The North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard performed a living tribute to Alice Miller at Valley View Health Campus on May 7. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

An American heroine, Alice Miller of Green Springs, is quietly spending her golden years in a Fremont healthcare facility. The longtime nurse is now the patient, but her caregivers work in very different conditions than she did when she started her career. Miller graduated as an RN from the Toledo Hospital Diploma program in 1938 and served in the Navy from 1943 to 1947.

During part of her service, Miller served aboard the famous USS Solace, a hospital ship that earned the nicknames “The Great White Ship” and the “Warhorse of the Pacific” for its omnipresent service in the Pacific Theater. Northcoast Veterans Museum Curator Rex Postlethwait said the ship was engaged in more campaigns than any other hospital ship during World War II.

Alice Miller of Green Springs served as a Navy nurse in World War II. (Photo courtesy of Northcoast Veterans Museum)

“It was in harm’s way the entire time because it had to be close to the wounded,” he said.

Miller was in charge of the USS Solace burn unit that treated soldiers with severe thermal, chemical, and electrical burn injuries. The experience was excruciating for the patients and distressful for those who provided their medical care. The burn patients suffered immense pain, and many returned from service permanently wounded.

“Alice said she always felt so sorry for the boys,” said her friend, Sylvia Schubach. “She knew they would never look the same again.”

Alice Miller stayed with the USS Solace after the war as part of a skeleton crew that was ready if fighting began again. (Photo courtesy of Northcoast Veterans Museum)

Working on the ship was extremely dangerous. The Geneva Conventions prohibited attacks on hospital ships, but Japanese kamikaze pilots targeted them anyway. Postlethwait said the ship was vulnerable when it served in waters near Okinawa. The ship was strafed during the Battle of Okinawa but fortunately never suffered major damage.

“Alice said they spent a lot of time indoors for safety,” Postlethwait said.

When the war ended, Miller remained with the ship as part of a skeleton crew.

Alice Miller sits next to a photo of the hospital ship, USS Solace, which she served on during World War II. She is holding a certificate, a blanket, and roses presented to her by the North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard on May 7. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“They sailed the Atlantic for a while, in case there was more fighting,” Postlethwait said.

For her distinguished service, Miller was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Area Service Medal, American Area Service Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Her life is honored in a permanent display, which includes her Navy uniform, at the Northcoast Veterans Museum, located at 411 N. Main St. in Gibsonburg.

Alice Miller served on the hospital ship, USS Solace, in dangerous waters during World War II. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Miller was honored with a living tribute by the North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard on May 7. The group serves Ottawa, Huron, Erie, Sandusky, and Seneca counties. The group’s mission is to provide ceremonial final call to duty tributes at the funerals of nurses who have passed away. During the funeral ceremony, the Honor Guard shares a brief history of the nurse’s life, lights a Nightingale lamp, and places a rose at the casket or urn.

“We do a final call to duty,” said North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard President, Brenda Baker. “We call each nurse present, and then we call her name three times. When she doesn’t respond, of course, we extinguish the lamp and release her from duty.”

Nurses with the North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard gather around Alice Miller after the ceremony on May 7. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Alice Miller was honored with one of five living tributes that the group performed during National Nurses Week.

“We picked a nursing home in each county that we serve, and we honored nurses who are residing in that nursing home,” said North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard Vice President Debbie Schultz.

The North Ohio – Lake Erie Nurse Honor Guard has 35 active members and welcomes more. The group has performed 75 tributes since its founding on June 14, 2024. For more information, contact Debbie Schultz at dschultz10@woh.rr.com.

Miller was grateful that the group honored her service.

“I have memories of being on the ship,” Miller said. “It was very nice to be remembered.”