WW II Nurses Turned Prisoners of War | An Act of War | 1

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0:26U.S. Navy nurse Mary Rose Harrington shovels a huge forkful of salted beef into her mouth. It's noon on December 10th, 1941. She's been working nonstop for two days, and she's ravenous. She's sitting in the common room of her dormitory on the Cavite Naval Base in the Philippines, outside Manila. Her squad of 11 other nurses is eating around the table with her. Usually lunchtime is lively here, full of chit-chat. But today, there's not much light talk. Three days ago, Japanese warplanes attacked the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii, killing and wounding thousands of sailors. This act of war stunned Harrington and her fellow nurses.

1:12Since then, they've been working frantically to transfer patients from the base's hospital, just in case the Japanese bomb Kavite next. Any talk at lunch today focuses on the coming war. Harrington has strong opinions. Japan caught us off guard with that sneak attack, but we'll pummel them in a fair fight. The other nurses nod in agreement. Suddenly, an air raid siren sounds. The whole table groans. This is the third siren already today, and none have amounted to anything. But rules are rules. They have to head down to the dirty crawl space beneath their building and shelter there. Harrington refuses to miss a meal for another false alarm.

1:58She stands up, plate in hand. The other women follow her lead. Within a minute, they're in the crawlspace, an unlit cavity with a dirt floor. It's full of spiderwebs and lizards darting about. The ceiling is so low they can barely move around. The nurses sit cross-legged on the dirt and continue eating. Some pretend they're having a picnic and joke about passing the corn on the cob. It's some welcome levity after days of stress. But a minute later, Harrington hears the drone of approaching planes. A pair of cooks standing near the door of the shelter yell that the Japanese are here. The nurses stop eating and exchange worried glances.

2:44Before long, they hear the boom of artillery shells from the base's defense units. This is real. After another minute, a bomb drops so close that the building above them shakes. Several nurses cry out and drop their plates. Dust falls from the ceiling. Several more bombs follow. Harrington pulls out a rosary from beneath her shirt and starts working the beads. A few nurses cover their heads with their arms. Another nurse, the cynical Dorothy Still, scoffs at this. No use trying to protect yourself if a bomb hits this building or goners. Harrington scowls. Dorothy might be right, but why say it out loud?

3:31The next hour is the longest of Harrington's life. The whole earth shakes each time a bomb slams down. Her ears ring, and there's a pungent odor in the air. Smoke, burning rubber, and gunpowder from the bombs. All she can do is pray as hard as she can. After three rosaries, the all-clear siren finally sounds. Harrington and the other nurses hesitantly emerge from the crawlspace. Outside, they're greeted by devastation. People scream in pain from every direction. Two buildings have been reduced to rubble. Bomb craters, some of them still smoking, pockmark the road. The base itself seems ringed by fire as flames engulf structures and vehicles.

4:24In the distance, Manila is burning too. Behind her, Harrington's boss, Chief Nurse Laura Cobb, barks out orders. Everyone report to the hospital immediately. We're about to see a flood of patients. The nurses break into a run. Harrington has never felt so afraid. She's treated plenty of injuries before, but never any war wounds. There's a deeper element to her fear as well. For the past few days, she's been telling everyone that the mighty American military will rout Japan. But seeing the destruction around her now, she realizes that maybe Japan won't be such a pushover after all. And if that's the case, she could find herself far from home, plunged into the middle of a terrible war.

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5:55from Audible Originals I'm Cassie DePeckel and this is Against the Odds

6:03World War II began in Europe in September 1939 without U.S. involvement. But there were simmering tensions between the United States and Japan over territories in Asia. The Philippines was a particular point of conflict. At the time, the nation was an American colony, but Japan coveted its natural resources and strategic location. These tensions exploded in December 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, forcing the U.S. into the war. Soon after, Japan attacked military targets near Manila before launching a ground invasion. As part of their takeover, they rounded up captives. Among those taken prisoner were 12 U.S.

6:49Navy nurses. Over the next few years, these nurses would face confinement in one brutal prison camp after another, forced to rely on their wits, resourcefulness, and each other to survive. This is Episode 1, An Act of War.

7:14Dorothy still slouches on the couch, flipping through the latest issue of Life magazine. It's November 1937 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother sits next to her, peppering her with questions. Dorothy ignores her, keeping her eyes fixed on the article she's reading. Finally, her mother slaps the magazine out of Dorothy's hands. Dorothy, give me a straight answer. Why did the clinic let you go? I told you, Mom. The older nurses pushed me out. But why you? Are you sure you didn't do anything? Dorothy glares, snapping that she wishes her mother would take her side for once. But her mother won't let it go.

