Veterans Spotlight- Jeanne Christie: A Donut Dollie

Wayne Soares — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:22:38 -0400

Jeanne Bokina Christie served her country as a Donut Dollie during the Vietnam War. I found her to be full of positive energy with an amazing, fun-loving personality. It was easy to see the tremendous impact that she had on our soldiers in Vietnam.

She was recruited upon graduation. The 21-year old then made a quick trip home to Madison, WI, then left via Washington, DC, for Southeast Asia. “We went in, in blackout conditions when we landed in Saigon….we were given shelter that evening in a metal hooch…..it wasn’t until the next morning that we saw the armed guard outside our door…..we had no clue…..that was our introduction…..talk about scary” she remembered.

Donut Dollies were required to have a college degree and faced a thorough review before being accepted into the American Red Cross. She was one of only 627 women (3 would lose their lives in Vietnam) who volunteered to help soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War as she and other Donut Dollies flew across the world in a plane full of soldiers and landed in Tan Son Nhut. The Donut Dollies mission was to relieve some of their stress by sharing moments of levity and laughter and to listen like a mother or big sister. Their service was little known, though extremely valued in a period before PTSD was recognized as a result of unthinkable trauma.

Over the course of 13 months, Ms. Christie would spend six months in Nha Trang before heading to Da Nang with the 1st Marine Division, until her final stretch with the Air Force among the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing in Phan Rang. “I didn’t serve a single donut,” she laughingly recalled. Donut Dollies were enlisted to play cards, games, listen intently and offer an escape from the horrors of war – often after a unit had been wiped out. “We learned when we got to whatever unit it was, that the older girls taught the new girls, the lay of the land…..that was your real training…..there was always danger….it was a war zone,” she
remembered. Unlike the original WWII Donut Dollies who were outfitted with a pistol and trained to use it, Jeanne and her fellow Dollies relied upon armed guards for their security while riding from one unit to another. “We were 21 years old, we thought we were invincible…...it was the only saving grace for us during the whole thing.” She continued, “We learned quickly how to sit with them and talk to them….and get them to talk to us….if they wouldn’t talk, then we asked them about their rifles,” she recalled.

The camaraderie amongst the soldiers and Dollies was abundant and fostered long-lasting connections. Dubbed “Sam” by the soldiers, she was quite fortunate to encounter a chopper pilot named Major Jutz – the fellow Wisconsinite took the young Sam under his wing. She would run into him years later at an airport in Chicago. Another chance meeting occurred on the streets of Cam Rahn Bay when she ran into a captain whose family she babysat for back home. “He asked me, ‘what are you doing here?’ I asked him the same thing,” she remembered.

Returning home to protests and the controversy around the war, Ms. Christie said they went underground. However, nothing could be more gratifying than the letter of thanks to her from The American Legion and all the Donut Dollies:

“Even though you were there in person, it is impossible for you to understand the impact of your presence on the men who had to face the enemy, not knowing whether their last moment on earth was at hand…you made us feel less lonely, less abandoned, less cut off from all we hold dear. You are part, not simply of a platoon, a company, a battalion, a regiment but of an Army who came to our relief when the going was tough. You made life easier for us, took us back home while you were with us and earned our undying gratitude.”

Jeanne “Sam” Christie, thank you for your service to our great country and welcome home.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2023 2:09 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 14:09:53 -0400

Wayne Soares —> Great post! And another positive impact player during and after the Vietnam War = Chris Noel

https://www.historynet.com/the-vietnam-interview-a-date-with-chris-noel/

The Vietnam Interview: A Date with Chris Noel

When Hollywood turned stridently against the Vietnam War and the men who fought it, Chris Noel stuck with the GIs - and she's still with them.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Aug 26 at 2023 6:13 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 06:13:53 -0400

I'm reading about the Donut Dollies of WWII right now

Response by LTC Trent Klug made Aug 26 at 2023 2:17 PM

LTC Trent Klug — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 14:17:42 -0400

What a great story! It's awesome she is remembered!

Response by SSG Byron Howard Sr made Aug 26 at 2023 6:26 PM

SSG Byron Howard Sr — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 18:26:17 -0400

Awesome ladies

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made Aug 26 at 2023 6:32 PM

MSG Stan Hutchison — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 18:32:41 -0400

Met a lot of those ladies in passing. If they were going to a MACV compound, they had to come in to the HQ MACV AG Annex. My section was just to the left of the main entrance and they all had to walk right passed us. Of course, our door was always open and the coffee pot on, so sometime of those ladies would stick their heads in and say hi and even have a cup with us. My troops were in Heaven. (me too).
They were a fine group of American womanhood and we loved them all and were so grateful for their visits.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Aug 28 at 2023 8:30 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:30:43 -0400

Good evening Wayne Soares. Excellent post. Thank you for sharing this.

Response by SP5 Dennis Loberger made Aug 30 at 2023 10:13 AM

SP5 Dennis Loberger — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 10:13:24 -0400

She did great work. The American Legion expressed it well.

Response by LTC Thomas Tennant made Sep 1 at 2023 5:52 PM

LTC Thomas Tennant — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:52:36 -0400

Nice remembrance of these special ladies.

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made Sep 17 at 2023 11:01 AM

CSM Thomas Ray — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:01:40 -0400

We didn’t get many do nut Dollies where I was but saw a few when we went to the rear for training. We got excited when we saw a round eye

Response by PO2 Michael Berry made Sep 28 at 2023 6:49 AM

PO2 Michael Berry — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 06:49:00 -0400

Thanks to you and all of the Donut Dollies for your service. You provided a needed moral boost to our troops.

Response by 1SG James Kelly made Oct 1 at 2023 9:02 AM

1SG James Kelly — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 09:02:37 -0400

Sheila Dowse / Kelly
Two tours in Vietnam RC Doughnut Dolly, second tour in a MASH outfit; ten years US Army Captain; forty three years my wife.
Luckiest guy in the world.

Response by Sgt William Von Ohlen made Oct 24 at 2023 6:15 PM

Sgt William Von Ohlen — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:15:40 -0400

Looks like she was riding in the back of a 6x holding on to a silver bullet! Outstanding!

Response by Sgt William Von Ohlen made Oct 24 at 2023 6:19 PM

Sgt William Von Ohlen — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:19:40 -0400

In and out of DaNang 68-69 I might have even run across her! Thanks, I remember the hamburgers!
They certainly were a welcome sight!