LTC Augusta Kathleen Peake, ANC USA Ret. Oral History Side A

title:

LTC Augusta Kathleen Peake, ANC USA Ret. Oral History Side A

creator:

Peake, Augusta "Kit" Kathleen (1912 November 11 - )

subject:

Army Nurse Corps

description:

Side 1 of 2. Augusta Kathleen "Kit" Peake was born on November 11, 1912 in Yancey County, North Carolina. From an early age Augusta knew she wanted to be a nurse, so after graduating from high school she entered a nursing program as a surgical nurse. The chief surgeon encouraged her to join the Army during World War II, and in June 1942 she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps. Shortly following her enlistment, she was assigned to the 15th Evacuation Hospital in December of 1942. In February of 1943, Augusta was shipped to North Africa where she learned how to march, salute, and all other aspects of military training. She was also crucial in setting up the hospital unit and admitting the first few rounds of patients. From North Africa, she was transferred to the Anzio beach bead in Italy, where she worked long days of 18-hour shifts in a hospital set up in tents. The hospital had three direct shell hits while she was there, during which patients were hit with shell fragments on top of the injuries and illnesses they were first admitted for. She remembers having to sleep with her helmet for protection. She was stationed around Europe after Anzio, including a 6-month assignment in Florence, Italy where they had much improved living conditions. After the war ended, Peake chose to stay and worked at a German hospital with 2,000 patients. Here she gained experience working with German doctors. Even though the war had ended and promotions were slow, she stayed in the Army for 42 years and was discharged in January 1966. She had many stateside service stations after World War II, including Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, and during the Korean War she served Hawaii. When she was discharged Peake had reached the rank of lieutenant colonel, and for her service she was awarded a Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Army Meritorious Unit Commendation. No transcript of this interview is currently available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Peake, Cindy M.

date:

2002-09-28

type:

Audio

format:

Cassette

identifier:

728; 2004.728

source:

CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

456455

coverage:

World War II (1939-1945) | Korean War (1950-1953) | 1942-66

rights:

Unrestricted