8:00She insists that there must be a reason that Dorothy can't hold down a job. They go round and round until Dorothy's mother throws her hands up and trudges into the kitchen. Dorothy watches her go, her cheeks burning in shame beneath her short blonde hair. She's almost 23, but is unemployed and still living at home. As a child, Dorothy dreamed of designing costumes for Hollywood. She loves the spectacle of big musicals, the feathered boas and sparkling sequins. The Great Depression killed that dream. Her mother urged her to go into nursing instead, as a safe, practical career. Dorothy reluctantly agreed.

8:45But the depression hit nursing hard too, and Dorothy has burned through three jobs in two years. She got pushed out of her most recent position by a trio of older nurses, who feared being replaced. They kept giving her the hopeless cases, then complaining to her supervisor when the patients got worse. It was humiliating. And talking to her mother about it only makes things worse. Dorothy resumes flipping through the magazine to distract herself. Near the back, a photo catches her eye. It shows a group of nurses in white uniforms and hats, laughing. It's an article about nurses who serve in the U.S.

9:26Navy. The discipline of military life has never appealed to Dorothy. But as she reads more, she gets intrigued. Navy nurses get a regular, guaranteed salary. They also travel a lot. The Navy especially needs nurses in the Philippines. Dorothy has no idea where the Philippines is, so she goes to the bookshelf, pulls down an encyclopedia, and starts to read. She learns that it's a chain of 7 ,000 islands southeast of the Chinese mainland. For more than 300 years, it had been under Spanish control, until it was turned over to the United States after the Spanish-American War in 1899. The photos portray a lovely place, lush foliage, exotic birds, and welcoming people.

10:19Dorothy grabs the magazine again and sees an address listed in the article to send resumes. She tears the page out. Dorothy hopes she's not wasting a stamp, but she's going to look into this military nursing gig. Maybe this will be the job that makes her like nursing and keeps her mother off her back.

10:42Laura Cobb glides across the dance floor while a small orchestra plays in the corner. Cobb is wearing her fanciest dress, a green silk number. She's 48, but she's currently dancing with a 22-year-old Marine who's light on his feet. He spins her around and pulls her back. You're an awfully good dancer, ma 'am. Ma 'am, I should have you court-martialed. Call me Laura. The Marine laughs. As the song ends, another partner cuts in, and Cobb starts twirling again. It's March 1941, at a swanky hotel ballroom in Manila. Cobb never dreamed she'd live somewhere like the Philippines. She was born in Kansas.

11:27After graduating high school, she first worked as a teacher, then enrolled in nursing school and joined the Navy. She's never settled down or had a family. Instead, she's gotten to see the world. But Manila is her favorite place she's lived. There's a thriving expat community and lively nightlife. Their hospital mostly treats sailors who get sick or injured during training, and it's frankly not that demanding. Due to the heat and humidity most months, nurses work just four-hour shifts, which leaves plenty of time to socialize and attend dances. Cobb's never had so much fun. It's hard to believe that across the globe, Europe is embroiled in war.

12:12But as long as America stays out of it, Cobb's not too worried. After the next song ends, Cobb excuses herself to powder her nose. She crosses the veranda and sees a gecko scramble by. Outside the ballroom, she bumps into another nurse on her staff, Dorothy Still. Cobb smiles politely. Dorothy's a good nurse, but she and Cobb clash sometimes. Dorothy doesn't love nursing, and she can resent when Cobb pushes her to do her best work. But there's no need to dredge up work drama tonight. Cobb points to Dorothy's outfit. I love your dress, and it's good to see you out having fun. Which reminds me, your tour is up in less than a year.

12:57If you want to do another stint in Manila, I'll need your paperwork soon. Spots fill up fast. Dorothy scoffs. I have the date my tour is up circled in my diary. January 1st, 1942. I'll be heading home on the first ship. Oh, do you not enjoy Manila? No. Not the food, not the heat, not the work. Now excuse me. Cobb finishes up and crosses back to the ballroom. A light sea breeze ruffles her hair, and she inhales the sweet scent of flowers blooming in the trees. Cobb shakes her head. If Dorothy can't appreciate that she's gotten the opportunity to live in paradise, that's her loss. Personally, Cobb wouldn't change a thing.

13:47Navy nurse Mary Rose Harrington finishes her old-fashioned and glances around the nightclub from her booth in the back. She frowns at how empty the place is. Did all the waitresses leave town too? Her boyfriend Lawrence looks up from cutting his steak. Probably. The orders were clear. All women and children were supposed to leave. Harrington sighs. It's October 1941. And over the past few months, tensions have ratcheted up between the United States and Japan. The Japanese have been flying planes over American colonies and sending ships into American waters. Politicians on both sides have been rattling their sabers, too.

