[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 HONORING MARGARET STANFILL FOR BRAVERY AND SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I rise today to salute a Missourian who 
has distinguished herself for her bravery while in service to her 
country, Margaret Stanfill of Hayti, MO. As a nurse serving in the U.S. 
Army Nurses Corps during the Second World War, Margaret served her 
country with unprecedented bravery and dedication while participating 
in some of the greatest Allied successes of the war.
  Margaret Stanfill was documented as the first American nurse to 
arrive on the beaches of Normandy during the Allies' D-day invasion of 
France on June 6, 1944. The wire service accounts of the invasion 
reported that the first nurses to arrive by barge, ``waded ashore while 
battle-weary soldiers blinked in astonishment.'' The nurses, led by 
Margaret Stanfill and clothed in two layers of men's uniforms with 
steel helmets, went to work immediately setting up dressing stations in 
pup tents and ministering to the wounded. Many of the wounded were 
paratroopers injured as part of the initial assault. I rise today to 
salute Margaret's bravery and leadership, not only at Normandy, but 
throughout her life.
  Margaret Stanfill grew up in Hayti, in the bootheel of Southeastern 
Missouri near the Tennessee border, graduating from Hayti high school 
in 1938. While in high school Margaret was a 4-year member of the 
basketball team, serving 1 year as team captain. She was also a 4-year 
member of the Hayti high school tennis team and was county high 
school's girls singles champion. After graduation, Margaret entered 
nurses training at the Baptist Hospital in Memphis, TN, graduating from 
there in 1940. After a year in private nursing, Margaret felt the call 
of service end entered the U.S. Army Nurses Corps, training at Camp 
Tyson.
  Margaret arrived in England for additional training on August 1, 
1942. By November of that year, she was among the first nurses to 
arrive on shore during the Allied invasion to liberate North Africa. 
The scenes of Margaret and her surgical operating unit being carried 
ashore from barges on the shoulders of their male colleagues appeared 
in news reels shown around the world. Her unit followed the Allied 
advance through North Africa into Sicily, where Margaret followed the 
infantry onto European soil at the invasion of Italy before returning 
to England for further training preceding the D-day Invasion.
  Margaret Stanfill returned from the war and married Wick P. Moore, an 
Army captain she served with during the North Africa campaign. They 
settled down in Texas and had three children, two sons and a daughter. 
I once again salute Margaret Stanfill Moore for her service and bravery 
in playing a role in some of the most crucial events in the history of 
our Nation and our world. Her love of freedom and willingness to give 
of herself and her talents for her country sets an example of service 
of which all of us can be proud.


                          ____________________