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News | May 27, 2016

Employees remember Pearl Harbor nurses during Memorial Day ceremony

By Jason Kaneshiro DLA Troop Support Public Affairs

Naval Support Activity Philadelphia employees heard stories of military nurses that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor as part of a Memorial Day observation May 26.

“We have a lot of stories about the men out there, but you hear very little stories about the women,” said keynote speaker Winifred Woll.

Woll, a member of the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, said that the last nurse present during the attack passed away in 2013 and she feels it’s important to keep their stories alive.

She told the story of Dorothy Egans, a nurse who comforted a wounded soldier before amputating his hand. The soldier survived and made contact with Egans in 2002, but she passed away before he could visit her.

Her family insisted that he still come to visit. They welcomed him and presented him with the scissors she used to remove his wounded limb.

“These scissors meant so much to him because it reminded him of her and all that she did to make him feel better that day,” Woll said.

Wreaths were laid at the front of the auditorium stage following the speech to honor fallen service men and women.

Patricia Cappo-Dean, a clerk with Industrial Hardware, attended the ceremony and said that she felt that telling the warfighters’ stories humanizes their service.

“It’s important for us to remember the sacrifices they made in protecting us,” Cappo-Dean said.

The Philadelphia Compound Veterans Committee organized the event.