The Army Nurse

This 1945 documentary, likely produced by the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, offers an intimate look at the lives of army nurses during WWII’s final year. Filmed in black-and-white, it follows their journey from training to service, spotlighting their vital role in military healthcare. The film opens with recruits at a stateside base—perhaps Fort Devens—learning bandaging, sterilization, and triage in crisp white uniforms, their hands steady under instructors’ watch. Daily work unfolds in field hospitals near European or Pacific fronts: nurses tend wounded GIs, administer shots, and assist surgeons amid the clatter of stretchers and faint groans, showcasing resilience under pressure. Off-duty moments provide relief—nurses chat over coffee, write letters, or dance at a USO event, some in borrowed lipstick and curls. Narration praises their skill and spirit, tying their care to soldiers’ survival. Aimed at recruitment or public morale, it’s a tribute to these unsung heroines, balancing duty with humanity in war’s shadow.