|
|
GySgt Helen Brusack service picture & in the hospital in 2006 GySgt Helen Brusack USMC (retired) 3 August 2007 Final Update I was with Gunny on Thursday the 26th of July as she left to report to MCB Heaven. Gunny was laid to rest with full military honors on 1 August 2007 at Riverside National Cemetery. In a conversatoin with Arcola she said to me, "Helen once said that when she died that no one would be at her funeral." I took a head count at the funeral home. There were 45 in attendance. More that made it at the tail end and 7 more at the cemetery. In all there were 52 people there to remember Gunny. Really amazing considering there was only one obit printed and it was the day of the funeral. There were also those who had expressed that they too wanted to attend but health and/or distance prevented such. 23 July 2007 Update Things have taken a downhill turn. Gunny has been put in an induced coma to help with pain and healing. She is on a ventilator. They are not giving her good chances of making it. Only a small few are approved to visit her. Prayers, good wishes, and positive vibes would be greatly appreciated. 22 July 2007 Update They found internal bleeding. Gunny went into surgery this morning about 0830 PST. 23 July ~ Gunny is still in Trauma ICU recovering and not able to talk on the phone. 20 July 2007 Update Gunny was touch and go the first couple of days according to her doctor. She is very lucky to still be with us. She has some fractured ribs, fractured pelvic bone, concussion, fractured tail bone and right leg is fractured in 3 places. Her other leg and an arm are/were in a stint because of muscles spasms not because of actual breaks. The GOOD NEWS is that she was not at fault in the accident. Thanks to the 1st MarDiv for sending flowers! 16 July 2007 Update: Gunny is back in the hospital. She had a vehicle accident. I do not know the extent of her injuries as of yet. She does have a broken leg and fractured tail bone. They are taking her for another C.A.T. scan tomorrow. She does not know how the accident happened only that they had to bring the jaws of life to cut her out of her car. I only got to speak with her briefly today and she could really use some company. If anyone locally can visit I am sure she would greatly appreciate it. She loves phone calls too. With the pain and her medications she may or may not be entirely coherent. Desert Regional Medical Center
1150 N Indian Canyon Dr
Palm Springs , CA 92262
760-323-6511 14 July 2007 Update: Gunny still does not have air conditioning. Her floors are still just concrete and need to be covered. There are windows without anything covering them. She is doing her best to stay cool with the 100+ degree days in Yucca Valley. Todd Gillette tries to visit her when he can but with him working 7 days a week it is almost impossible. Frank Gillette {Todd's Dad} had been trying to visit Gunny but seems his own life and health issues now prevent him from doing such. I still call Gunny almost every day. Most days my phone call is the only "company" she has. 03 February 2007 UPDATE Gunny is home and still trying to get settled in and used to things. She does have to go back to the doctor in San Diego on 22 Feb 07. If anyone in the area is able to give her a ride she would greatly appreciate it. Gunny also would want to pay for fuel and meals for the round trip. Please give her a call if you are willing and able to provide transportation that day.
Gunny is glad to be home and grateful for everything that everyone has done! Now that she is home though she realizes that there is still a lot of work to be done. She also realizes why it has taken so long for a lot of things because for the large part Ed has taken on doing much of the work himself. If anyone has time to pitch in and help I'm positive Gunny and Ed would appreciate it. From small things like hanging curtain rods to her needing a ride to San Diego for her doctor appointment on the 22 February. {Round trip Yucca Valley to San Diego and back.}
Gunny knows she has a LOT of people to thank. Though her arthritis keeps her from writing much. She does not yet have her computer back yet or even internet service. So on behalf of Gunny thank you all for your support, cards, letters, packages, phone calls and prayers.
GySgt Helen A. Brusack The Women's VTUs
Authorization for the formation of volunteer training units (VTUs) came on 9 January 1947 in Letter
of Instruction 1397 . The objective of this program was to develop a ". . . pool of efficient general duty, staff and specialist personnel which, on call, can fill needs for individuals or groups in an emergency."25. In order to form a VTU, a group of 10 Reservists, commissioned or enlisted, male or female, was required .
By 1954, it had logged in a record of over 7,000 voluntary unpaid hours of service to the Marine Corps, doing
clerical, recruiting, and typing duty for many Marine Reserve units including Marine Fighter Squadron 132, the 1st Infantry Battalion, the 19th Infantry Battalion, and the 14th Signal Company .3 0 Among its early members were Helen A . Brusack , who eventually integrated into the Regular Marine Corps and remained until her retirement as a Gunnery Sergeant in May 1972.
Now retired Gunnery Sergeant Helen A . Brusack and one other former WM worked in radio repairman assignments in 1950 but formal training in this field was not reopened to women until March 1953 when four WMs (Technical Sergeants Rosita A . Martinez and Katherine F. Tanalski and Sergeants Norine Anderson and Mary Williams) received orders to the 16-week course at the crystal grinding shop at the Baltimore Signal Depot in Fort Holabird, Baltimore . The highly technical course covered the manufacture of precisely cut crystals which controlled the frequency in radios .1' Like the motor transport field, this also proved to be a volatile field as the number of WMs assigned to it dropped to two in 1961 and then grew to 166 in 1977 .
