The Other Angels

In 1993, at the dedication of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Project, Patricia Walsh (a civilian nurse in Da Nang during the late 60s) met up with four nursing buddies from the war, and reminisced about the good and bad times they'd shared. Wearing sweatshirts sporting the logo "Real China Beach Nurses," the quintet were reunited for the unveiling of the memorial, met old friends, and recalled funny and sad moments. Walsh, herself, lost her fiancée, a Marine named Bill, during the Tet offensive, and describes the impact it had on her in a raw, moving recollection. Later over food and drink, the women talk about the ungodly conditions at the overcrowded and undersupplied makeshift hospital in which they cared for Vietnamese civilians, often napalm-burned children. Aided by GIs, who brought wounded patients to the hospital and helped furnish medical supplies, the handful of doctors and nurses worked exhaustive hours in a largely unsung effort--the film's title refers to the fact that military nurses were often called "angels." Walsh's film interweaves archival footage from the period and interview clips to effectively provide a sense of place and time for the stories the women share. An often powerful film which captures both the horror and the grace of humanity in unspeakable conditions, The Other Angels is recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)