LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Michael Webber presented on Wednesday, Oct. 9, a state tribute to Rochester Hills resident Joann Kotcher on the floor of the Michigan Senate in honor of her service as a Donut Dolly during the Vietnam War.
Kotcher was one of 627 young women who served in the American Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program during the Vietnam War, joining the effort in May 1966 after earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan.
“The legacy of the Donut Dollies goes far beyond their namesake of passing out donuts to soldiers, and our nation is grateful for brave individuals like Ms. Kotcher who answer the call to support our active military,” said Webber, R-Rochester Hills. “As the first women in history to be allowed into combat zones at the invitation of U.S. Army Gen. William Westmoreland, Ms. Kotcher and the Donut Dollies helped pave the way for women to be able to work in many different positions to support American troops on the ground. And while doctors and nurses treated physical injuries, the presence and friendship of the Donut Dollies offered invaluable psychological support long before we had the understanding and vocabulary of post-traumatic stress and its effects on soldiers.”