Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
2:08 | Ruth Kulvi describes her life growing up during the great depression, and her family's contributions to the war effort. At a very young age, she starts the path toward joining the Army Nurse Corps.
Keywords : Army Nurse Corps World War II Great Depression Chicago Comiskey Park Work Progress Administration (WPA) Pearl Harbor Declaration of War
Kulvi endures a rigid education before being recruited into the Army Nurse Corps. While in training, she faces personal and professional challenges, including an unwelcome introduction to competitive drinking.
Stationed in Okinawa, Ruth Kulvi experiences multiple life-threatening typhoons. Her first priority is the safety of the soldiers and children whose lives are imperiled by the merciless storms. While attempting to relocate a sick GI, her team must brave intense winds and stubborn roads.
Kulvi's Army career lasts well into her later years, taking her from Kentucky to Germany to Walter Reed in D.C. She works her way to a Masters Degree, endures a serious back injury, and navigates the challenges of being a woman in a rapidly changing military - all the while raising her departed sister's children.
