What is courage? Our stories from veterans
of all eras show that war demands special kinds of courage, both physical
and moral. We see willingness to risk life and limb, and the ability
to face hardship with intense determination. Our veterans accepted challenges
that put not only their lives, but their emotional well-being and their
reputations on the line. We see from these stories that a display of
courage often rubs off on others. It is a striking part of the EXPERIENCE
of war.
"...It
was like playing God…there was no one else to do it..."
During the height of the war in Vietnam, there was a severe
shortage of Army doctors in the field. In a remote hospital
in An Khe, acting chief nurse, Rhona Marie “Ronnie”
Knox, was called on to perform surgeries in makeshift tents
in non-sterile environments. In triage, it was her job to
decide: “...Let that one go; put that one on the
table; this one can wait...”