Scope and Contents Lillian Crenshaw grew up in Independence, Missouri, and received her nurse's training at the University of Kansas. She was sworn into the army at Fort Leavenworth in November 1942, and worked as an operating nurse until her unit was shipped out to North Africa where hospital units were being formed to support the European invasion. Her unit followed the troops ashsore in Salerno, Italy. She spent her entire service time in Italy.