ARLINGTON, Va. (LEX 18) — Over the weekend, 63 Vietnam veterans traveled to Washington, D.C. on an Honor Flight, visiting the memorials dedicated to their service.
Among the crowd of veterans sharing stories of basic training and battles fought, two of the vets shared something even more unique. It wasn't brotherhood that bonded them, but sisterhood.
Deborah Conrad and Deborah Dye each served during the Vietnam War. Decades later, before a room of their fellow veterans at the Military Women's Memorial, the ladies received recognition for contributions they both say changed their lives.
"Well, it was very exciting because I was very young, I had just turned 18, so it was an education, but it changed my whole life," Conrad said.
Since the American Revolution, 3 million women have served in or with the armed services. Two of them were on the latest Honor Flight Kentucky being recognized for their contributions.
Navy Hospital Corpsman Deborah Conrad says her stint in the military was traumatic, yet deeply rewarding. She remembers it like it was yesterday.
"We used to meet the med-evacs coming into Fort Lewis, they would fly them there, then we'd meet the airplanes and put them in our ambulances and head to Fort Lewis in Bremerton, so it was exciting. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Absolutely nothing," Conrad said.
Approximately 11,000 women served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Despite their grit and guts in serving, they were still expected to follow societal standards of that time.
"I don't think it's the same Navy now as it was then for women, because now they're more active in the military part of it. We were told from the time we got off the buses at Bremerton, 'You are ladies and expected to act like it,'" Conrad said.
According to Conrad, they followed those orders with pride, laying the groundwork for all of the brave women who came after them.
A moment of admiration and gratitude for their sacrifice means more than we can ever know.
"It means that they finally recognize that the women did a lot, and still do a lot," Conrad said.
