Meet the Donut Dollies

SD Veterans Magazine had a chance to speak with the director of a new documentary focused on a little known story of the Vietnam War.

25 years ago, filmmaker Norm Anderson Amandi started an on-camera conversation with his mother Dorset about a life-defining year she spent in Vietnam as a “Donut Dollie.” Neither of them knew at the time that what began as an effort to document family history would become the most significant effort ever undertaken to preserve a virtually unknown chapter in American history.

SD Vets: Who are the Donut Dollies?

Amandi: The Donut Dollies are the most amazing women you’ve never heard of. They were brave young American women who volunteered in Korea and Vietnam during the wars. They joined a Red Cross program called Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO), and accepted the daunting mission to boost morale and be a living, breathing reminder of home to American servicemen fighting and dying half a world away. Amandi: During WWII, the American Red Cross ran a program to provide comforts of home and entertainment to the men serving in Europe. The GIs took to calling these fresh-faced women Donut Dollies. When the SRAO program started in Korea, the term of endearment stuck.

SD Vets: What services did the Donut Dollies provide In Vietnam?

Donut Dollies Linda Sullivan Schulte (L) & Dorset Hoogland Anderson (R) visting with a soldier in a lookout tower in Vietnam - 1968-69 (Photo Credit - Donut Dollies Documentary) 7 Americal Red Cross Girls (clockwise from bottom left ground - Diane, Kath, Rene, Caro, Tee, Amy & Sandy) - 1968-69 (Photo credit - Diane Schmidt Curley)

Amandi: The Red Cross operated Recreation Centers on bases, which offered GIs typical amenities, but the real draw was getting to interact with the Donut Dollies. The job also included actively entertaining the guys through “programming.” This could be trivia games, contests, handmade games they invented, or anything else they could think of.

They also caught rides in helicopters out to firebases - often 4 or 5 in one day! There, they’d program, deliver mail, fill sandbags - anything to take guys’ minds off the war. Countless guys were more than a little surprised to see American women in powder blue skirts hopping out of a Huey.

SD Vets: What drew you to making this documentary?

Amandi: Love. I’m extremely proud to say my mom is a Donut Dollie. As a kid, I didn’t think to ask her why she went to Vietnam. But as I got older, it sank in -

In my late teens, I used all my savings to buy a video camera and began filming what’s become a 25+ year conversation. It expanded to include my Mom’s Donut Dollie sister Mary Bowe and many other funny, tough, and inspirational women you’ll meet in the film.

SD Vets: Why did the Donut Dollies choose to serve in Vietnam?

Amandi: That’s one of the main questions we set out to answer. We also created a feature on our website called The Donut Dollie Detail, where 60 Donut Dollies have shared their stories. Recurring themes include patriotism, caring for the men serving so far from home, and the desire to do something that could make a difference.

SD Vets: The Donut Dollies don’t appear to be known to the public or in the history of the Vietnam War, any thoughts as to why?

Amandi: One of the main reasons appears to be humility about their service. The Donut Dollies felt and feel that the attention should be on the brave men who served.

Some women have also shared that they quickly learned people in the States just didn’t care, or were actively hostile when they found out they’d been in Vietnam. So they never spoke about their wartime experiences again.

Donut Dollie Jan Small Woods flying over Vietnam - Nov 1966 to July 1967 - (credit - Jan Small Woods) Vintage photo of Donut Dollie Dorset Anderson

Another parallel: PTSD. The Donut Dollies were thrown into a warzone. Their helicopters got shot at. They experienced incoming fire and had to dive for cover like the guys. GIs they knew and loved were injured or killed all the time. Three Donut Dollies also died in Vietnam. So, just like with the men who served, a lot is kept deep inside and left unspoken.

It’s been really moving to discover that our film can help Donut Dollies and veterans open up and start sharing things that have been locked away for decades.

SD Vets: How can we learn more about the Donut Dollies and your documentary?

Amandi: For all things Donut Dollies: www.facebook.com/thedonutdollies or www.donutdollies.com, is where you can support the project by purchasing the film. And, if you have memories or memorabilia related to the Donut Dollies, we’d love to hear from you at:

SD Vets: Any closing thoughts?

Amandi: You mentioned earlier that the public doesn’t seem to know about the Donut Dollies. That’s something we sure want to change. My sincere hope is that, through our film and www.DonutDollies.com, we can help shine light on these amazing women. They deserve it. Thank you for your interest, and for helping us make The Donut Dollies a household name!

Connect with Norm Anderson Amandi at memories@donutdollies.com