Stella's Girl: The Autobiography of Captain Evelyn Decker, a World War Ii and Korean War Veteran

By Captain Evelyn Decker U.S. Army

This book tells the story of Captain Evelyn Decker, a pioneer, as one of the first African American nurses to serve in the U.S. Army. Having grown up in an integrated, accepting community in upstate New York, she was surprised and dismayed by the continual discrimination and segregation she faced as she served her country. Her spirit and strength illuminate her narrative, a history that should never be forgotten.

"In this book, Captain Decker details her early childhood, young adulthood, and her military career in this country and overseas, covering her experiences from World II through the Korean era This autobiography explores Captain Decker's life and assesses her place in American military history. The book traces her personal and career development, her challenges, and her climb over insurmountable obstacles to obtain many decorations."
-Dr. (Brigadier General) Carrie Nero, USA (Ret.)

"I feel honored to have read this book and I enjoyed it too! I believe the English used in this book is appropriate for Middle and Junior High School students. Good luck with the publication."
-Ethleen B. Stoute, Social Studies Teacher, Shaw Junior High School, Washington, DC

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 4, 2009
• ISBN: 9780595870578

Captain Evelyn Decker U.S. Army

Evelyn Decker, Captain, USA (Ret), a veteran of two wars, World War II and the Korean War, entered the Army Nurse Corps in 1944 when women did not hold permanent military status. Tours of duty afforded many nursing opportunities to care for army personnel and prisoners-of-war. Postwar assignments included Walter Reed Hospital and U.S. Army hospitals in Germany.

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tella’s Girl

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The Autobiography of Captain Evelyn

Decker, a World War II and Korean War

Veteran

Captain Evelyn Decker, U.S. Army

iUniverse, Inc.

New York Bloomington Shanghai

Stella’s Girl

The Autobiography of Captain Evelyn Decker, a World War II and Korean

War Veteran

Copyright © 2008 by Captain Evelyn Decker, U.S. Army

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-0-595-42726-0 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-595-70465-1 (cloth)

ISBN: 978-0-595-87057-8 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Photo Credits

All images in the book and on the cover are courtesy of Evelyn Decker except for the following:

Photo of CAPT with African Americans in the Korean War participants in September 2001 in Washington, DC is courtesy of Constance A. Burns, Chief Planner for the African Americans in the Korean War Conference.

Dedicated to my mother Stella Decker (1894-1957), who said: Get a good education and you won’t have to work like I do and also to my father Louis Decker, Jr. (1891-1920).

Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

1

The Early Years

2

Becoming a Nurse

3

The Army Years

4

Looking Back: Reflections

Epilogue

About the Author

Biographies of Contributors

Further Readings

Acknowledgments

Christine L. Egor, I will always be grateful to you for your contributions to this book. Without you, what I started years ago might have never been finished. I also thank my mother Stella in Heaven. Thank you for working your whole life to take care of us and thank you for understanding us.

My grateful thanks to my friend Constance A. Burns who provided data, encouragement, and financial support in completing this autobiography for publication. She verified facts, dates, and recommendations made by reviewers. She also served as the coordinator for getting this book to the publisher by the end of 2006. Many thanks also to Elinor Pravda who reviewed the manuscript and made many helpful editorial suggestions on facts, dates, and terminology to improve the quality of this book. I acknowledge the professional assistance of Dr. (Brigadier General) Carrie Nero, U.S. Army (Retired). General Nero and Major Leftenant-Colón reviewed the manuscript and made helpful suggestions. I express my appreciation to all reviewers of this book who took time from their busy schedules to provide their expertise in this area of military history.

Finally, I owe a special debt to my niece Edna Jones and my sister Rachel Decker Galarza and family for their love and support, and their patience and indulgence during the preparation of this book.

Foreword

First Lieutenant Evelyn Decker (later Captain) was one of the almost 600 Army Nurse Corps officers who arrived in Korea just days after the United States forces. First Lieutenant Decker was assigned to the 8055 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit. Stella’s Girl: The Autobiography of Captain Evelyn Decker, a World War II and Korean War Veteran tells the story of a nurse who joined the Army in 1944 when African Americans nurses were first accepted into the armed services.

By the end of World War II, African American nurses were present among the more than 59,000 American nurses who served in the Army Nurse Corps. The increasing need for workers in the United States during the war created new social and economic opportunities for American women. It was no different in the U.S. military. First Lieutenant Decker was among a large number of women who entered the military and nursing profession for the first time. In June 1944, she was in the band of nurses who were granted officers’ commissions, including retirement benefits, dependents’ allowances, and equal pay. By September 1945, nearly 500 African American nurses were present in a corps of 50,000; the small number was due to a quota system setting forth a segregated Army during the first

two years of the war. By the end of the war, African American nurses had served in Africa, England, Burma, and the Southwest Pacific. The federal government provided free education between 1943 and 1948 to nursing students. Overall, World War II changed our American society and redefined opportunities for the professional nurse.

In this book, Captain Decker