During World War II, countless women answered the call to serve, stepping into roles that reshaped history and helped turn the tide in humanity’s darkest hour. These brave women served as mechanics, nurses, radio operators, codebreakers, pilots, factory workers, and spies. Day after day, they faced unimaginable challenges and endured the unbearable. Yet they fulfilled their duties with unshakable resolve and outstanding strength. They asked for no recognition, but history will forever remember them as heroes. Among the courageous women who went off to war—but never came home—was Second Lieutenant Eloise Marie Richardson, an extraordinary woman from Marseilles, Illinois.
Born on April 18, 1920, Eloise was the second eldest child of William Floyd and Cora (Corrigan) Richardson. Her father worked as a millwright at the National Biscuit Company, keeping its machines running smoothly. Her mother stayed at home, raising their five children in a house at 491 Lincoln Avenue in Marseilles.
Eloise grew up surrounded by love. She shared a close bond with her four siblings: her older sister Mary Ellen, and her younger siblings Jim, Billy, and Eleanor. From a young age, Eloise stood out for her kindness and nurturing spirit. Even as a teenager, she found joy in caring for others.
She was exceptionally bright, graduating from Marseilles High School in just 3 years. But at 17, she had to wait until her birthday to meet the age requirement for nursing school. Once eligible, she enrolled in the Ryburn-King Hospital School in Ottawa, Illinois, where her natural gift for caregiving flourished. After completing her training, she joined the staff at Ryburn-King Hospital.
But Eloise longed to do more. On October 15, 1942, driven by a deep sense of duty and love for her country, she enlisted in the U.S. Army. She was assigned to the 27th Evacuation Hospital at Fort Breckinridge, Kentucky, and trained as a flight nurse at Bowman Field. She was later transferred to the 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron.
In November 1943, Eloise briefly returned to her hometown of Marseilles on leave. Her younger sister Eleanor remembered how excited she was—full of determination and anticipation for her first overseas assignment. On March 8, 1944, she left San Francisco and set out for her post on Guadalcanal.
As a flight nurse in the Pacific theater, Eloise faced grueling conditions and constant danger. Her job was to evacuate the wounded from active combat zones—often under fire, in the air, and in unstable aircraft. She was trained on how high altitudes could affect trauma patients and how to stabilize them during long, turbulent flights. Despite the perpetual risk, she gave everything she had. She treated horrific injuries, calmed frightened soldiers, and saved countless lives with her skill and compassion.
Tragically, on May 18, 1944, while on a routine flight from Bougainville to Guadalcanal, Eloise’s aircraft vanished without a trace. It was carrying 23 people, including many wounded soldiers, but it never reached its destination. Despite an intense search, no wreckage was ever found, and no evidence ever explained what might have gone wrong. Eloise was just 25 years old, with so much life ahead of her and so much to give.
The news shattered Marseilles and everyone who knew Eloise. She was more than a nurse; she was a beautiful soul who brought light to every room she entered. The thought of never seeing her radiant smile again, never hearing her tender voice, was a grief too heavy to put into words. For the Richardson family, the loss was unbearable—and the silence she left behind was too loud to ignore.
Today, her name is inscribed on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, among thousands of fallen heroes who gave everything for our freedom. More than 80 years after her death, it is our solemn responsibility to keep Eloise’s memory alive—to honor her bravery, selflessness, and dedication. As we highlight her story, we also pay tribute to the approximately 500 U.S. Army nurses who served on 31 medical air evacuation squadrons during World War II, collectively evacuating nearly 1.2 million patients throughout the war. We are the guardians of their legacy, and we must ensure that their stories are never lost to the archives of history.
John Dekhane is a writer and WWII researcher.
