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Women In Uniform: Untold Stories from the Vietnam War

Nov 11, 2024 11:09AM ● By Lauren Pope

As we celebrate Veteran's Day, we'd like to introduce you to three local women who served during the Vietnam War: Sharon Callahan, an Army nurse who treated casualties during the Tet Offensive, Pat Landry, who worked in Army investigations, and Roberta Chapman of the Navy. Their stories from Long Binh and Da Nang capture a rarely told part of the war - the experiences of American women in uniform. 

Sharon Spino Callahan

 

 















"I was in the Army Nurse Corps from 1967 to 1969, spent 1968 in Vietnam. Was at Long Binh at the 93rd Evac from January to May. Was there for Tet Offensive. We stabilized patients before evacuating them for healing. Was well acquainted with hearing GOOD MORNING VIETNAM on the radio! In May, I transferred to Da Nang, 95th Evac. Tent hospital on the South China Sea, just near Marble Mt. "

Precilla "Pat" Ann Landry (Wilkewitz)
In country: January 5, 1968 - September 5, 1969
Rank: Specialist 5, US Army Duty: USARV, Office of the Inspector General, Investigations and Complaints, Inspection Division

 











"They didn't issue us weapons in Vietnam. At basic training in Fort Benning, GA, we trained with M-16s and M-14s. We had to do marksmanship and be in foxholes and we had to do mounted and dismounted attacks. But, they didn't issue women weapons (in country). One night we had a human mass attack on all four corners at Long Binh. We had mortar attacks that could have landed on our compound and killed all of us. Did we have anything to protect us? No, all we had was prayer. And I did a lot of that.

All women had to eat at the 24th Evacuation Hospital. So, when we went there we had to eat with the patients. Some of them had missing arms, legs, eyes, and had IVs sticking out and all these little gadgets hanging from that walking thing. There were only two redheads there in the first place. I would sit down with the patients and they would start crying. Many, many of them."

Roberta Chapman

 












Roberta Lampani Chapman
March 9, 1967-May 8, 1970
Hospital Corps Wave
Roberta enlisted in the United States Navy March 1967 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her boot camp training began in Bainbridge, Maryland. There she earned the award of the second best recruit in a company of 55 women, led the platoon in marching exercises and was assigned to the pudgy platoon (weight control). According to military guidelines she was 17 lbs. overweight. She did accomplish the goal.

Secondary training was at Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Illinois from June 1967 through September 1967. Her rating was a Hospital Corpsman E3. She was assigned her first duty station at USNH Oakland, CA. Her assignments included the emergency room, gynecology outpatient department, and the surgery ward for dependents.

She was transferred in September 1968 to her next duty station, USNH at NAS Pensacola, FL. Her assignments included the newborn nursery, the emergency room and the pediatric ward. She was discharged on May 8, 1970.

Roberta earned the National Defense Medal/Ribbon while in the US Navy. She is eligible for the following commemorative medals/ribbons: the Cold War medal/ribbon, the Navy Service medal/ribbon and the Honorable Service medal/ribbon. The State of Louisiana gave her a Louisiana Military Service Medal.

As a member of the Regional Veterans Park Committee, Louisiana Women Veterans, American Legion and the Military Women's Memorial, she participates in many veteran related organizations and events. We published a story about her in our April print issue, and you can read it here. 

Editor's note: If you're curious to learn more about the experience of female servicewomen in Vietnam, we recommend the excellent book The Women by Kristin Hannah. 

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