Richard Sand's book, Hidden History: The Donut Dollies in Vietnam, comes at the right time to provide a boost to the legislation in Congress to award these women with the Congressional Gold Medal. The legislation was introduced in March of 2025 by then-Rep Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey. Sherrill has gone on to become governor of the state but the legislation (H.R. 2081: Donut Dollies Congressional Gold Medal Act) remains active with 43 cosponsors (26 Democrats, 17 Republicans). It needs support from the public pior to the end of the 119th Congress if it is to be voted upon. If no vote occurs during the 119th, there must be a re-introduction at the convening of the 120th Congress in January of 2027. 

There is a notable review of Sand's book by Linda Lowen, longtime book reviewer and features writer for Publishers Weekly. Lowen describes the women as:

"...young college graduates in their early to mid twenties eager to see the world. Photographs show the women in baby blue dresses, the uniform of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas program. But to the male service members who never forgot their visits, they were the Donut Dollies.

"After two weeks of training at ARC National Headquarters in Washington DC, the women were sent to Vietnam carrying canvas bags filled with games, gifts, books, and treats. During 12-15 hour days, they interacted with hundreds of troops, ever cheerful because, as DD Margaret Mott explains, 'our goal was...to provide a smile and a brief respite from the conflict'.”  

Lowen goes on to say:

"In Hidden History: The Donut Dollies in Vietnam, Richard Sand spotlights these women who have been lost to time. From the mid-sixties to the early seventies, they faced the same risks as soldiers on the front lines--including exposure to Agent Orange--yet were denied recognition, medical benefits, and aftercare because they were not military personnel."

Status of Congressional Gold Medal Award For Vietnam's Donut Dollies

As a Vietnam Veteran with several connections to the Donut Dollies, I was asked by Sand for my narrative which can be found on page 152 of the book and which can be read by clicking on the image above. More important for me was not actually the Gold Medal but the refusal of the government to provide health care and disability benefits for the Dollies. Such treatment from the Veterans Administration (VA) would represent an infinitismal percentage of the VA budget. Such mindless penny-pinching by the federal government is so outrageous as to beggar belief.  

You can help the Dollies with both the Gold Medal and health care/disability compensation by writing to your congress member. Include a link to this article and say that you support the Dollies in this endeavor. Find your rep's contact information HERE.

Note:  See prior articles by this writer on the Donut Dollies at Related Links below.