Women played an important role as nurses in WWII and over 1,600 women nurses were given different awards and decorations for their work and courage during the   war.  Women had served as Nurses going back until the Civil War but it was not until 1901 that Nurses were officially part of the United States Army.(US Medical)  (“Khanacademy”) These brave women worked with the Army Nurse Corps and American red cross. (Ebling) They took part in saving lives on the infamous beaches of Anzio and Normandy right after the battles occurred. (Ebling) Nurses were so needed that they even considered drafting all the available nurses to come and help.(Ebling) They also offered Nurses a free education as an incentive for more women to become Nurses. (Scrubs)  Lieutenant Reba Whittle was a flight nurse and the only female member of the U.S. military to be captured as a prisoner of war in the European theater. (Korpe) Flight nurses were tasked with flying injured soldiers from the makeshift hospitals on the front lines to proper medical facilities in England. (Ebling) At the conclusion of the war there were 1,799 active component nurses and 9,222 in reserve. (Ebling) In total over 59,000 Nurses served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War 2. (US Medical)  If it were not for the role that women played in the military and in battle during WWII America simply could would not have been as successful as they were.