THE OAKLEAF
VOLUME 22 ISSUE 2 JUNE 2008
1908 100th Anniversary Navy Nurse Corps 2008
PRESIDENT
Nancy Owen
VICE-PRESIDENT
Pat Bull
SECRETARY
Rose Lochte
TREASURER
Barbara Beeby
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
CARING & SHARING
Sally Kiely
MEMBERSHIP
Pat Clancy
SCHOLARSHIP
Pat Bull
AWARDS
Pat Hildebrand
PHOTOGRAPHER
Eleanor Masters
LUNCHEON
Helen Crenshaw/Eleanor Masters
NEWSLETTER EDITORS
Nancy Owen/Jennifer Town
ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS
Dottie Ryan-Rij
Joanne Sauer
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
The Navy Nurse Corps celebrated its 100th Anniversary on May 13th. But what else happened in 1908? The average age expectancy was 47 years (tell that to Mary Lindner who will be 100 years old on June 29th). Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub. Only eight percent of the homes had a telephone. There were only 8000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The population of Las Vegas was only 30!!
It was the first time a ball signifying the “New Year” was dropped in Times Square. The Grand Canyon was designated as a National Monument. The fourth Olympic Games were held in London. Mother’s Day was observed for the first time. President Teddy Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” entered San Diego and San Francisco’s harbors. The first Model “T” Ford was built. The words to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” were written by Jack Norworth (of “Shine On Harvest Moon” fame). The Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
Oh, and did I mention that the Navy Nurse Corps was “born” and is still going strong and looking forward to the next 100 years of caring, compassion, and camaraderie.
Happy Anniversary Navy Nurses !!!
Nancy Owen
CARING & SHARING
Esther Walenga and Joan McEnery passed away in March. RADM Mary Nielubowicz and RADM Nancy Fackler died in April. Pat Clancy’s sister-in-law passed away. Dick Holmes, husband of Sandy Holmes, passed away May 9, 2008. Keep in your thoughts and prayers Helen Brooks, Terry Kelly and Sarah Hart.
2008 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
July 9 / NNCASC LuncheonTalega Golf Club
August 12 / Board Meeting.
October 8 / NNCASC Luncheon
MCAS Miramar
November 1 / Military Women’s Luncheon
November 11 / Veterans Day
Parade
SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE
Pat Bull, chairperson of our scholarship committee, reports that 21 applications have been received this year. She and her committee will be meeting to review the applications and select the recipients.
NOMINATIONS
Nominations are now being accepted for Chapter President and Secretary for our upcoming election at the October meeting. Contact Pat Hildebrand or Joanne Sauer if you or someone you know is interested.
TREASURER’S REPORT
First Quarter 2008
Balance as of March 31, 2008
Wells Fargo Checking $ 6060.06
Wells Fargo Market Savings $ 3572.66
Wells Fargo Time Acct. $ 21554.42
TOTAL ON HAND $ 31187.14
Barb has taken care of filing our federal tax forms which were required for the first time this year for our chapter.
MEMBERSHIP REPORT
We currently have 235 members who have renewed their membership. Two are associate members and six members are on
“rough seas”.
Note from the editors: Newsletters will be mailed electronically to members having current e-mail addresses. This will help reduce printing and postage costs. Notify Pat Clancy of any changes.
MEMBER IN THE NEWS
Candace Curlee, MS, CNM, nurse- midwife at Scripps Clinic Mission Valley, was elected as the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) West Coast Regional representative. She will serve as the liaison between more than 1000 members in the region-including Alaska, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington and the organization’s board of directors.
CORONADO LIBRARY HOSTS
NAVY NURSE EXHIBIT
The Coronado Library hosted a special 100th Anniversary exhibit of the Navy Nurse Corps. Uniforms, storyboards, and memorabilia were on display throughout the months of April and May. On May 13th, an exhibit reception was held in the Winn Room of the library. RADM Fran Shea-Buckley was the guest speaker. Over 40 active duty, reserve, former, retired Navy Nurses, and Coronado residents attended the reception. Luis Monteagudo, presented a proclamation from the County Board of Supervisors’ Chairman Greg Cox, proclaiming “Navy Nurse Day” in San Diego County on May 13, 2008. A proclamation, received from the City of Coronado, was also on display in the exhibit.
