Written by: MGG Project Team
Created: 01/17/06
Story ID: 292
Times Viewed: 672
NAME: Gertrude Esteros
INTERVIEWER: Thomas Saylor
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Gertrude Esteros was born in 1914 in Minnesota. In 1941 she joined the American Red Cross and was assigned to the 37th Field Hospital unit. In late 1942, she was sent to the South Pacific and had duty stations in New Guinea and in the Philippines. Following V-J Day Gertrude returned to the US and resigned from the Red Cross. She then took a teaching position at a Minnesota University and remained on faculty until retiring in 1980.
SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Decision to join the American Red Cross; assignment to the 37th Field Hospital unit and later to the South Pacific; experience of hospital field work; setting up recreation centers for servicemen; being in a male populated setting; decision to resign from the Red Cross after the end of war; returning to civilian life and getting back to teaching; exploring Guatemala.
LENGTH OF ENTIRE INTERVIEW: 120 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: 31 pages
PLAY EXCERPT:
EXCERPT TRANSCRIPT: GE: Yes. But there were nurses. There were two hospitals combined. I don't know what it was called where the nurses came in, whom they were attached to. But I was with the 37th Field, and we were joining the cathedral. My job was setting up a recreation area in a tent, just outside of the cathedral. I was dealing with ambulatory people and the very ill; the severely ill were in the cathedral. But when there was too much be done I was called into the cathedral wards. So once again I crossed the line, and I had to go into the cathedral where the very sick people were.
I think in the story that was told in the [St Paul Pioneer Press article of 11 November 2002] which you have seen I was taking down the story of a young non-commissioned officer who was the last survivor, the only survivor, of his whole unit. He was desperate to tell the story so it could be told to the commanding officer. Tell what had happened to everybody—some of these people had served with such valor but had been killed—so they could get posthumous recognition. He himself, from my writing of what he had done and what he had said, he got his recognition also after he died. But he died just a couple of hours after I'd taken down his message. But I was busy with that.
I spent several nights with burn patients who were so desperately uncomfortable, and nobody had time to deal with them. I was there to give them liquid. Thirst is awful when you have been burned. Most of your body is burned. He was gasping. Even morphine doesn't help. You're just miserable. Miserable. So there I was, just to be there. Just to be there. We lost him. He died. But at least there was somebody there. I was there in several instances like that where the nurses were too busy with the surgery. They were doing surgery.
Edited:
Written by: MGG Project Team
Created: 01/17/06
Story ID: 292
Times Viewed: 672
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