Caught In The Act!

Madeline Lannon

Madeline Lannon of Grand Falls can tell many stories about her life as a registered nurse. During World War II she was nursing in Argentia. Some mornings Madeline and her roommate entertained the sailors, without knowing it.

THE LARGE LIVING ROOM windows in the nurses' residence opened out French style. It was July month, in 1942, at Argentia, Newfoundland. Every morning when Blanche Dunphy and I came off night duty, we used to watch the sailors on the U.S.S. Prairie do their P.T. exercises.

The Prairie was moored at the wharf, just down from the residence. Blanche and I decided that we would do the exercises along with the sailors. We would open the French windows, strip down to our bra and panties, and do the exercises. Blanche and I never felt so smug, or self-satisfied.

We felt so good afterwards, until one night, when my world fell apart. I was at work, nursing a sailor off the Prairie. He told me what fun he and his buddies had, watching two girls at the nurses' residence do their exercises. They used to take turns with binoculars.

It's a wonder I didn't explode. We never realized we were putting on a free show for Uncle Sam's boys!

P.T. – physical training