Two Central Texas women, whose friendship stretches more than seven decades, were among the 210 veterans of World War II who were flown to Washington D.C. on April 12 to take in “their” monument — the nation’s World War II Memorial.

They were the guests of West Texas Honor Flight, one of the several such national projects to bring World War II vets to the nation’s capital to thank the “Greatest Generation” for their service.

Dorothy (Brock) Hansen, 89, was born in Chilton, the oldest of six children. Reared in Floydada, Texas, she was only 16 years old when she graduated high school in 1938.

Dorothy Hansen, 89, and Pearl Gummelt, 90, were some of the 210 veterans of World War II, including 10 women, who took a one-day tour of Washington D.C. on April 12 as part of the West Texas Honor Flight. The “sentimental journey” was covered by donations and sponsors.
Abliene resident Jeanne Hansen Bayless photo

Pearl (Fegette) Gummelt, 90, is a native of Gatesville.

The two began what became a lifelong friendship in 1939, when both were training at St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Galveston. Brock graduated as an RN in 1941 and worked in Galveston while Fegette finished her studies. The war was still raging and they enlisted in the Navy Nursing Corps in July 1943.

Initially, Pearl had merely gone along for the ride when Dorothy went for her enlistment physical. But when the recruiters heard Pearl had just finished school and was Red Cross certified, they persuaded her to eschew her plans to “play for a while” after graduation, for the good of her country.

Tough train ride

The two friends traveled to Corpus Christi for the final physical, then boarded the train out of Texas for the Golden West — their first duty station, San Diego, Calif.

“Two ‘dumb’ country girls didn’t know that all we had to do was show our orders so we could get first class Pullman (service) to California,” Fegette said.

Instead, they hunkered down in the second coach from the engine, with no air-conditioning, on red velvet seats where their knees kept bumping the row in front of them for two days and three nights.

Pearl Fegette and Dorothy Brock’s first duty station was the Naval Hospital in San Diego, where they were roommates as well as colleagues. Besides acclimating to military life and their demanding calling, the two friends made time to see the sights of Southern California and enjoy the beach.
Abliene resident Jeanne Hansen Bayless photo

“It took numerous washings to get the soot out of our hair and clothes,” Pearl said. “But we were a happy twosome when we received our reimbursed travel checks for first class.”

They became roommates as well as colleagues at San Diego Naval Hospital. After getting used to the military lifestyle and acclimating to their demanding jobs, they would enjoy the occasional outing to the beach, the zoo, Los Angeles and even Tiajuana, Mexico.

Eventually, the friends had to part ways for a spell, when Dorothy Brock was transferred to a naval facility in Farrugut, Idaho.

But there, the Dorothy met another Texan, Chris Hansen, of Cranfills Gap, who was recuperating from injuries received in the battle for Iwo Jima.

They looked each other up after the war and were married on July 21, 1946.

Pearl, meanwhile, remained in San Diego, where she met her Marine, Capt. Elwyn Frederich “Pete” Gummelt. After serving in the South Pacific, including Gaudacanal and Tarawa, Gummelt was shipped stateside to recover from malaria.

So smitten was he that when he went home on leave, he broke the engagement to his hometown sweetheart to woo the nurse in California. They wed on Jan. 29, 1945, in San Diego.

Staying busy

These days, both Pearl and Dorothy are widowed (Pearl lost Pete in 1983, and Dorothy lost Chris in 2004). Both women live independently, staying busy with community volunteering, church activities, family and friends. They still treasure adventures — such as the “sentimental journey” the volunteers and sponsors of the Honor Flight Network recently provided them.

Jeanne Hansen Bayless of Abilene, daughter of Dorothy Brock Hansen and a military retiree herself, said she thinks the “sights, attention and honor (her mother and Pearl) received was a gift well-deserved from a grateful nation.”

tjryan@wacotrib.com

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