This is Really War: The Heroic True Story of Twelve Navy Nurse POWs in WWII

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, PhD, author, journalist, and educator, will present the true story of twelve U.S. Navy nurses whose courage and bravery saved thousands of lives during World War II.

In 1941, twelve U.S. Navy Nurses were taken prisoner of war in the Philippines by the Empire of Japan. They were soon transferred to a civilian concentration camp in Manila. Under the direction of Chief Nurse Laura Cobb, the nurses maintained rank and provided tireless care to thousands of inmates. In 1943, the nurses bravely agreed to transfer to a countryside prison camp where they would be the only medical care providers. In the new prison camp, the nurses built an infirmary and bravely stood up to guards to protect their patients.

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, PhD is an author, journalist and educator. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, The Atlantic, and USA Today. She is a regular contributor to Discover magazine.  She is the author of three nonfiction books including "This is Really War: The Incredible True Story of a Navy Nurse POW in the Occupied Philippines" (Chicago Review, 2019).