Susan Rita Purje Connor Oral History
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Oral history interview with Susan Rita Purje Connor
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Primarily documents the adolescence of Susan Rita Purje Connor and her service with the United States Navy Nurse Corps. Purje recalls growing up with her immigrant grandparents, her desire to do something important with her life, and her excitement at meeting people with different backgrounds during officer training. She discusses the heartbreak she felt for the sick Vietnamese children she treated, and how the nurses would do things to make themselves laugh to keep from crying. Purje discusses being exposed to Agent Orange, and how later in life it led to her having thyroid problems. She also describes her dislike of the bureaucracy of the military and the arrogance of navy doctors, as well as the difficulty of transitioning to civilian life as a result of her only nursing experience having been in the navy. Purje discusses always having people helping her along the way, the idea that her service was important and made a difference, and her current work with veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress-disorder.
