Three extraordinary lives connected by music and a long-distance friendship for two decades. Soldier, Captain Jennie Burling, US Army Nurse Corp, Sailor Commander Donald O. Burling and Dodie Frost. The Burlings met on a troopship bound for Bombay WWII. The singer is Dodie Frost, whose lyrical voice and ability to create the right tunes for Burling's words captivated him. In 1982 the Burlings sent Ms Frost to Nashville to record an album.
The Nashville recording was the beginning of their formal collaboration. As Ms Frost received detailed handwritten letters from these senior friends she never met, Frost realized what astonishing lives they had lived and continued to live in retirement. The Burlings were educators, prolific writers and had each been published. Both were interested in theology and the Bible. Jennie was often called upon to give talks about her assignment with the Army Nurse Corps in 1943 in Iran. Her account is included in the book, as is, Commander Burling's extensive Naval career during WWII and in the Pacific campaign. His active intellect has pursued the possibility of extraterrestrial beings and theories about the life of Jesus after the Crucifixion.
Excerpt
Pg 28 After closing out my reserve division in Springfield, I was sent to the Uss West Point, which was being fitted out as a troopship in Norfolk. The crew consisted of the reserve divisions from Springfield, Worcester, Portland, the four Boston divisions and a large number of key Navy personnel. Our job, with three other troopships, was to transport British troops all over the world. On one trip we carried 6,000 Canadian troops from halifax to Singapore, Pearl harbor was hit when we were only two days out of Cape Town, wehre our convoy was to stop fro fueling. Roosevelt and all America condemned japan for playiing such a rotten trick on us. That smelled a bit like hypocrisy. I remember when we landed in Cape Town that Ian Smuts, prime minister, invited our officers to a banquet to celebrate our formal entry into the war. The one phrase that I remember Smuts roaring out with was, 'We finally got them into it.' And the crowd roared with him.
We unloaded 20,000 troops in Singapore. The British had no more planes and no antiaircraft guns that could reach the japanese bombers that were bombing us every hour on the hour at high level. We were docked just opposite the power station, which I thought was the most dangerous spot. We never got hit. But the Wakefield (the former Manhattan of the U.S. lines; we were the former America) had her entire bow blown off. She was docked next astern of us. (Burling)
Destiny's Daughter by Frances Altman highlights events in the life of Mary Edwards Walker, maverick suffragist, Civil War doctor and only woman Medal of Honor recipient.
My memories as an immigrant professional woman in Ottawa, Canada 47 years ago. A new life after having survived the liberal war of a new country Bangladesh on December 16, 1971.
