In the midst of the Vietnam War, Marcia Martin felt called to do something. She was a senior at Western Kentucky University and heard many people on campus talking about the war.
Marcia soon learned about the Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, where young college-educated women deployed to provide support to millions of U.S. service members. They were commonly known as Donut Dollies, a reference to their role during previous wars. Marcia applied for the program and hopped on a plane for the first time for an interview in Atlanta, Georgia.
“My mother said it was fine to go down for the interview, but I absolutely could not go,” said Marcia. “I signed the contract when I went down for the interview.”
Marcia graduated from Western Kentucky in June 1969, and exactly one month later, flew to Washington, D.C., for training.
“The training just consisted of explaining what kind of programs we would be presenting,” said Marcia. “They were just very hopeful that we were talented because we had to make our own programs.”
Now, Marcia was a Donut Dolly and heading to Vietnam.
“I was flying blindly. My mom said I couldn’t, and I was 21 years old and by golly, I could,” said Marcia.
In Vietnam, Donut Dollies were busy. Marcia says they woke up 5 a.m. each day and traveled in pairs to provide service members with an hour-long break to enjoy entertainment, quizzes, games and more.
“The programs that we made had a lot to do with things like game shows, things like ‘The Dating Game’ and ‘What’s My Life,” said Marcia. “We made them ourselves and we played along with the guys. It was just for fun.”
The SRAO program peaked in 1969, when 110 young women operated 17 SRAO units in Vietnam. It’s estimated the Donut Dollies reached nearly 300,000 service members each month that year. Marcia says service members were often grateful for the visits and a break from the reality of war.
“They were very, very appreciative,” said Marcia. “Even today, if I run into someone that’s a Vietnam Veteran, I will tell them I was a Donut Dolly and I will tell them what year I was there and the response is almost always the same, ‘Oh my god, we loved you girls when you came out. We had so much fun. Thank you for giving us some time off. It was really, really appreciated.”
Marcia spent one year and two weeks in Vietnam as a Donut Dolly, but she thinks about her time there often.
“Every day. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of something that happened, and I stay in touch with a lot of the girls that I served with,” said Marcia.
This spring, Marcia will travel to Washington, D.C., to reunite with old friends and commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day. She’s excited to spend time with her fellow Donut Dollies, so they can catch up, share stories and reflect on their time together.
“It was all worth it, it really was,” said Marcia.
Written by Janie Bohlmann, regional communications manager.