14:32Harrington considers it a bunch of nonsense. Everyone knows that if Japan takes on America, they'll get squashed like a bug. Nevertheless, last month, the U.S. government ordered all American civilians to evacuate the Philippines, including the spouses and children of soldiers and sailors. But military folks, including the Navy nurses, were ordered to stay put. Tonight, Harrington has seen the results. She was so excited last week when Lawrence told her he'd gotten reservations at this popular nightclub. But the place is dead. It's depressing. She slides over in the booth closer to Lawrence. I guess there's one advantage of this place being so empty.

15:17She kisses his ear, but Lawrence squirms. Dear, please. I'm trying to finish my steak. Fine. Be a sourpuss. I'm going out for some fresh air. As she exits the booth, Lawrence calls out an apology, but Harrington ignores him and heads for the door. Outside, it's even more depressing. A neighborhood that's usually jumping until 3 a.m. is completely quiet. Harrington lights a cigarette and takes a drag. A moment later, Lawrence joins her outside. He places a hand on her shoulder. We have something important to discuss. He takes a step away and reaches into his coat pocket. Harrington's stomach drops.

16:03He's about to propose to her. She's sure of it. She's been thinking of this moment for months, yet she's flustered now that it's really here. But when his hand comes out of his pocket, he's holding a handkerchief, not a ring. He dabs his forehead with it. He looks nervous, his eyes dropping to the pavement. I've been thinking a lot, and given the danger here, it's time for me to return home to... He trails off. Harrington's heart sinks. She scrambles to respond. It's okay. We can make it work. We can keep in touch through letters. We'll write every day. No, let me finish. It's time for me to return home to my family.

16:51I'm married. I... God, this was a mistake. He pushes past her and heads back inside. Harrington feels like she's been flipped upside down and left dangling. Her mother abandoned her to an orphanage as a child. And even after being adopted, she always felt like an outsider. She wants a family of her own, and she thought Lawrence was the one to start that family with. But he was lying to her this whole time. He never saw her that way. As the cigarette burns down in her fingers, she feels rage building in her heart. A tear runs down her cheek, then another. She tries to stop them, but she can't. Now she's glad the streets are empty, and there's no one to see her like this.

17:48Dorothy still groans in the dark as someone pounds on the door of her dorm room. She's a heavy sleeper, and her head feels thick. She struggles to rise onto an elbow. Give me a second. Dorothy glances at her watch in the moonlight. It's 1 a.m. on December 8th, 1941, on the Cavite Naval Base outside Manila. Dorothy worked a double shift at the base hospital today and is exhausted. But the pounding on her door continues, louder and more urgently. She tosses off her covers and gets up. Before she can even reach the door, it flies open to reveal Dorothy's colleague, Mary Rose Harrington. Dorothy, get up.

18:33Cobb wants everyone in the hallway now. Something about the panic in Harrington's voice startles Dorothy. What's going on? Dorothy flicks on the light switch to find her robe. Then she cringes as she hears chief nurse Laura Cobb yell out. Turn off that light. We're in blackout conditions. Dorothy snaps off the light and stands there wide-eyed in the dark. Why are they in blackout conditions? She enters the hallway to find Cobb and 10 other nurses lining the wall on either side, their faces barely visible in the weak moonlight. Cobb steps forward to address them. The Japanese just attacked Pearl Harbor.

19:1719 American ships have been destroyed and 100 planes, plus several thousand sailors are dead or wounded. This was an act of war. There's a worried murmur among the nurses. Dorothy reels. She remembers stopping at Pearl Harbor on her way to the Philippines. It was a lovely little island base. It's impossible to think of it flattened and burning. A charred graveyard. Cobb quickly hushes the nurses. Dorothy raises her hand and calls out. Is Manila a target now? We have to assume so. Will we get orders to ship elsewhere? Nothing has come through yet, but since we're non-combatants, I'm sure we'll be transferred soon.

20:03But we have duties in the meantime. We need to prepare for an attack. She finishes up with a sharp order. Everyone needs to report to the hospital immediately. Get your uniforms on. And no lights. Dorothy ducks back into her room. She tosses her pajamas on the unmade bed. Then she grabs her uniform from her closet. She buttons up her crisp white shirt and pulls the white tights over her legs. A white skirt and pillbox hat complete the ensemble. At her sink, she splashes water on her face. Newsreel images of the war in Europe flash through her mind. Bombed-out churches, Soldiers with missing legs on crutches.

