Diane Kay Corcoran Collection

Details

Who's responsible?: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries (Repository)
How much has been digitized?: Only a part of this collection has been digitized.
What's in the full collection?: The collection includes a January 2012 oral history transcript; photographs; a poster of the Superintendents and Chiefs Army Nurse Corps, 1901-1975); Vietnam Army nurse uniforms (Hot Weather Field Uniform blouse and skirt; green and white cord striped summer blouse and skirt.)
Full biography: Diane Kay Corcoran (b. 1946) served in the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) from 1969-1992. Diane Kay Corcoran was born in 1946 in Rochester, New York, where she also grew up. She attended the Genesee Hospital School of Nursing, where she signed up as a cadet in the United States Army Nurse Corps in her final year, joining the service full time upon her graduation in 1968. Corcoran attended basic training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. Her first assignment was to the Letterman Army Hospital of the Presidio in San Francisco, where she worked in a combined neurosurgery and intensive care unit. She then received orders to Vietnam, leaving on the 15th of August, 1969, spending approximately a year there. Upon returning to the United States, she took a year out of the service and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), and returned to service. During the course of her service, Corcoran was also stationed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, and in 1976 became the chief nurse at the 86th combat support hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She also obtained her PhD, and retired in 1992 as a colonel.
Topics: Women's History
Military
Branch of service: Army -- Army Nurse Corps
Conflict: Vietnam Era (1964-1974)
Subject headings: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
United States. Army--Women
Contributing Institution: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries

Pages

: It was nice to feel like a girl again,; Article by Diane Kay Corcoran in The Greece Post newspaper in upstate New York, entitled "It was nice to feel like a girl again" year unknown. The primary topic of the piece is her experience of going on an R and R (rest and recuperation) trip to Hong Kong from Vietnam. 1970.

: These pathetic sights; Full title "These pathetic sights won't go by without making an impression on me" by Diane Kay Corcoran for The Greece Post newspaper in upstate New York. The content mentions Diane Corcoran's station at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Bien, Vietnam and the services provided by that hospital. 1970.

: Vietnam: Where children are independent at 8 years old

: Diane Corcoran earns bronze star

: Oral history interview with Diane Kay Corcoran; Diane Kay Corcoran tells of her early life, education, service in the United States Army Nurse Corps, tour of duty in Vietnam, and professional work relating to near-death experiences during and after her service. Corcoran also discusses anecdotes from her service, culture and cultural changes in the service and the medical field, the role of women in the military, and the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

: Formal portrait of Army Nurse Lieutenant Colonel Diane Kay Corcoran; Formal portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Diane Kay Corcoran, attired in green service uniform with Nurse Corps insignia and other decorations and insignia.

: Portrait of Diane Kay Corcoran; Portrait of army nurse Diane Kay Corcoran attired in Vietnam-era olive drab army field uniform.

: Diane Kay Corcoran delivering care package to soldier at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam; Diane Kay Corcoran delivering a care package to a wounded soldier at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam, as another male soldier looks on.

: Diane Kay Corcoran looks on as patient reads letter, 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam; Diane Kay Corcoran looks on as a wounded soldier reads a letter from a care package at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam. She is attired in an olive drab field uniform.

: Diane Kay Corcoran with three Vietnamese children by a Christmas tree, Vietnam; Diane Kay Corcoran with three Vietnamese children by a Christmas tree. They seem to be either opening presents or preparing to decorate the tree.

: Unnamed woman with children, Vietnam; Unnamed woman handing out candy to Vietnamese children in front of a hospital.

: Seven year old orphan, Vietnam; Seven year old orphan sitting in a truck smoking a cigarette.

: Diane Kay Corcoran, Vietnam; Diane Kay Corcoran, attired in olive drab field uniform, in front of an army vehicle during a MEDCAP, a medical civic action providing out-patient health services to South Vietnamese.

: Diane Kay Corcoran with Vietnamese children at a MEDCAP; Diane Kay Corcoran with Vietnamese civilians during a MEDCAP, a medical civic action providing out-patient health services to South Vietnamese.

: Diane Kay Corcoran holding a gun, Vietnam; Diane Kay Corcoran in an olive drab field uniform, holding a M16 rifle during a MEDCAP, a medical civic action providing out-patient health services to South Vietnamese. Corcoran is accompanied by two male soldiers.

: Diane Kay Corcoran with two Vietnamese children at a MEDCAP; Diane Kay Corcoran handing an item to a Vietnamese child during a MEDCAP, a medical civic action providing out-patient health services to South Vietnamese."

: Diane Kay Corcoran with crying Vietnamese child at a MEDCAP; Diane Kay Corcoran holding a crying Vietnamese child during a MEDCAP, a medical civic action providing out-patient health services to South Vietnamese."

: Diane Kay Corcoran at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam.; Diane Kay Corcoran holding a Vietnamese child at 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam, with unnamed individuals.