in tent hospitals and on hospital trains, she was actually photographed by Life magazine for a cover story that got pulled at the last moment. She mailed a copy of the cover photograph home, and on the back there is a stamp which reads, "Not for public use. Approved, Unit 52." I'm not sure if this would have been her unit or one that was responsible for checking outgoing and incoming mail.

I'm currently waiting for my Aunt to scan in photographs of my grandmother from this time period, including the photo(s) that the life photographer gave her. In the meantime, I've been trying to track down what information I can for her.

Searching isn't new to me, and I've had no trouble at all with regards to finding my grandfather (John Sockol). I've got his information from the archives (serial number, enlistment date, etc) and know that he's listed at gravelocator.cem.va.gov. My grandmother is another story. I can't find a single trace of her anywhere other than on the census. Its as if she simply didn't exist.

Here is what I know.

Mary Gertrude Brown was born in Pensacola, FL in 1917. She graduated from Pensacola High School in 1935 and went to Hôtel-Dieu, a hospital in New Orleans. Under Dr. L. A. Fortier, she trained to be a nurse. Sometime prior to the war breaking out, she attempted to enlist in the military, only to be denied due to her weight. She traveled to New York and attended Ann Delafield's Success School in the Richard Hudnut Salon, where she lost the extra weight. She then enlisted in the Army.

We know she was at Normandy, that she was in France and Belgium. We also know that she served with Dr. Lynn W. Whelchel. During the war he was the surgeon she worked with. After the war, he maintained a lifelong friendship with my grandparents and was pediatrician to their children and their grandchildren until he stopped practicing due to his age.

My grandmother told three stories that really stood out amongst the others. One is of being in a field on the night she first arrived and how the entire hospital unit wrapped jackets and such around their heads trying to drown out the sound of thousands of planes going overhead.

Another is of packing the hospital and marching out as dusk fell, only to look back after a few miles to see planes dropping bombs on the field they'd been in- bombs with a chemical in them that made the moon appear green.

Last, but certainly not least, is the story of a middle-of-the-night evacuation. Her unit was taking care of men close to the front line, when they were swarmed by Allied soldiers who told them the front had collapsed and that the enemy were closing in. Afraid that they couldn't get the people to safety in time, they put them in coal cars and sent them careening down the side of a mountain in the pitch black. She said it was the most terrifying experience she had during the war.

We also know that she spent some time in tent hospitals close to the line, but also that she worked on a hospital train that was operating on the wrong side of the front. The train is where she met my grandfather- they married after the war.

If anyone has any idea of where to search for some record of her, I would greatly appreciate the help. I've tried Google, Google Books, Ancestry.com, NARA, etc with no luck. I'd like to request a copy of her records, but I can't find anything that gives me relevant information and I'm afraid that writing "Mary G Brown" and nothing else won't get me very far.

 

Did you contact Dr. Lynn W. Whelchel's son, who may have information
on his father's service in the war? He is also a physician.

The key is to identify the Field or General Hospital to which your
grandmother and Dr. Lynn W. Whelchel were attached, then you can
request the records from the NARA.

Dave

 

Hi Dave- thanks for the response.

I've actually already begun exploring the route you suggested. Just yesterday I sent an email to a gentlemen that I believe is Dr. Whelchel, Sr.'s grandson; he has been posting on military forums as well, and I was hoping to try make contact with the family through him.

To be honest, I was somewhat hesitant to try contacting Dr. Whelchel, Jr, as I have never had any interaction with the family and I wasn't sure how a phone call might be received.

 

I would contact Lynn, Jr. He will know more of
his father's history than Lynn, Sr.'s grandson.


Dave

 

Well, I called Dr. Whelchel's family and got quite the surprise. It seems he never served in the military overseas.

So now I'm at a complete loss. I know she was in the military- we have pictures of her in uniform- but I have no other information to go on, and her name doesn't show up anywhere.

