Shirley Coressel

The Duration and Six Months: Letters of a World War II Army Nurse Shirley Coressel

The Duration and Six Months is a chronicle of one woman's tenure as an Army nurse during World War II. Sibyl Germaine Coressel (Jerry) joined the Army in 1942 at the age of 32 because she wanted to take on an active role in the war effort, and she believed that her experience and talent as a nurse could best be put to use in the military. The letters she wrote to her mother, her brother and her sisters during her years in the service reveal her devotion to her family, her independent character and determination, and her resilience in the face of disappointment. She tells of a time rife with the excitement of new romance, the adventure of travel to remote parts of the world, and the satisfaction of caring for injured soldiers - of a war which sometimes manifests itself in long periods of boredom and uncertainty. Her letters provide a rare glimpse into the daily routine of Army life during World War II.