When We Had Wings

There are many reasons to become a nurse - heartbreak is just one. In August of 1941, Penny Franklin and Liter Capel, one an Army nurse and one a Filipino civilian nurse, met at an Officer’s Club in Manila to welcome Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, 23, into the fold. Eleanor had just disembarked from her trip across the Pacific only three weeks after enlisting. The three women immediately formed a deep bond of friendship which would be severely tested in the next four years.In December of the same year, Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese and the United States entered the war. The next day, the bombing of Manila began. From the moment the Stars and Stripes was replaced with the Japanese flag, life changed dramatically for all in the Philippine Islands. Those in control were cruel task masters.The lives of these three nurses are intertwined throughout thestory. Braving the horrors and brutality of war, the beauty of love, and seeing the unlikeliest of heroes, these women and their colleagues were the first female combat POWs in WWII. This book pays homage to the little known, often hidden, stories of the women nurses who battled along side the men to save lives in the POW camps and prisons where they lived and worked for the four years of Japanese occupation.Nurses who had treated minor island related issues were now treating combat wounds. They never stopped caring for military and civilians who had gotten caught while living in or visiting Manila. They continued nursing with few supplies and rigged up operating rooms. Some lived in caves, some in POW camps hidden in the jungle. Prisons now became internment camps with food as well as medical equipment and supplies scarce. In year four people were starving, wearing tattered clothes, and had little access to medical supplies.I could not put the book down. Told in alternating sections with names and dates heading each section, Penny’s, Lita’s, and Eleanor’s stories unfold. I was mesmerized.Shame on Hopewell’s Public Library for Life’s blog review for downgrading their rating of When We Had Wings to 3.5 because Penny was resting in her hotel room in 1945 and was watching television. When writing historical fiction, there is a handy dandy term called “Literary License “ where an author or authors can stretch or shrink a timeline, an event, an invention, etc. to make the story work. Most author’s use this creative function with no apologies needed. This novel is a fictional story based on true happenings and if the authors want a tv before its time in the hotel room, they get to put one in the room.Be sure and read the author’s notes AFTER you read the book as the notes contain spoilers. The three authors are amazing as the story moves along seamlessly with no evidence of single author’s style but blending their styles together to create a page turning, heartbreaking, hopeful story. Five stars for a well developed work about regular people who became daring and courageous under the worst circumstances.

This is a well-written novel on a subject I didn't know anything about. When I first saw the title, I thought it was going to be another book about one of the WWII air transport services, but the "wings" refer to a title that was given to these nurses, Angels of Bataan. I guess if I had to find fault with it, I would say that other than the beginning and the end, there are very few bright spots in this story, and it can be a bit depressing to read. I was sympathetic to the women's plight, but at the same time, I had a really hard time identifying with them or getting a handle on their thoughts. However, most WWII books have chosen the European conflict, and there aren't a lot about the war in the Pacific, so it is worth taking a look at.

Great book. A must read

The suffering and torture pf American military and Filipino nurse POWs in the Pacific during WWII caused by Gen Mac Arthur’s abandonment and then coverup is terrible and totally left out of US history books until recently. This historical novel tells the true story of the compassion, heroics and care these nurses gave soldiers and civilians, especially orphaned children. Well researched snd written by the authors!

Not the typical WWII story, it is a moving account of what happened in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation.

This book tells an incredible story of the bravery and sacrifices that the nurses made during the war. It is hard to comprehend that they did not receive accolades for their courage and strength. I loved and was inspired by the story of these women.

I was excited to read this one because I really like the authors. Not sure if I’ve just read too many WWII books right now, but it didn’t seem all that unique. I have a hard time following the characters as they switched each chapter.

Amazing! Don't miss this read. The author captures the true dichotomy of war and the resilience of the human spirit.

I really enjoyed this book immensely and its lively characters. Living in the Philippines for 5 months now, it also has given me a glimpse of how awful the past was like for this beautiful country and its people.

Good writing, good story, worth reading.