US Army Nurse Corps
September 1, 1942
After Dolly became unemployed she decided to sign up as a volunteer in the army. On 1 Sept.1942 she enlisted in the United States Army Nurse Corps. Shortly after, she qualified for the Air Evacuation Nurse Corps.
Read the story: Overview >
By boat to Europe
July 16 - 27, 1943
Dolly received her diploma on Feb 18. 1943. She was assigned to 806th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron (806 MAES). On July 16, 1943 the unit sailed on the SS Thomas H. Barry and arrived in Liverpool on 27 July. From here, the unit was transferred to Newbury.
Read the story: Combat route (1) >
First evacuation flights
Omaha Beach, June 1944
On June 11, 1944, five days after D-Day, 806 MAES made the first evacuation flight to the beaches of Omaha Beach. In the following months Dolly and her fellow nurses evacuated tens of thousands of patients.
Read the story: Combat route (2) >
To the mainland
Orly, Paris, dec. 5, 1944
On 5 Dec. 806 MAES was transferred to mainland Europe, to the airport at Paris Orly Field. 806 MAES followed the advance of the allied troops and soon was transferred to airports in Villacoublay and Melun and later even to airports in Germany.
Read the story: Combat route (3) >
Married to Walter Shea
January 15, 1945
On January 15, 1945 Dolly married Major Walter L. Shea. Walter was a navigator in the air units where Dolly regularly worked. The marriage lasted only three months until Dolly's death. Shea never remarried.
Read the story: Personal file >
A mysterious accident
Eisenach, April 14, 1945
On April 14, 1945 Dolly had had her 30 'sorties', but she took one last evacuation flight in place of her colleague Dolores Dilger. This was fatal. The C-47 with Dolly (Wilma) and five crew members never arrived at its destination, but crashed on the way.
See Wilma's Combat route map >
Buried in Margraten
Margraten, June 24th 1945
After the accident all the crew were temporarily buried in Eisenach cemetery. In late June they were transferred to Margraten. After the war, Dolly's husband Walter L. Shea chose Margraten as her final resting place.
See Wilma's Combat route map >
July 1943 (?)
Registration ARC
September 1943
to the UK
July 16, 1944
Landing on Utah Beach
March 15, 1945
Siegfriedlinie
May 1, 1945
Died on pleasure flight
June 19, 1945
Buried in Margraten, Block RR, Row 12 Grave 290
February 18, 1943
Air Evac. Nurse diploma
Jan. 15, 1944
Married
July 26, 1943
Body washed up
March - Augus 1943
Panama
June 1944
To Europa
November 23, 1943
Departure for Europa
January 20, 1944
Arriving in England
June 1944
Landing Omaha Beach
US enters the war
December 11, 1941
Nazi Germany declares war on the US
Turnaround WWII
Februari 2, 1943
Battle of Stalingrad: Red Army defeats Germans
Wilma 'Dolly' Vinsant
Flight Nurse
| Born: | February 20, 1917 |
| Location: | San Benito, Cameron County, Texas |
| Education & profession: Dolly trained as a nurse at the John Sealy Hospital in Galveston. |
|
Family
Wilma was the only child of William J. Vinsant & Nellie M. Benson. From her childhood she was nicknamed 'Dolly' because of her small stature.
On January 15, 1945 Dolly married Major Walter L. Shea. The marriage lasted only three months due to Dolly's premature death. Shea would never remarry.
Flight Attendant
Braniff Airways
Dolly grew up in the 20s and 30s
of the last century. Aviation was booming and Dolly followed closely the life of one of the female pioneers - Amelia Earhart - with interest.
After Dolly had completed her training, she decided to combine her professional training as a nurse with her interest in flying and joined Braniff Airways. At that time flight attendants were also required to be qualified nurses.
In 1937, 800 women applied at Braniff Airways and only 10 were accepted.
Dolly was one of those lucky ones. After the United States became involved in World War II, the government requisitioned almost all aircraft of private airlines including Braniff Airways.
Many pilots and flight attendants such as Dolly were
unemployed.
