Introduction

A Touch of Home: The Vietnam War’s Red Cross Girls is an American documentary film produced and directed by Patrick and Cheryl Fries.

The film tells the story of 627 young American women who served in the American Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Overseas Programme during the Vietnam War.

Outline

The Vietnam War Red Cross “Donut Dollies” were young, college-degreed women who spent a one-year tour in country as morale boosters for American troops.

They ran recreation centres, visited hospitals, and, because of the mobility of the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter (collectively logging 2,125,000 air miles in the war zone), travelled to front-line landing zones and base camps to bring games and smiles to soldiers.

Many chose to join the programme because of President John F. Kennedy, who encouraged young people to serve the country.

The film producers expanded on a brief segment about Vietnam Donut Dollies in their previous production In the Shadow of the Blade (2004) with A Touch of Home. The film includes interviews with veterans of the programme and follows them as they reflect on their experience during a reunion at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Much of the documentary includes unique wartime photographs and home movies captured by the Donut Dollies during their tours.

Refer to When I Have Your Wounded: The Dust Off Legacy (2012).

Awards and Recognitions

The documentary won Best Short Documentary in the 2009 GI Film Festival.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Patrick Fries
  • Cheryl Fries
• Producer(s):
  • Patrick Fries
  • Cheryl Fries
• Writer(s):
• Music:
• Cinematography:
• Editor(s):
• Production:
• Distributor(s):
• Release Date: 21 April 2007.
• Running Time: 52 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)