Retired Army Capt. Rhona Prescott, Vietnam Nurse

Rhona Prescott served as a U.S. Army nurse in Vietnam from January 1967 to 1968. A Delaware House of Representatives tribute noted she volunteered multiple times for Vietnam before being assigned there in 1967.

As an operating room nurse and later an acting chief nurse, her assignments included a Saigon hospital for brain injuries and chest wounds; the 616 Medical Clearing Company in An Khe, where she received the wounded directly from Dustoff helicopters; and later with the 85th Evac in Qui Nhon, which was also a POW hospital.

Her experience treating battle-wounded soldiers led to her co-authoring a book of short stories in "Another Kind of War Story", a self-published book with three other combat nurses. It's in the Library of Congress and led to an off-Broadway play that toured for a year.

She suffered a personal loss after a nurse colleague who took her place on a mission was killed.

After leaving the military Rhona earned an advanced degree in clinical social work, later working at a VA Readjustment Counseling Service for combat veterans. She later helped found a homeless shelter in New York and was instrumental in opening one in Lewes.

An honored member of Chapter 850, in 2021 she addressed 23 Dustoff crew members who visited Dover as part of their annual travelling convention. She was recognized as a sister with an award that included all of their signatures.

A popular speaker, Rhona was invited to address an April meeting of the Kent County Library book club to discuss a best-selling new book, "The Women," by Kristin Hannah. The novel is about a young nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath, having been raised and sheltered by her conservative parents, always prided herself on doing the right thing.

But in 1965 when her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

Similar to Rhona's own wartime service, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.