20:48Could such destruction really be coming to the Philippines? Deep down, she has to admit that she's terrified. It sounds crazy, but even though she joined the Navy, she never imagined she'd see war.

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22:15Nurse Dorothy Still stands next to a doctor in the Cavite Naval Base Hospital outside Manila. They're at the foot of a patient's bed, flipping through his chart on a clipboard. It's early morning on December 8th, 1941, and most of the men in the ward are fast asleep, oblivious to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. The doctor points to the chart. His kidney infection is clearing up. Give him a shot of sulfa and then we can discharge him. Yes, doctor. The doctor signs the discharge box on the chart and replaces the clipboard in a bin on the foot of the bed. Then they move on to the next patient. Dorothy's boss, Laura Cobb, along with several doctors on base, have spent the past several hours calling local civilian hospitals.

23:04They're trying to find room to transfer patients here. Meanwhile, the rest of the medical staff has been going down the lines of beds, deciding who can safely be discharged. They want to get as many patients as possible out of the base hospital, in case the Japanese bomb the base. There are around 150 patients to consider. As Dorothy and the doctor approach the next patient, the hospital's PA system crackles. Attention all personnel. Given the recent bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States is now at war with the Empire of Japan. The announcement wakes up most of the patients, and the room buzzes.

23:45The men are shocked to hear the United States has been attacked. Several look wild-eyed with fear. One calls out behind Dorothy. Hey, nurse, where am I going to go if we get bombed? Dorothy turns to see a man in traction. Both legs are in casts and are hoisted above his head. She freezes a moment, unable to say the truth, that he'd be in dire trouble. Then she regains her composure. We'll get you to the basement. You'll be safe there. The doctor throws a dubious look at Dorothy. She avoids eye contact. She knows there's no way they'll be able to move the patient in his condition, but she had to say something to keep him calm.

24:30The doctor nods toward the man in front of them. It's a patient Dorothy personally attended to. He accidentally inhaled some caustic chemicals last month and just got out of an iron lung a few days ago. The man begs Dorothy and the doctor to be allowed to leave. He says he's recovered. He wants to get back to his crew and fight. His cough, however, tells a different story. But the doctor is barely paying attention. He glances over his chart, then grabs his pen. I'm discharging this one. Dorothy protests. Are you sure? What about that cough? Nurse, we are at war here. Would I have discharged this patient yesterday?

25:14Probably not. But he has a lot better chance of surviving somewhere else than he will if he's stuck in a hospital that's getting blasted with bombs. He slams the clipboard into the bin and strides off. Dorothy feels miffed at his scolding. She still doesn't think this war will amount to much, not after Uncle Sam gets through pounding the Japanese. She just hopes the men in the ward here, her patients, don't get hurt in the meantime.

25:47Chief Nurse Laura Cobb walks into the common room of the dormitory, where her nurses bunk. She's holding a big pile of dark blue clothing in her arms. Ladies, listen up. I think I have a solution to our little problem. It wasn't easy, but I've managed to secure new uniforms for all of us. No more streaks of dirt. The nurses clap. Cobb smiles, feeling satisfied with herself. It's noon on December 9th. Roughly 36 hours since news arrived of the Pearl Harbor attack. The base has been nothing but chaos. Cobb's crew has been working nonstop, preparing patients for discharge, helping others into trucks for transfer to other clinics, and clearing out the basement to move people down there.

26:36The work has been all the more stressful because of the air raid warnings. Now that the United States has officially declared war on Japan, the sailors in charge of the air raid sirens have been on a hair trigger. It seems like every time a bird flies overhead, they sound the alarm. Then the nurses have to drop everything and run to their designated shelter. Unfortunately, that shelter is little more than a crawlspace beneath their dorm. It has a dirt floor, and given how rainy and humid Manila is, it's often muddy down there. Every time they leave the shelter, their white uniforms get even dirtier, the kind of dirt that no laundry cycle can remove.

27:19Cobb spent the last few hours badgering the quartermasters on base for some dark sailor uniforms that won't show stains. Now she drops them on the table in the common room. Have at them, ladies. At first, the nurses are enthusiastic. On top are denim work shirts. They hold them over their chests, pretending to model them. A few put them on right there. But their faces fall when they see the pants. Narrow dungarees. Dorothy still holds one pair up, her nose crinkled as if she's in a barnyard. They're cut for 18-year-old boys. I haven't had hips this skinny since high school. Several other nurses take up the complaint.