Intheearly1940s,youngwomenenlistedforpeacetimedutyasU.S.Armynurses.ButwhentheJapaneseattackonPearlHarborin1941blastedtheUnitedStatesintoWorldWarII,101AmericanArmyandNavynursesservinginthePhilippinesweresuddenlytreatingwoundedanddyingsoldierswhilebombsexplodedallaroundthem.Thewomenservedinjerry-riggedjunglehospitalsontheBataanPeninsulaandinundergroundtunnelsonCorregidorIsland.Later,whenmostofthemwerecapturedbytheJapaneseasprisonersofwar,theysuffereddiseaseandnear-starvationforthreeyears.PureGritisastoryofsisterhoodandsuffering,oftragedyandbetrayal,ofdeathandlife.Thewomencaredforoneanother,maintaineddiscipline,andhonoredtheirvocationtonurseanyoneinneed—all101cominghomealive.Thebookisillustratedwitharchivalphotographsandincludesanindex,glossary,andtimeline.PraiseforPureGritSTARREDREVIEW"Detailsofmanynurses'individualtrialscombinetoformamemorableportrayaloftheirsharedexperience,onewhichwillemotionallyimpactreaders."--Booklist,starredreview"Primarysourcematerials,especiallythemovinglymatter-of-factrecollectionsofseveralofthenursesandpersonalsnapshots,bringthestorytolife."--KirkusReviews"Farrelldoesn'tspareheryoungreadersanygrimdetails…Sheincludesthechallengesthesewomenfacedandthejoytheyfeltonreturninghome.Asawfulashistorycanbe,nowmightbetherighttimetointroducethenextgenerationtothisimportantperiod."--TheWashingtonPost"Inadditiontophotographsandhelpfulmaps,thepagelayoutsincludefacsimilesofthenurses'lettersanddiaries.YoungreaderswhoenjoyedTanyaLeeStone'sAlmostAstronauts:13WomenWhoDaredtoDreamwillalsoappreciatethisstoryofcourageouswomenwhosestorywasnearlyforgotten."--SchoolLibraryJournal