The Women of the Vietnam War: The Donut Dollies

• Clubmobile Program Exchange - Games and Activities (February 10, 1968) (full record)
• Donut Dolly uniform, including skirt, blouse, and cap

Donut Dollies often brought along candy, decks of cards, paperback books, mirrors, combs, stationery and other items to distribute to the soldiers. They also set up and staffed more permanent Red Cross recreation centers for troops, which offered coffee, Kool Aid, games, reading libraries, music, and other activities.

The young women serving with the Red Cross provided a valuable respite for soldiers, and played an important role in maintaining the morale of the troops.

I think the troops appreciated that these young ladies would take time out of their lives to come over there and risk their lives and try to make their life a little bit better.
Vietnam Veteran Neal Creighton (full record)

The Donut Dollies, God bless them, used to go out in the jungle in a helicopter and talk to the guys and all that. They played these games and the games weren’t the point, everybody knew that, the point was [the soldiers] got to talk to a woman and all and see somebody who didn’t smell like bug juice.
Patrick Curry (full record)

Interviewer: How do you feel about your service in Vietnam today, overall?
I’m proud. I think that if someone can serve their country in some capacity-- civilian, military, Peace Corps then they’re the better for it and they also carry with them a sense of, "Okay, I did what I could … at least I’m not somebody who stayed on the side line."
Interviewer: Do you feel like the Donut Dollies made a difference?
Boy, that’s a good question. In the grand scheme of things, no, but I know that from some of the letters that we got from the individuals who said "You made my day," "I appreciated our conversation in that rec center" or "I really appreciated your smile" that maybe we made a difference in his outlook for that day or made him feel better about something, then okay, I’ll take that.
Jennifer Young (full record)

Film: AKA Donut Dollies - produced for the reunion of the Red Cross Donut Dollies, July 2005 (full record)