Augusta Chiwy
Back in 40's
Posted on 12/13/2011 2:01:22 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
U.S. Honors Belgian Nurse for Valor in World War II
BRUSSELS (AP) — A Belgian nurse who saved the lives of hundreds of American soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge at the end of World War II was given an American award for valor on Monday.
The nurse, Augusta Chiwy, who is 93, received the Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service medal from the American ambassador, Howard Gutman, in a ceremony at the military museum in Brussels.
“She helped, she helped and she helped,” Mr. Gutman said. He explained the long delay — 67 years — in presenting the award to Ms. Chiwy, saying it had been assumed that she was killed when a bomb destroyed the hospital where she worked.
More than 80,000 American soldiers were killed, captured or wounded during the battle.
Ms. Chiwy had volunteered to work in an aid station in Bastogne, where thousands of wounded and dying American soldiers were being treated by a single doctor in December 1944 and January 1945.
Ms. Chiwy combed the battlefields, often coming under enemy fire, to find the wounded in the deep snow, Mr. Gutman said.
/snip
“What I did was very normal,” Ms. Chiwy said at the ceremony. “I would have done it for anyone. We are all children of God.”
/snip
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
God Bless her.
Back in 40's
Is this the nurse who is portrayed in “Band of Brothers?”
I think so.
...was just thinking the same thing
God Bless her.
Lucie Jeanne played Renee Lemaire, “The Angel of Bastogne” in BoB. She was killed in a night air raid on Dec 25, 1944.
Rebecca Okot played Anna the Nurse,in real life Augusta Chiwy.
The real story here is why it took so long to find and recognise Augusta Chiwy for her valor.
Let’s not confuse history here through the inabilty to do the basic reseatch before posting.
” I think so..” I heard..” “IIRC..” “Someone said..” “Those people in _____”, etc. etc..
That is, it was very normal "for those who believe we are all children of God."
This is the Judeo-Christian faith at its highest and best. May God bless her a thousand times.
First thing I thought of as well...
It occurs to me, and so I have to wonder how many of the German soldiers were moved by God to not actually target this woman and or how many bullets fired by them, were deflected by Him to protect her.
I remain a person who is not convinced that God always intercedes in our daily lives. In this instance, I would have a hard time believing He didn’t.
What a heart warming telling of her actions, and her just recognition.
I have no idea what this woman led her life like outside of her war efforts, but it seems clear to me that she walked hand in hand with God and shared His heart for a period of time. No doubt about it...
Can a person aspire to more than this? I don’t think so.
Correction the air raid on Bastogne was Dec 24, 1945
Interview with Augusta Chiwy http://youtu.be/5EqIxiqXocA
I was thinking the same! They left the scene where the hospital was bombed, and we were led to believe she’d been killed.
God Bless her!
God bless her.
“(Stephen) Ambrose dubbed Lemaire the “Angel of Bastogne” in his book, and a memorial to the nurse was erected in Bastogne on the 50th anniversary of her death.
King says his and Collins’ research revealed that Prior considered Chiwy more hands-on in the aid station’s grimmest moments, when soldiers hemorrhaged or needed amputation.
“She was the one doing the blood and guts, the battlefield trauma, whereas Renée shied away from it,” King said.”
“King, who sat next to Chiwy during the ceremony, said when they first walked into Monday’s event, she turned to him and said in French, “ ‘They took their bloody time, didn’t they?’ ””
heroine ping
“Correction the air raid on Bastogne was Dec 24, 1945”
The war was long over by then.
Thanks. She reminds me of my mom, little but very tough. She had to be, and had God beside her to accomplish what she did. And she did what was necessary to save many, without care for herself or need for approval afterward.
Amen.
Well said.
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