Donut Dolly

After graduating from the University of Michigan, JOANN PUFFER KOTCHER was assigned to Korea and Vietnam as an American Red Cross volunteer from 1965 to 1967. She is featured in the film documentary Our Vietnam Generation (2011). Kotcher lives with her husband in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

""Donut Dolly "is a worthwhileread for anyone interested in women serving during wartime. Scholars and graduate students alike would benefit from reading this book because it is a good example of an autobiographythat provides insight intothe life of a female civilian serving American troops during the Vietnam War."--H-WAR/H-NET Review" "Donut Dolly is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in women serving during wartime. Scholars and graduate students alike would benefit from reading this book because it is a good example of an autobiography that provides insight into the life of a female civilian serving American troops during the Vietnam War."--H-WAR/H-NET Review "Donut Dolly is an engaging and useful account of an almost totally ignored facet of the Vietnam War. Kotcher and her colleagues attempted to make life more bearable for the soldiers and airmen engaged in the war, and along the way her insights are fascinating."--G. L. Seligmann, co-editor of The Sweep of American History "Memoirs about women's experiences in the Vietnam War are hard to come by and outnumbered by books filled with men's combat experiences. Women's experiences reveal an entirely different dimension of the war. The day to day interactions that Kotcher had with servicemen certainly succeeded in warming their hearts and reminding them what they were fighting for."--Meghan K. Winchell, author of Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun "One day while guarding Highway 13, we had the rare pleasure of your ladies visiting us. I couldn't believe that you would come to such a terrible place. You were a treat for us to see. We wanted to go home so bad. To see you was a blessing. You may never know how many lives you touched by coming to visit us."--Gary W. Dyer, Sergeant, C 1/28, 1st Infantry Division, Quan Loi, 1967-68 "Readers may be surprised to learn details of the role American Red Cross women played, often serving in dangerous and remote areas as the first women officially allowed in a combat zone. Kotcher was smart, open-minded, and sympathetic and was able to bond well with soldiers from all walks of life. Her memories are especially interesting coming from a time when gender norms were changing both at home and in war. Recommended to readers interested in baby-boomer memoirs, personal stories of the United States in Vietnam, and women's studies."--Library Journal "Donut Dolly . . . offers a unique perspective from one of some 600 young women who served, often in harm's way, to bring a touch of home to the Americans in Vietnam."--Vietnam Magazine "Donut Dolly is as much the story of the men whose spirits she tried to cheer as it is her story, though, and includes powerful wisdom she learned firsthand--such as just what motivates a man to put his life on the line for another. Donut Dolly is a captivating firsthand testimony and a welcome addition to Vietnam War biography and memoir collections."--Midwest Book Review "[A] riveting first-hand account of Joann Puffer Kotcher's experiences as a program director for the American Red Cross in the early years of the Vietnam War. . . . I recommend Donut Dolly to those interested in the advancements of the role of women in the armed forces."--Military Review -Donut Dolly is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in women serving during wartime. Scholars and graduate students alike would benefit from reading this book because it is a good example of an autobiography that provides insight into the life of a female civilian serving American troops during the Vietnam War.---H-WAR/H-NET Review -Donut Dolly is an engaging and useful account of an almost totally ignored facet of the Vietnam War. Kotcher and her colleagues attempted to make life more bearable for the soldiers and airmen engaged in the war, and along the way her insights are fascinating.---G. L. Seligmann, co-editor of The Sweep of American History -Memoirs about women's experiences in the Vietnam War are hard to come by and outnumbered by books filled with men's combat experiences. Women's experiences reveal an entirely different dimension of the war. The day to day interactions that Kotcher had with servicemen certainly succeeded in warming their hearts and reminding them what they were fighting for.---Meghan K. Winchell, author of Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun -One day while guarding Highway 13, we had the rare pleasure of your ladies visiting us. I couldn't believe that you would come to such a terrible place. You were a treat for us to see. We wanted to go home so bad. To see you was a blessing. You may never know how many lives you touched by coming to visit us.---Gary W. Dyer, Sergeant, C 1/28, 1st Infantry Division, Quan Loi, 1967-68 -Readers may be surprised to learn details of the role American Red Cross women played, often serving in dangerous and remote areas as the first women officially allowed in a combat zone. Kotcher was smart, open-minded, and sympathetic and was able to bond well with soldiers from all walks of life. Her memories are especially interesting coming from a time when gender norms were changing both at home and in war. Recommended to readers interested in baby-boomer memoirs, personal stories of the United States in Vietnam, and women's studies.---Library Journal "Donut Dolly" is an engaging and useful account of an almost totally ignored facet of the Vietnam War. Kotcher and her colleagues attempted to make life more bearable for the soldiers and airmen engaged in the war, and along the way her insights are fascinating. G. L. Seligmann, co-editor of "The Sweep of American History"" Memoirs about women s experiences in the Vietnam War are hard to come by and outnumbered by books filled with men s combat experiences. Women s experiences reveal an entirely different dimension of the war. The day to day interactions that Kotcher had with servicemen certainly succeeded in warming their hearts and reminding them what they were fighting for. Meghan K. Winchell, author of "Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun"" One day while guarding Highway 13, we had the rare pleasure of your ladies visiting us. I couldn t believe that you would come to such a terrible place. You were a treat for us to see. We wanted to go home so bad. To see you was a blessing. You may never know how many lives you touched by coming to visit us. Gary W. Dyer, Sergeant, C 1/28, 1st Infantry Division, Quan Loi, 1967-68" ""Donut Dolly" . . . offers a unique perspective from one of some 600 young women who served, often in harm's way, to bring a touch of home to the Americans in Vietnam."--"Vietnam Magazine" ""Donut Dolly" is as much the story of the men whose spirits she tried to cheer as it is her story, though, and includes powerful wisdom she learned firsthand--such as just what motivates a man to put his life on the line for another. "Donut Dolly" is a captivating firsthand testimony and a welcome addition to Vietnam War biography and memoir collections."--"Midwest Book Review" "Readers may be surprised to learn details of the role American Red Cross women played, often serving in dangerous and remote areas as the first women officially allowed in a combat zone. Kotcher was smart, open-minded, and sympathetic and was able to bond well with soldiers from all walks of life. Her memories are especially interesting coming from a time when gender norms were changing both at home and in war. Recommended to readers interested in baby-boomer memoirs, personal stories of the United States in Vietnam, and women's studies."--"Library Journal" ""Donut Dolly" is an engaging and useful account of an almost totally ignored facet of the Vietnam War. Kotcher and her colleagues attempted to make life more bearable for the soldiers and airmen engaged in the war, and along the way her insights are fascinating."--G. L. Seligmann, co-editor of "The Sweep of American History" "Memoirs about women's experiences in the Vietnam War are hard to come by and outnumbered by books filled with men's combat experiences. Women's experiences reveal an entirely different dimension of the war. The day to day interactions that Kotcher had with servicemen certainly succeeded in warming their hearts and reminding them what they were fighting for."--Meghan K. Winchell, author of "Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun" "One day while guarding Highway 13, we had the rare pleasure of your ladies visiting us. I couldn't believe that you would come to such a terrible place. You were a treat for us to see. We wanted to go home so bad. To see you was a blessing. You may never know how many lives you touched by coming to visit us."--Gary W. Dyer, Sergeant, C 1/28, 1st Infantry Division, Quan Loi, 1967-68