Helen E. Bailey was born in Odessa, Missouri and raised on the family farm.
Helen graduated from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing and was a resident nurse there for 14 years before enlisting in the American Nurse Corps as part of the 77th Evacuation Unit on May 17, 1942 at the age of 35. She received training at Fort Leonard Wood and then began her mission to save American lives near the battle front. Her bravery would eventually cost her life.
She was wounded October 11, 1944, in Verviers, Belgium, as her unit was setting up a hospital in an abandoned school. She was struck in the neck by schrapnel when the building was bombed.
Helen was honorably discharged June 30, 1947. She had been awarded the Purple Heart for her injury in Belgium and seven Bronze Stars for her bravery and compassion in the Africa and Italy invasions, and campaigns in Tunisia, Normandy, Algeria, the Ardennes and in the Rhineland in Germany. She also received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
The schrapnel wound never properly healed and she continued to receive medical treatment until she succumbed to her injuries on December 16, 1949, in Los Angeles.
Helen graduated from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing and was a resident nurse there for 14 years before enlisting in the American Nurse Corps as part of the 77th Evacuation Unit on May 17, 1942 at the age of 35. She received training at Fort Leonard Wood and then began her mission to save American lives near the battle front. Her bravery would eventually cost her life.
She was wounded October 11, 1944, in Verviers, Belgium, as her unit was setting up a hospital in an abandoned school. She was struck in the neck by schrapnel when the building was bombed.
Helen was honorably discharged June 30, 1947. She had been awarded the Purple Heart for her injury in Belgium and seven Bronze Stars for her bravery and compassion in the Africa and Italy invasions, and campaigns in Tunisia, Normandy, Algeria, the Ardennes and in the Rhineland in Germany. She also received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
The schrapnel wound never properly healed and she continued to receive medical treatment until she succumbed to her injuries on December 16, 1949, in Los Angeles.
Helen E. Bailey was born in Odessa, Missouri and raised on the family farm.
Helen graduated from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing and was a resident nurse there for 14 years before enlisting in the American Nurse Corps as part of the 77th Evacuation Unit on May 17, 1942 at the age of 35. She received training at Fort Leonard Wood and then began her mission to save American lives near the battle front. Her bravery would eventually cost her life.
She was wounded October 11, 1944, in Verviers, Belgium, as her unit was setting up a hospital in an abandoned school. She was struck in the neck by schrapnel when the building was bombed.
Helen was honorably discharged June 30, 1947. She had been awarded the Purple Heart for her injury in Belgium and seven Bronze Stars for her bravery and compassion in the Africa and Italy invasions, and campaigns in Tunisia, Normandy, Algeria, the Ardennes and in the Rhineland in Germany. She also received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
The schrapnel wound never properly healed and she continued to receive medical treatment until she succumbed to her injuries on December 16, 1949, in Los Angeles.
Helen graduated from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing and was a resident nurse there for 14 years before enlisting in the American Nurse Corps as part of the 77th Evacuation Unit on May 17, 1942 at the age of 35. She received training at Fort Leonard Wood and then began her mission to save American lives near the battle front. Her bravery would eventually cost her life.
She was wounded October 11, 1944, in Verviers, Belgium, as her unit was setting up a hospital in an abandoned school. She was struck in the neck by schrapnel when the building was bombed.
Helen was honorably discharged June 30, 1947. She had been awarded the Purple Heart for her injury in Belgium and seven Bronze Stars for her bravery and compassion in the Africa and Italy invasions, and campaigns in Tunisia, Normandy, Algeria, the Ardennes and in the Rhineland in Germany. She also received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
The schrapnel wound never properly healed and she continued to receive medical treatment until she succumbed to her injuries on December 16, 1949, in Los Angeles.
Inscription
HELEN E BAILEY
MISSOURI
CAPTAIN 77 EVAC UNIT
WORLD WAR II
OCT 13 1906 - DEC 16 1949
