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The Angels of Mercy - New Britain 1944 251st Station Hospital


Salvage Sailor
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Salvage Sailor

From a set of 40th Infantry Division photos

 

Arrival of the Angels of Mercy on New Britain, 1944

127a ARRIVAL OF THE ANGELS OF MERCY NEW BRITAIN 1943.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Yep,

 

I've always appreciated this photo not only for it's subject matter, but also the candid composition of the shot.

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  • 2 years later...
Salvage Sailor

It took awhile but I've identified these women as being with the 251st Station Hospital.

 

They were supporting the 108th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division at Cape Gloucester, New Britain

 

1999 Reunion article with photo https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19991002&id=HmleAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OmENAAAAIBAJ&pg=5834,197707&hl=en

127 ARRIVAL OF THE ANGELS OF MERCY NEW BRITAIN 1943.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all!

 

First off, I'd like to tell you that I set up an account with this forum for the sole purpose of replying to this thread. Well ok, there is plenty more to check out on the page for sure, but this was the precipitous :)

 

My grandmother is actually in this photo! Her name was CPT Jane Isler (although at the time I believe she was still an LT). She is down in front, her head cocked a little to the side and her one hand slightly raised. This was taken in August 1944 when they arrived in Cape Glouster after having spent many months in Australia and New Guinea.

 

She passed away in 1978, and I don't have her discharge papers. I put in a request, but unfortunately hers was one of the records lost in the fire in St. Louis. I have her honorable discharge certificate, her dog tags, a bayonet that a male soldier gave to her, and of course her folded flag. I'm still doing research though, and there are still a few (frayed) threads to pull.

 

I have some other photos as well, and when I get them scanned, I can post those as well if anyone is interested.

 

Cheers!

~Rachel "OD Green"

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My grandmother is actually in this photo! Her name was CPT Jane Isler (although at the time I believe she was still an LT). She is down in front, her head cocked a little to the side and her one hand slightly raised. This was taken in August 1944 when they arrived in Cape Glouster after having spent many months in Australia and New Guinea.

 

 

 

Very very cool! I have read a lot of books about nurses in the military. My hats off to your grandmother! One of the definitely unsung heroes of the war.

 

...Kat

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She passed away in 1978, and I don't have her discharge papers. I put in a request, but unfortunately hers was one of the records lost in the fire in St. Louis.

Don't buy that line until you've exhausted your options. The archives work on a quota system, and at the end of the day, if quota hasn't been met, employees tend to stuff that fire form letter into envelopes to meet their quota. I have received that letter in response to USMC records...USMC and USN records were untouched by the fire.

 

Best bet is to send multiple requests spaced a day or two apart, and hope they land in different hands at different times of day. I always send 3...and my success rate has increased exponentially.

 

You could also try hiring a researcher to pull the record and copy it...often at less cost than the archives gets. Member 'mes' here is great and goes there once or twice a month

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