LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -Seeing the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C. was a proud moment for Judy Bootzin and Carmen Turner of the Las Vegas Valley.
“Very rewarding, because I think sometimes women have been forgotten in the wars,” said Bootzin.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial depicts nurses, in a moment of crisis, helping a wounded soldier. It honors 265,000 women who served around the world during the Vietnam War.
Bootzin took care of Vietnam War veterans at a hospital in Queens, New York, when vets returned stateside for care. She says sometimes families of the veterans weren’t nearby to be by their side.
“And we became their family. And we invited people home with us to have holiday dinners and stuff like that. It was a whole different experience of life,” said Bootzin.
Carmen Turner flew to Vietnam from Florida during the war to pick up mental health patients. Seeing the Vietnam Women’s Memorial was also an emotional experience for Turner.
“I was just so touched by the whole thing. It was just very moving, and it was very realistic. I just loved it,” said Turner.
Turner says the memorial was emotional because it brought back a lot of memories of the people she served with.
“It just brought back very fond memories of the friendships I made and the friendships I’ve kept,” said Turner.
She added, “The camaraderie, the thoughtfulness, knowing that someone has your back. It’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling.”
And while Turner and Bootzin cared for many service members during the war, they returned to Nevada knowing there are a lot of people who care about them for their sacrifice and service to the U.S.
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