RADM Fran Shea-Buckley
REUNION 2010
Anchors Aweigh on San Diego Bay
No sooner did the planes touch back down in San Diego from the 2008 reunion than our NNCASC board members met and discussed the lessons learned from the reunion. Veronica Rubin and her committee chairs had a Herculean task and did an incredible job for Reunion 2008. They have been very helpful in sharing with us “pearls of wisdom” as we prepare to host the 2010 reunion.
As this newsletter goes to print, we will be signing a contract with the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley as our host hotel for Reunion 2010. The dates of the reunion will be Wednesday, April 28 through Saturday, May 1, 2010. The hotel is located just across from the VA Regional Office and is just off Friars Road and Qualcomm Way at 8757 Rio San Diego Drive. It is located close to a trolley stop, shops, and restaurants.
Jennifer Town and Nancy Owen will co-chair the reunion. Pat Bull will be in charge of registration. We will need everyone in our chapter to get involved to make this a success. We will have a Volunteer Coordinator who may be calling on you (if we don’t have your name already for a committee). “Many hands make light work” so let’s all come on board and make Reunion 2010 an event to remember.
UPDATE FROM BALBOA
“Wisest & Most Junior” cut the cake
On May 10, 2008 over 320 active Duty, retired and former Navy Nurse Corps Officers, civilian nurses, and friends and family members from across Southern California, including the commands of NMCSD, Naval Hospital, Twenty-nine Palms and Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, gathered together in celebration at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Ballroom in San Diego. The event’s guest speaker was Rear Admiral Christine Bruzek-Kohler, the 21st Director of the Navy Nurse Corps and the Chief of Staff, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. On May 13, 2008, a traditional Birthday Cake Cutting Ceremony with the Wisest and Most Junior Navy Nurse Corps Officers-100yr old, CDR (Retired) Mary Lindner, NC, USN and ENS Brett Salazar, NC, USN-was held in the NMCSD Courtyard and concluded the week’s Nurse Corps events. The ceremony consisted of a formal Proclamation by the Mayor of San Diego, speaker comments from Rear Admiral Christine Hunter, Commander Naval Medical Center San Diego.
CAPT Mary Greenwood, NC
ENS Salazar and CDR (ret) Mary Lindner
Mary Lindner entered the Navy in 1936 and retired in 1959. She was also one of the first nurses to be sent to dietetics school at George Washington University. During World War II, Mary was stationed in New Caledonia with U.S. Fleet Hospital No. 107, first known as U.S. Mobile Hospital No. 7 which was commissioned at Brooklyn, New York. She was the Chief Nurse in Yokuska, Japan when the Navy Nurse Corps celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1958.
Chief Nurse Mary Lindner
SKETCH HONORING NAVY NURSES
A Century of Excellence...A Horizon of Opportunities
Cheryl Ann Roberts is an artist who sketches military heroes and first responders. She sketched a special edition print honoring the Navy Nurses for their 100th Anniversary. She also donated one of the limited edition prints for the exhibit at the Coronado Library. The following is from her website: www.herosketch.com. Contact for ordering information.
To the Navy Nurse Corps:
The Eagle, a perfect symbol of strength in times of adversity, explains very well the service of America's Navy Nurse Corps. As she flies forward into the foreground of my sketch from the horizons of the past into bright new horizons of the future, she tells the story of 100 years of their service.
