Lynda Van Devanter

About the Author

Lynda Van Devanter was a pioneering nurse and author whose unflinching memoir captured the harrowing realities of serving in the Vietnam War. Born in 1947, she volunteered for the Army Nurse Corps in 1966, driven by a sense of duty, only to confront the brutal chaos of war in Vietnam's 71st Evacuation Hospital. Her experiences profoundly shaped her life, leading her to become a vocal advocate for veterans' rights and women's issues after returning home. In her seminal work, Home Before Morning: The Story of an ARVN, Van Devanter detailed the physical and emotional toll of wartime nursing with raw honesty, shedding light on the often-overlooked stories of female service members. She passed away in 2002, leaving a legacy of courage and candor that continues to inspire readers and historians alike.