Deanna Halterman Savage was born in Staunton, Virginia on 17 Jun 1938. After graduating from The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in September 1958, I joined the US Air Force Nurse Corps in Sep 1960. First Duty assignment was 7505 USAF Hospital in England as a 2nd Lt., during the cold war, 1st Cuban Crisis and assassination of President John F Kennedy. I loved living in England and traveling in Europe and being able to travel in Eastern Europe when it was still behind the Iron Curtain. March 1964 transferred to Hamilton AFB, Marin County, California. Then to Flight Nurse Training while at Hamilton, in San Antonio, Texas. In 1965 sent to help open a Casualty Staging Unit for injured Vietnam War military, at Travis AFB near Fairfield, California. We prepared the patients for their flight to their final destination. In Mar 1967 I was transferred to Clark AFB, Republic of the Philippines to 57th Air Evac Squadron. 2 Nurses and 2 corpsmen flew in to Vietnam on C141A’s planes at night with cargo which we exchanged for patients. We cleared out mash units throughout Vietnam and took them to casualty staging units or hospitals in Japan, Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, California and Alaska. Those 2 years were the most challenging emotionally, but also the most rewarding nursing job of my life. Unfortunately, we were not welcomed home except by family. I was honorably discharged Feb 1968 as a Captain. I became an emergency room certified nurse. I retired from nursing in 1995. I was blessed with 5 children and 7 grandchildren and now love my 2nd husband for the last almost 4 years. I enjoy doing many things but serving family and my Savior and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days brings me the most joy. I have had a great life and still enjoying it. Hopefully, I can hike these beautiful Utah Mountains until I die.
We honor you, Deanna Savage.