Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Nelson | ARLINGTON, Va. (Oct. 13, 2023) Regina Akers, a historian at Naval History and Heritage...... read more read more
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Arlington National Cemetery hosted a special walking tour on October 13, 2023, that included Naval History and Heritage Command’s Historian, Gina Akers, honoring the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps “Sacred 20” and the 248th birthday of the U.S. Navy.
NHHC’s historian, Gina Akers and Andre Sobocinski, a historian from the Bureau of Naval Medicine, narrated a walking tour of the cemetery, tracing the origins, development, and significance of the Sacred 20 and the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps in order to remember and pay tribute to its pioneering women. Three superintendents of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, and at least four other members of the Sacred 20 are buried at ANC.
The Sacred 20 were the first group of women to be commissioned as nurses in the U.S. Navy and were the founding members of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, as well as the some of the first women to serve as uniformed officers in the U.S. Navy as a whole. They joined in 1908, after the successful campaign of Surgeon General of the Navy Presley Marion Rixey to establish a dedicated nursing corps comprised of highly-trained female nurses.
“The contributions of women assisting the wounded before 1898 and the Army’s contract nurses in combat zones during the Spanish-American War reaffirmed the need to establish the Army Nurse Corps in 1901, and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908,” said Akers. “The Sacred 20 distinguished themselves as the first women to officially serve in the Navy. They had nursing degrees and were amazing and experienced professionals. They were patriotic, loyal, and committed nurses who volunteered to serve their nation in times of peace and war.”
Joining the Navy during an era when women were not typically in such roles required exceptional courage and resilience. The Sacred 20 faced societal norms and expectations that discouraged women from pursuing military careers. Yet, in spite of the roadblocks they faced, the Sacred 20 and the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps played critical and indispensable roles within the Navy. In WWI and WWII, these dedicated nurses provided essential medical care to wounded and ill Sailors, Marines, and civilians. They served in various capacities, including hospitals, hospital ships, and field hospitals near the front lines. Their expertise and bravery saved countless lives and improved the health of those in need.
“The Sacred 20 were naval pioneers who helped to change the service and establish new roles for women in the service,” said Sobocinski. “The story of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps these last 115 years is one of service, dedication and sacrifice for a greater cause. From serving on the frontlines during the influenza pandemic of 1918 to taking part in harrowing medical evacuations from Iwo Jima and Okinawa in WWII, to playing critical roles as providers in frontline medical units in Iraq and Afghanistan; Navy nurses have proven to be true difference makers in the lives of those they serve.”
The walking tour was an enlightening and educational experience, and provided participants with significant insight into the lives and achievements of the Sacred 20 and the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. Stops included the Spanish-American War Nurses Memorial, the Nurses Memorial, and the graves of various members of the Sacred 20, such as Lenah S. Higbee, who became the second superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps and was one of the first women to be awarded the Navy Cross.
“I think it is always important to remember how you got here and to learn more about the history of our founders, their legacy, and the groundbreaking work that they did to pave the way for the rest of us,” said Capt. Alison Castro, deputy director of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. “Today we have Nurse Corps officers that are in command of hospital ships, ones that are in command of hospitals… we have come so far because of the work of the Sacred 20. Participating in this tour was extra special. You see their pictures on the wall, you read about them in books, but to be standing at their gravesites is humbling and a huge honor – especially on the Navy’s birthday.”
The contributions of the Sacred 20 were not only significant during wartime, but also left a lasting legacy. They inspired future generations of women in the armed forces. Their service represented a crucial chapter in the journey toward gender equality in the military, as well as the broader recognition of women's roles in American society.
The walking tour served as a valuable tool to honor the women whose courage, dedication, and sacrifices paved the way for over 120,000 women currently serving in the Navy, while also providing education about one of the Navy's defining chapters on its 248th birthday.
More information about the Sacred 20 and the significance of this event can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxUFN0spIY
NHHC information and images on the Sacred 20 are available at www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/diversity/women-in-the-navy/pre-wwi.html.
NHHC, located at the Washington Navy Yard, is responsible for preserving, analyzing, and disseminating U.S. naval history and heritage. It provides the knowledge foundation for the Navy by maintaining historically relevant resources and products that reflect the Navy's unique and enduring contributions through our nation's history and supports the fleet by assisting with and delivering professional research, analysis, and interpretive services. NHHC comprises many activities, including the Navy Department Library, the Navy Operational Archives, the Navy art and artifact collections, underwater archeology, Navy histories, 10 museums, USS Constitution repair facility, and the historic ship Nautilus.
| Date Taken: | 10.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.13.2023 16:55 |
| Story ID: | 455768 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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