WWII Jenkins girls

Johnny and Caldonia Jenkins had two daughters, Geneva and Rosa, who volunteered for the U.S. Army as registered nurses in World War II. Lt. Geneva Jenkins and Lt. Rosa Jenkins both served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Lt. Rosa’s plane took off from Mindanao just before the fall of Bataan to Japan in 1942. On May 10, 1942, Lt. Geneva’s seaplane, with 6 nurses on board, hit a rock on take off and everyone fell into the hands of the Japanese. After 3 months at Mindanao, Lt. Geneva was taken by a Japanese freighter to Santo Tomas where she was until General MacArthur’s liberators stormed the stockade in February of ‘45.
Lt. Geneva said the Japanese fed them cornmeal mush and rice; sometimes there was nothing at all. They had to have ration tickets for each meal. She reported she lost from 134 pounds to 100 pounds when liberated. “...I didn’t see any Japanese atrocities, but I heard plenty about them. While interned, I was treated all right by the Japanese. I worked 4 hours a day as a nurse and helped care for wounded American soldiers and civilians during the manila fighting,” said Lt. Geneva.
They were welcomed back home at the courthouse on March 6, 1945. A reception was held for them that was attended by their parents and local dignitaries.

compiled from article written by Mary E. Trotter, R.N. in the book:
Sevier County, Tennessee and Its Heritage
1994 Walsworth Publishing Company, Inc
Sevier County Heritage Book Committee and Don Mills, Inc.

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