Guess I'll have to wait for a copy of the pictures and see what information I can glean from her uniform...

 

That is very puzzling indeed.


Dave

 

Just got off the phone with Dr. Whelchel's daughter, who does remember my grandmother and, being younger than her brother, remembers a bit more about his service.

He was in the Army, stationed at both Barksdale (Shreveport, LA) and MacDill (Tampa, FL). While he never served overseas, one of his buddies from his unit (which she can't recall) was a surgeon who was overseas- something that seems odd to me, but, I'm assuming is either because Whelchel was a pediatrician or because the unit was separated.

She actually was able to give me the names of several doctors from the unit:

Dr. Woods (a urologist), Dr. Rodger Orengo*, Dr. Perry D. Melvin and Dr. Russell Nuzum*

I'm kicking around the names in searches across the internet, but don't seem to be turning up much, but thought I'd list them here in case anyone sees them and says, "Hey! I know that guy!"

Then there is the instinct that the two of them simply met on base and that even if I do locate his unit, it won't be any assistance in finding her. Frustrating, to say the least.

So here is my next question:

If the only thing I have is her name and that she was in the Army and possibly her rank** is there any way to find her records through a request?

*spelled phonetically
**a 1st Lieutenant, according to my grandfather, who was a 2nd Lieutenant and claimed she always pulled rank on him

 

I feel a bit like I'm boring everyone with this, but figured I'd keep posting in case anyone else goes through this.

Through the cemetery where my grandparents are buried, I was able to find the name of the funeral home that handled their services. The people at the funeral home were endlessly helpful and emailed me a copy of my grandfather's obituary. They also told me that my grandmother had no obituary published. However, my grandfather's obituary did mention he was preceded in death by his wife and gave her full maiden name.

Armed with the obituary on letterhead from the funeral home, I've sent off for the records. Cross your fingers and hope they find her when I haven't been able to!

 

Thanks

Requests are sent, now I just wait and see what turns up (or doesn't)

 

Very excited this morning - score one for my aunt Sue! She found some 'military paperwork' at her house- here's what it has:

Army Serial # - N727362

Military Specialty- Nurse, Administrative 3430

Organization - 44th Hospital Train Unit, APO 513

Date of Entry to Active Duty - June 3, 1942

Date of Depature from Active Duty - Jan 23, 1946

Battles and Campaign - Rjhineland Campaign; Northern France Campaig

Service School Attended: American School Center, Shrivenham, England

Decorations and Citations: EAME Theater ribon, 2 Bronze Battle Stars

 

That is very good news.

I recommend you contact the NARA, College Park, and
ask if they Unit Histories of the 44th Hospital Train.


Dave

 

Hi Dave- I've sent off applications for military records from NARA and sent a request to the Medical Research Centre (WW2 US Medical Research Centre :: Homepage) for anything they might have on the unit. I was actually wondering if there was a way to ask NARA for unit information- all I've seen is for individual records. Is there a way to obtain documents not included in the personal files but related to the unit?

 

Good question.

Personnel files, e.g., DD214, are obtained from the NPRC, St. Louis.

But Unit Histories, After Action Reports, etc., are only found at the
NARA, College Park.

The National Archives at College Park, Maryland

You have to contact them for the unit documents you want for
your grandmother.


Dave

 

Do they actually take research requests? From their site, I got the impression you have to actually go there.

 

The easiest thing to do is to establish an electronic account with
the NARA and submit your request via the web.

https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov

If the NARA has the records, they will send
you a letter and tell you the cost.


Dave

 

Thanks, Dave! Always appreciate a new avenue of research.

 

I just thought I'd post in here and whine a bit. Still nothing from NARA and ALL the information I've tracked so far has led to one dead end after another. I know I'm being impatient, but I wish those records would arrive- I've reached a complete standstill

 

lol - thanks LRusso. I just needed to whine a bit; patience was never one of my foremost virtues *grin*