The US Navy Nurse Corps began in 1908 with a staff of 20 women. Among them was their leader, Chief Nurse Esther Voorhees Hasson, U.S. Army, (1867-1942), positioned among the stripes. Ihave used 20 stars to lead your eye throughout my sketch, combined with the stripes...a visual symbol of their patriotic passion. The first nurses were appropriately referred to as 'The Sacred 20'. The name says it all. They must have been amazing ladies, and certainly are true American 'HEROES'. They gave courageously of themselves to comfort and save the lives of our troops during war and peace times while expecting nothing in return. Their legacy has continued as pictured from the uniformed nurses of the past to the present Nurse Corps. As I visualize them, I stand in awe of such heartfelt strength that it must take to face the life and death battles of those in their care.
Under the Eagle's caring wing I have positioned Marines, who work with them, this part tells the story that our wounded/sick are in the security of their capable hands. They have the resolve to smile and comfort the traumatically wounded while holding back their own emotions of the gravity of the reality. Our nurses are very special, with an awesome gift of love. I, for one, say a great big “Thank you!” to them for sharing it.
The building positioned atop the Eagle's wing is the original building where the Sacred 20 were trained...the one below is the recent Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. The current leaders I have pictured, appearing from the stars are ...from front to back, Rear Admiral Christine Bruzek-Kohler Nurse Corps US Navy, Rear Admiral Karen Flaherty Nurse Corps, United States Naval Reserve Deputy Director of the Nurse Corps, and ADM Duerk. Positioned in and under the Eagle's wing is a hospital ship representing the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, and aircraft carrier USS Reagan. Finally, the three insignias used throughout history to represent members of US Navy Nurse Corps. The Eagle is presenting them from past, and leading across the page to the far corner is the present symbol. It shows the way the symbol evolved to today's simple oak leaf.
Whenever an American sees the oak leaf symbol, I hope she/he realizes the significance behind it, the awesome service and dedication to excellence our US Navy Nurse Corps represents. It has certainly been an honor telling a small portion of their story visually. As the sun I have depicted rising from the horizon, the future is filled with bright opportunities for our US Navy Nurse Corps! God bless and protect you always!
Salutes,
Cheryl
(Used with permission)
HAND SALUTE
The president signed the Amendment to Section 9 of Title 4 of the U.S. Code on May 31, 2008, which was attached with the H.R.
4986 Bill under the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2008. The amendment reads:
SEC. 594. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF.
THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG
Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking `allpersons present' and all that follows through the end of the section and insertingthe following: `all persons present in uniform should render the militarysalute, and veterans, who are present but not inuniform, may render the military salute. All other persons present should face theflag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or ifapplicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the leftshoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present
should stand at attention. Members of the Armed Forces present in uniform should render the militarysalute. All such conduct toward the flag in a movingcolumn should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.'
Highlights of 100 Years of
Navy Nurse Corps History
(continued from March 2008 Issue)
Feb 1965
Two Navy nurses were assigned to the AID program of the Department of State and served in Rach Gia, South Vietnam as nurse advisors.
Mar 1965
Naval Medical Research Institute established a Nursing Research Division as part of the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, MD.
Aug 1965
George M. Silver was appointed as Ensign, Nurse Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve. Ensign Silver of Rehobath, Massachusetts became the first male nurse to be commissioned in the United States Navy.
Oct 1965
The first group of male nurses were commissioned in the Navy Nurse Corps and reported to the Naval Schools Command Newport, Rhode Island for a one month course of indoctrination to the Naval Service. These five male Nurse Corps officers were LTJG Jerry McClelland, Ensign Charles Franklin, Ensign Israel Miller, Ensign Richard Gierman and Ensign George Silver.
The Hospital Ship, U.S.S. REPOSE was commissioned. Twenty-nine Navy nurses were assigned for duty.
Jan 1966
The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery requested a special Selective Service call for 200 professional nurses to report for active naval service.
U.S.S. Repose (AH-16) arrived on stationed in the Republic of Vietnam.
Mar 1966
Station Hospital, Headquarters Support Activity, Saigon, South Vietnam, transferred to U.S. Army.Nurse Corps officers detached.