Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Virginia Edds Defourneaux. Virginia served as a nurse during World War II and was in the service from 1945 to 1965.
In an interview with the Veteran’s History Project, Virginia describes when she joined the military on April 1, 1945. Prior to her service, she worked in a hospital in Tennessee with the Atomic Energy Agency. As part of her training, Virginia was sent to Fort Harrison, Indiana, and Camp Beale, California. After completing her training, she was deployed to the Philippines, where she served as a nurse for two years.
Following the end of World War II, Virginia remained in the reserves and received a nursing degree from the University of Colorado. In January 1955, Virginia was deployed to Camp Gifu, Japan, where she was a nurse for the Air Force and the Marines. Virginia also served as a nurse at Camp Wood and the Tokyo Army Hospital.
Virginia returned to the United States and worked in public health in Fort Knox. She remained in the reserves until 1965 when she married her husband. Virginia continued to practice nursing in the United States after her service.
Thank you for your service, Virginia.
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Veterans History Project
This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.
Graphic By Kierra Willis: Kierra Willis is a Graphic Communication Major at the University of Maryland University College. She currently has an AAS in Graphic Design and Visual Communications.
Topics in this story
More Stories
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Navy Veteran Ken Mattingly, who served as a pilot during the 1950s and later became an astronaut during the Apollo missions.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Air Force Veteran Gavino Cavazos, who served from 1949 to 1973 during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Army Veteran Howard Brown, who served during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1969 and the Gulf War from 1969 to 1992.
