Ray S S
Silver Member
Martha Raye.. ..Maybe something you didn't know
I was reading something down on another thread and because of a phone call at the wrong time I forgot to change to this thread. So I'm posting it here too.
I received an e-mail about Martha Raye, and for those of you who are familiar with her you will might be interested in
knowing this. It is an interesting tidbit from the recent past. I don't know who wrote this but it goes as follows....
The following is from an Army Aviator friend who takes another trip down memory lane:
It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku. We had
run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH-47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back. All of a sudden, we heard
a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear.
There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a SF (Special Forces) beret and jungle fatigues, with subdued
markings, helping the wounded into Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. 'Maggie' had been visiting her SF
'heroes' out 'west!'
We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF Hospital pad at Pleiku. As we all started unloading our sad pax's
a 'Smart-a--' USAF Captain said to Martha, "Ms. Raye, with all these dead and wounded to process, there would not be
time for your show!"
To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said, "Captain, see this eagle? I am a full 'Bird' in the US
Army Reserve, and on this is a 'Caduse' which means I am a Nurse, with a surgical speciality..Now take me to your
wounded!" He said, "yes Mam' Follow me."
Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved
break.
Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft. Bragg.
Hand Salute!
Martha Raye, Civilian Warrior
If You Can Not Stand Behind Our Troops,
Please Feel Free To Stand In Front Of Them!
I was reading something down on another thread and because of a phone call at the wrong time I forgot to change to this thread. So I'm posting it here too.
I received an e-mail about Martha Raye, and for those of you who are familiar with her you will might be interested in
knowing this. It is an interesting tidbit from the recent past. I don't know who wrote this but it goes as follows....
The following is from an Army Aviator friend who takes another trip down memory lane:
It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku. We had
run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH-47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back. All of a sudden, we heard
a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear.
There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a SF (Special Forces) beret and jungle fatigues, with subdued
markings, helping the wounded into Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. 'Maggie' had been visiting her SF
'heroes' out 'west!'
We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF Hospital pad at Pleiku. As we all started unloading our sad pax's
a 'Smart-a--' USAF Captain said to Martha, "Ms. Raye, with all these dead and wounded to process, there would not be
time for your show!"
To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said, "Captain, see this eagle? I am a full 'Bird' in the US
Army Reserve, and on this is a 'Caduse' which means I am a Nurse, with a surgical speciality..Now take me to your
wounded!" He said, "yes Mam' Follow me."
Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved
break.
Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft. Bragg.
Hand Salute!
Martha Raye, Civilian Warrior
If You Can Not Stand Behind Our Troops,
Please Feel Free To Stand In Front Of Them!