Sugar & Shadows: The Doughnut Girls' Tales

As Told by Skip

  The doughnut, that simple ring of fried dough dusted in sugar, is synonymous with indulgence, comfort, and the joy of a warm treat. Yet, its rise to fame as an emblem of American resilience and service is far from what most imagine. The doughnut became a symbol of hope in the darkest of times during World War I, and behind its golden glaze were the brave women who brought a taste of home to soldiers on the front lines. These women—known as the “Doughnut Girls”—are often forgotten in the annals of history, but their story is one of courage, defiance, and an unflinching commitment to service.

It was 1917 when Lt. Col. Helen Purviance and a group of courageous women were called upon by the Salvation Army to do something seemingly small, yet life-changing: make doughnuts for soldiers fighting in the trenches of World War I. The doughnut, invented in the 1800s, had not yet captured the hearts of the American public. It wasn’t until the horrors of war brought it to the battlefield that it became an emblem of comfort, warmth, and home.

Helen Purviance, a woman of determined resolve, found herself at the helm of this unique mission. She was stationed at a French outpost in the heart of the war, where the threat of bombs and gas attacks was constant, yet she and her fellow Salvation Army volunteers would risk everything to serve their soldiers.

"General Pershing wasn’t keen about women going close to the front lines,” Purviance later recounted. “He said he didn’t want to take responsibility for us. We told him he wasn’t. We were taking responsibility to do this.”

And so, despite the dangers, despite the doubts from many men who saw them as little more than delicate civilians, the Doughnut Girls stepped forward. They took on the task with fervor, donning their gas masks, helmets, and .45 caliber revolvers, ready to face whatever peril the war could throw at them. They weren’t just women serving pastries—they were symbols of strength, resilience, and determination.

Making doughnuts in a war zone was no easy feat. The conditions were grim. The makeshift kitchens were rudimentary at best, the ingredients scarce. The women used whatever they could find—eggs from local French villagers, sugar and flour brought in from the rear lines—but it was the ingenuity and spirit of these volunteers that turned the humble doughnut into an act of defiance against the dark forces of war.

The initial operation was anything but glamorous. The women only had basic tools and could fry a mere seven doughnuts at a time. Their hands were blistered from twisting dough by hand to create the signature ring shape. They could only make 150 doughnuts a day. But, despite the crude conditions, the doughnuts became a vital source of comfort. The soldiers, often far from home for months or even years, found a connection to their past lives in each warm, sugary bite. It wasn’t just about food—it was about hope.

The women didn’t stop there. With resourcefulness and determination, Helen Purviance convinced a local blacksmith to craft a mold out of an empty condensed milk can and a shaving cream canister. This innovation allowed them to increase production, bringing a little bit more sweetness to the men in the trenches.

While the women were baking doughnuts, they were also braving the dangers of the front lines. The threat of gas attacks, artillery shelling, and the ever-present risk of death hung over them. Yet, they stayed at their posts, determined to fulfill their mission. These "doughnut girls" proved that their courage wasn’t just in their baking skills, but in their willingness to stand firm in the face of war.

The legacy of the Doughnut Girls didn't end with World War I. As World War II broke out, the American Red Cross established the Clubmobile Service, which became home to the iconic "Donut Dollies"—women who, much like the Doughnut Girls before them, served soldiers with a smile and a doughnut. The Clubmobiles were retrofitted buses, designed to offer food, entertainment, and a taste of home. They carried fully equipped kitchens, with doughnut machines onboard, and offered a place for soldiers to relax, read, and connect with others.

During the D-Day invasion in June 1944, over 100 Clubmobiles were stationed throughout Normandy, bringing comfort to thousands of soldiers. These women, who had to meet strict criteria of health, education, and social grace, formed the backbone of a morale-boosting service that would continue through the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Like their predecessors, these women faced danger on the front lines. They traveled alongside the troops, bringing donuts, coffee, and even music, offering a small respite from the hellish landscape of war. The soldiers who saw them knew they were far more than just women in buses—they were ambassadors of kindness and connection in a world turned upside down.

In 1938, nearly two decades after the first Doughnut Girls served in World War I, the Salvation Army declared National Donut Day to honor the women who had brought a little sweetness to the soldiers’ lives. Since then, National Donut Day has become an annual celebration, a reminder of the extraordinary courage of these women who risked their lives to serve those on the front lines.

Even today, the story of the Doughnut Girls is a poignant reminder that heroism often comes in unexpected forms. Their simple act of frying doughnut after doughnut, day after day, turned into something far more powerful: a symbol of hope, resilience, and unwavering service.

A little-known song, written in 1919 to commemorate the Doughnut Girls’ adventures, still echoes their legacy. The lyrics tell the tale of brave women who, with every doughnut they served, helped stitch together the fabric of hope for the soldiers who fought so far from home.

The song’s chorus rings out:

"Sugar and shadows, donuts for the brave,

A circle of sweetness, the soldiers we save.

In the heat of the battle, in the mud and the grime,

We serve with a smile, one doughnut at a time."

And so, as we enjoy a doughnut today, we are reminded not only of its delicious taste but of the women whose bravery brought it to the front lines of history. Their sacrifices, their stories, and their legacy endure every time we bite into the ring-shaped comfort of a doughnut.

Thank You Skip!