Anderson, Esther Susan 'Andi'

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: ANDE.E006
• _FGRAVE: 109705839
• Military Service: World War II, Second Lieutenant, 21st General Hospital, United States Army

Notes:

Andi was raised in Xenia, Illinois and graduated from High School there. She attended Washington University for Nursing School. She served her country proudly as a nurse in the United States Army Nurses Corps during World War II. She was in the 21st General Hospital in North Africa, Italy and Sicily.

After being honorably discharged, she returned to Illinois and worked as a nurse there and Troy, Missouri. She retired from Deaconess Hospital in 1984 after over twenty years of service. She moved to the Lake of the Ozarks in 1996.

Andi made a profession of faith and was a member of Lake Presbyterian Church in Osage Beach.

She has the opportunity to go on an honor flight to Washington D.C. to see the World War II memorial with her son on April 20, 2010. She was proud to have been one of the first women on the Women's War Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. Her grandchildren were the joy of her life and she loved every opportunity she has to spend with them.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister and aunt and a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate her life and her accomplishments and will treasure the memories she created for her family and friends.

Military Service:
After graduating from Washington University School of Nursing in 1940, accepted a reserve commission in the Nurse Corps. Sworn in at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri on January 31, 1942 and assigned as a charter member of 21st General Hospital affiliated with Washington University and Barnes Hospital, Saint Louis, Missouri. Trained at Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort McClellan, Alabama. Departed the U.S. with her unit on October 20, 1942 bound for North Africa via Birmingham, England where she served as an honor guard for Eleanor Roosevelt reviewing the troops for President Roosevelt. Arrived Oran, Algeria November 11, 1942 in support of Operation Torch D-Day Plus 3. The 21st General Hospital staged there at La Senia Airfield for 6 weeks, then set up extended operations 60 miles south at Bou Hanifia , Algeria. At its largest while in Algeria, the 21st General Hospital had over 4,000 beds. When the 21st General Hospital re deployed to Naples, Italy she returned to the U.S., arriving on January 5, 1944. Earned The American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and The WWII Victory Medal. Honorably separated from active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant on March 9, 1944 at Stark General Hospital, Charleston, South Carolina.

(This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission.)

Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=1923851

Esther married Kinnaman, Paul Donald in Mar 1951. Paul (son of Kinnaman, Elmer Paul and Nash, Manda Avis) was born on 30 Dec 1910 in Flora, Clay County, Illinois; died on 2 Mar 1974 in St. Louis County, Missouri; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]