She is also one of five women chosen for recognition on the new Idaho Women Veterans Medallion.
Julie A. Ellsworth
Eighmy, now of Meridian, was a college student when she enlisted in the U.S. Navy. With Navy support, she finished her education, became a Registered Nurse, and was commissioned as an Ensign. She attended Officer Candidate School and after completing an internship in California, she was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and given a chance to request her next duty assignment.
Her âat seaâ request led her to the USS Repose. Built as a hospital ship but decommissioned in 1954, the ship was reactivated for service in the Vietnam War. It was outfitted as a floating 750-bed hospital with a staff of 24 physicians, 29 nurses, and 256 hospital corpsmen. Deployed to Southeast Asia, the Repose became known as the âAngel of the Orient,â in time treating more than 9,000 battle casualties and 24,000 inpatients.