From A HISTORY OF THE WOMEN MARINES, 1946-1977 GySgt Helen A. Brusack was unknown to me until 9 October 2006. It was on that day that I read about the Gunny on Leatherneck.com. The person who had made the post was Bruce Henion. He was banned from the site from making the post. I was banned the following day. Fortunately I had saved enough information that I was able to get in touch with him again. Bruce had made the post about the Gunny because she had been in San Diego hospitals and rehab centers for 3 months without so much as a get well card, phone call or visit from anyone. GySgt Helen A. Brusack spent 26 years in the Marine Corps. Gunny served during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. She came from a Marine Corps family and considered the Corps and Marines as her family. She had a grandfather that was in the Marines and died in WWI. Her two brothers served in the Marine Corps and lost their lives in WWII. During WWII she also met the love of her life. He was in the Air Force and also died in WWII. For the past 40 years since she retired from the Marine Corps she has spent her life doing for others, the Marine Corps and her community. The Gunny is broken hearted that the Marine Corps League and the American Legion post 469, Yucca Valley, California of which she’s a life time member not only didn’t offer her assistance several months ago upon request but that they hadn't even called her or sent her a get well card. Meanwhile the Gunny not only had her health to worry about. Her home was flooded just as she was leaving to go to San Diego to the hospital. No kind of cleanup or repair had been started. This past week I launched into this and helped Bruce with what he started. Through a series of errors or lack of communication the ball got dropped somewhere along the way. That has all changed this past week. Marines, Marine family members, other service members and some with no connection to the military at all have begun to pull together. I have called the Gunny twice a day every day for the past week. In that time other folks from across the US have called her. I have packages in the mail for her today as others have told me they have sent packages as well. Ed Finch from the Patriot Guard has offered to lead in getting PGR members and other volunteers organized to repair her home. The Gunny finally got a visit from the Chaplain at her request. Yesterday {15 October 2006} she had her first visitor. She sounded rejuvinated, thrilled and excited. I can only make calls as I'm in Texas and she's in California. For that I am sad. Other milestones this week? A WM Sergeant is trying to make plans so Gunny can be honored in the November parade at 29 Palms. GySgt Helen A. Brusack has been made a member of the Women Marines Association. A school teachers assistant in South Dakota is having her class make artwork to send to the Gunny. A young WM PFC at the School of Music in Norfolk is making plans to share her information with fellow students so they can all write and send packages. Gene Rivers some big wig with the CA Marine Corps League can no longer deny, ignore or overlook the Gunny. Marines who do not know me reacted and acted when I posted about the Gunny on various forums online. Another Marine I have never met and only know by his online nick sent the Gunny a DVD player to replace one that had been broken. He didn't want any credit but I do have to thank CajunJarhead. A prior service WM in Wisconsin sending the Gunny clothes and some Big Band music CD's. A Marine Mama in Missouri who is now involved. Marines that have pitched in and sent emails, made phone calls and otherwise helped rattle cages. Marines sending cards to the Gunny and making phone calls to her as well. Last week I was saddened, dishearted and disappointed to hear about how the Gunny had been all but ignored. This week? My faith continues to be restored in not only my fellow Marines but in humanity. Anyone interested in contacting me in regards to the Gunny can email me at His(dot)angel(at)gmail(dot)com. If you'd like to chat online and meet some other great Marines, I can usually be found in www.SgtMajsBunker.com. You do have to leave a message for the admin on the guest forums to be able to register. THANK YOU TO ALL who have called, mailed, sent packages, volunteered to help the Gunny repair her home, offered to replace items she lost in the flooding of her home, and keeping the Gunny in your thoughts and prayers. And thank you to those who helped pass along her story and her message to get the ball rolling this week and in the weeks to come. Semper Fidelis, Angel
13 Nov 06 UPDATE Gunny had some visitors for the 231st Marine Corps Birthday. As well as she had several cards and phone calls. Just before the 10th she received a package from Sgt Grits. Really helped to make her 231st USMC Birthday special. On the 10th she also recieved a plant with some red flowers to help brighten her day and her room. There are SO MANY who have gone above and beyond in trying to help Gunny Brusack. I know that I will miss many to even begin to try and thank everyone. Barbara {short stuff on the PGR website} has been trying to make regular visits and help Gunny with her laundry. Since the rehab hospital does not have laundry facilities for the patients to use. Ed Finch {also with PGR} who has headed up making sure her home is ready for her return from the hospital. Angelique from the Women Marines Association that has been to visit a few times. Mary Ann with the Women Marines Organization that has helped get out the word to the WMA members. Bruce Henion who for months kept trying to get in touch with Marine and veteran organizations and forums and didn't give up despite many setbacks and seemingly being as ignored as Gunny Brusack. "Retired Guns" whose real name I don't know, who with his wife went to visit Gunny on Veterans Day. "Grumpy Gunny" who has helped get the information out and keep people aware of what's been happening. Jim Rooth who was one of the original Marines to help me get the information out and contact those who should have been able to help. The Desert Sun Newspaper for doing an article on her. All the PGR members that showed up to help clean and repair her home thus far. For those that want to help: The days are long, loney and boring. Cards, letters, and phone calls are greatly appreciated. AND the calls are TOLL FREE! 1800-637-8200 Room 422 Bed 2 ~ GySgt Brusack
619-686-4446 is direct to her room. Cards, letters, packages and flower deliveries can be made to: GySgt Helen A. Brusack
C/O Continental Rehab Hospital
Room 422 Bed 2
555 Washington St.
San Diego, CA 92103
|
|