On Veterans Day Remember…
In 1915 a girl was born in Southside Hospital. Florence and her parents’ first home was on Rollstone Ave.
It was her destiny to be an American hero.
Florence B. Evans spent her early childhood in the Sayville area (Cherry Ave. & Greeley Ave.). Her father Thomas Evans was an immigrant from Wales, England, a dairyman. Her mother was a daughter of a German immigrant (John Pagels) a practical nurse.
Florence went to Sayville public schools until her freshman year in high school. She spent the rest of her high school years at Hempstead High School. She graduated in 1935 and began her college studies first at Hofstra, then William & Mary College, graduating with a BA in 1942. She then started her nursing training at the Central Islip Nurses training school, completing her training as an intern at Women’s Hospital in the Bronx.
At the beginning of 1943, she began her military commission as a Second Lieutenant and served at Halloran General Hospital-on Staten Island. Then transferred to Newport News, Va. and shipped off to join the war in Northern Africa. She spent most of 1944, setting up, moving, and caring for the wounded in evacuation field hospitals which moved across North Africa.
It’s important to understand the US Army Nurses Corp were the first in our history to join combatant troops as they landed and began their push through Northern Africa, Italy, and France.
From her evacuation field hospital in Africa, she moved with her field hospital to land in Anzio, Italy. Her hospital group then worked their way to the Italian interior. outside Cassino, Italy – a bloody battle begins, here they awarded Florence her Bronze Star for “gallant, heroic service “.
After her Italian service, she again advanced with the troops in southern France and with her evacuation field hospital worked their way up to the interior of France.
During World War II, more than 50,000 Nurses served. Of these nurses 1619 received medals, citations, and commendation.
Over two hundred Nurses lost their lives in the service of their country during World War II. Florence was the only woman from Long Island who died in World War II. Many stories of German bombings of hospital ships, field hospitals, arms fire, and landmines. Sadly Florence herself died in a road accident attributed to a land mine causing a boulder to crash her vehicle.
Initially interred in the military cemetery in Luynes, Provence, France near Marseilles. She was then brought home to be buried in Union Cemetery in Sayville, New York.
It was reported that Florence had recently become engaged to a British airman while serving in France.
They set field hospitals up within miles of front lines, putting everyone in them at risk.
Florence had many letters from soldiers who praised her as a “real angel of mercy”.
One even wrote a poem about her service.
From Sgt. Frank Day to Nurse Florence B. Evans-
“In Appreciation”
“You never see her on parade.
Like WACS and WAVES and such;
She’s much too busy working hard
To keep away death’s touch.
But just behind that bloody line
Where soldiers fall and curse;
An Angel waits to see you through—–
An American Army Nurse.
Her gentle voice that understands
Will soothe and ease your pain,
Her cheery smile can not but help
To make you well again.
The countless, homelike things she does
Come only from the heart!
She’s everything a soldier wants—–
His mother, wife, and sweetheart,
I won’t forget her tender skill,
From Private Joe to Captain Bill,
My thanks to you—- I wish folks knew
The hell you’ve seen and waded through,
I’d like to tell the universe
God bless you, keep you, Army Nurse.
Florence served her country with honor and performed heroically under difficult situations.
Florence B. Evans a little girl from Rollstone Ave. West Sayville, New York -an American hero.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/62560297/daily-news/
https://e-anca.org/History/ANC-Eras/1940-1950
https://www.med-dept.com/articles/the-army-nurse-corps/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109141567/florence-berniece-evans
http://www.hempsteadlibrary.info/yearbooks/1935.pdf
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battles-of-monte-cassino
https://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/MedSvcsinMedtrnMnrThrtrs/chapter7.htm
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