Registered Nurse to Rear Admiral… A First for Navy Women

The biography of Alene B. Duerk, Registered Nurse. The first woman to reach an Admiral's rank in the United States Navy. Born and grew up in Ohio, a Registered Nurse during WWII, cared for POWs and other. At the end of the war, continued her career in the Navy. It took many years for the Navy men to recognize and advance a woman to the rank of Rear Admiral and Alene did not know she was being considered for that high rank. She learned of her promotion in an unusual way.