Lana felt it her patriotic duty to serve in some capacity, even with baby Lurleen who was born on December 7, 1941. Though focused on motherhood, and her parallel burgeoning careers as a rising fashion and magazine ad model, and movie actress, and soon to be a star, Lana was able to get connected with the right people to enable her to be a nurse in the reserves once a month. It was that important to her. Lana’s corps of volunteer nurses fell under the command of Commanding General (CG) James Maurice “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin, leader of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Lana met Marlene Dietrich through Gen. Gavin. Marlene and Lana thus began a lifelong close friendship, one filled with intrigue, glamour, happiness, many letters and telephone calls between them, secrets shared, and tragedies.
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