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Grace Lilleg Moore answered her country's call to service in 1965 by joining the Army Student Nurse Program. She committed to two years of service after graduating nursing school in 1966. After training at Fort Sam Houston and a year at Reynolds Army Hospital in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, she deployed to Vietnam in May 1968, arriving at Tan Son Nhut Air Base and being assigned to the 12th Evacuation Hospital near Cu Chi. At the hospital, which treated over 37,000 patients during the war, Moore worked tirelessly in the ICU and as head nurse of the orthopedic unit, providing care to American soldiers, allies, and civilians. She embraced the challenges, noting, "I especially liked the fact that I was constantly challenged as a nurse wherever I served. As a new graduate I was given more responsibility in the Army than I probably would have been given in a civilian hospital." Her role went beyond physical healing; as she reflected, "We didn’t just take care of their physical wounds... We were their emotional support. We were their mother, their wife, their girlfriend." Even in 120-degree heat, she and her fellow nurses wore mascara to uplift the young soldiers, showing small acts of kindness amid the chaos.Though the war tested her deeply—including moments of emotional strain and a temporary loss of faith—Moore's resilience shone through. She coped by connecting with colleagues, writing letters home, and focusing on her duty. Reflecting later, she said, "I don’t know what kind of nurse that I would have been, if it were not for Vietnam," crediting the experience with shaping her into a stronger professional. Returning home in December 1968, Moore transitioned to civilian life, working at hospitals. Now retired, she has dedicated herself to honoring veterans. She joined the Vietnam Veterans of America, became Pennsylvania Coordinator for the Women’s Vietnam Memorial, and actively speaks at events to share her story and connect with former patients, inspiring others with her journey of service and healing. God Bless this American hero!#nurses #vietnamwar