Bernadine (Bernie) Donato Collection

Details

Who's responsible?: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries (Repository)
How much has been digitized?: Only a part of this collection has been digitized.
What's in the full collection?: October 2015 oral history transcript; copies of photographs and documents; flight jump suit uniform.
Full biography: Bernadine "Bernie" Donato (b. 1952), of Albany, New York, served in the United States Navy from 1975-1980 and as a flight nurse in the California Air National Guard from 1984-1999. During her time in the Air Force National Guard she was deployed with the 1161 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES) to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm.
Topics: Women's History
Military
Branch of service: Navy
Air Force -- Air National Guard
Conflict: Post-Vietnam, Panama, Grenada (1975-1989)
Gulf War (1990-2000)
Subject headings: United States--History--1945-
United States. Navy--Women
United States. Air Force
Contributing Institution: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries

: Bernadine "Bernie" Donato; Bernadine "Bernie" Donato's navy graduation photo.

: Bernadine "Bernie" Donato in flight suit; Bernadine "Bernie" Donato poses in her flight suit on her way to Operation Desert Shield in 1990.

: Bernadine "Bernie" Donato's swearing in; Bernadine "Bernie" Donato is sworn in to defend the Consitution of the United States in 1974.

: Oral History interview with Bernadine "Bernie" Donato; Primarily documents the life of Bernadine "Bernie" Donato and her service with the United States Navy Nurse Corps and California Air National Guard. Donato recalls the nursing education she received at Ellis Hospital School of Nursing and how this training assisted with her transition to the United States Navy Nurse Corps, and her exposure to various cultures throughout her military service. Donato also describes knowing when it was time to leave the service because she felt no sense of purpose anymore. Personal topics include the sense of belonging Donato received from feeling she was doing something greater than herself, the devastation she felt after seeing her first young sailor die, the coping skills she picked up during her time overseas to deal with traumatic events, and the disappointment she experienced from never getting to fly on any air evacuation missions.

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