Alene Duerk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alene B. Duerk
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| Birth name | Alene Bertha Duerk |
| Born | March 29, 1920 Defiance, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | July 21, 2018 (aged 98) Lake Mary, Florida, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 1951–1975 |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | Director, Nurse Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Distinguished Alumni Award |
| Other work | Director of United Services Life Insurance Company Director of the Visiting Nurses Association and Foundation for Central Florida |
Alene Bertha Duerk (March 29, 1920 – July 21, 2018) made history. In 1972, she became the first female admiral in the U.S. Navy. She also led the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps from 1970 to 1975. In 1974, she received a special award from Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
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Early Life and Education
Alene Duerk was born in Defiance, Ohio, on March 29, 1920. Her parents were Albert and Emma Duerk. She studied nursing at Toledo Hospital School of Nursing. She earned her diploma in 1941.
On January 23, 1943, Alene Duerk joined the Navy Nurse Corps. She started as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve. In March 1943, she became a Ward Nurse at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Virginia.
In January 1944, she moved to the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. In May 1945, she joined the hospital ship USS Benevolence. This ship helped sick and wounded soldiers during World War II. It was anchored near Eniwetok and later joined the Third Fleet in operations against Japan.
After the war, the Benevolence stayed near Yokosuka, Japan. It helped prisoners of war return home. The ship then brought wounded servicemen back to the United States in late 1945. In January 1946, Duerk worked at the Naval Hospital in Great Lakes, Illinois. She left active Navy service in June 1946.
Further Education and Return to Service
After leaving the Navy, Duerk continued her education. She attended the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. This school is part of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1948, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree.
She then worked as a supervisor and instructor at Highland Park General Hospital in Michigan. In 1948, she also joined a Navy Reserve unit in Detroit, Michigan.
In June 1951, she returned to active Navy service. She worked as a ward nurse at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. Later that year, she became a Nursing Instructor at the Naval Hospital Corps School.
Assignments Around the World
From 1956 to 1958, Duerk was an education coordinator in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She then served as a Nurse Programs Officer in Chicago, Illinois, from 1958 to 1961.
After that, she had assignments overseas. She was a Charge Nurse at the U.S. Naval Station Hospital in Subic Bay, Philippines. In April 1962, she became Assistant Chief Nurse at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan.
From 1963 to 1965, she was the Senior Nurse Corps Officer in Long Beach, California. She then worked at the Naval Hospital Corps School in San Diego, California. In May 1966, she moved to Washington, D.C., to help with nurse recruitment.
Becoming an Admiral
Alene Duerk steadily rose through the ranks. On July 1, 1967, she became a captain. In 1970, she became the Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.
Then, in 1972, she made history. Alene Duerk was promoted to Rear Admiral. This made her the very first female admiral in the U.S. Navy. She retired from the Navy in 1975. She passed away in Central Florida on July 21, 2018, at 98 years old.
Awards and Honors
Alene Duerk received many honors for her service.
Legion of Merit
Naval Reserve Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with bronze star
World War II Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
She also received several honorary degrees from universities:
- Doctor of Human Relations from Bowling Green University, 1973
- Doctor of Humanities from Marymount College of Arlington, Virginia, 1974
- Doctor of Science from Iowa Wesleyan College, 1975
- Doctor of Science from Medical College of Ohio, 1976
Tributes and Legacy
In 2013, the University of Central Florida College of Nursing honored Alene Duerk. They unveiled a bronze statue of her, which is on display there. The university also offers a special scholarship in her name. It is called the Rear Admiral Alene Duerk VNA Endowed Nursing Scholarship.
Personal Life and Retirement
When Alene Duerk heard about her promotion to admiral, she was in her car. A toll booth operator was the first person she told. But by the time she got home, her family was already calling. The press was waiting for her too!
From that moment, she felt a new responsibility. She was not just an admiral; she was a voice for all women in the Navy. She often spoke out to support Navy women. She fought for better pay, improved conditions, and encouraged more nurses to join. Soon after her promotion, she even appeared on the game show To Tell the Truth.
After retiring, she joined the board of the Visiting Nurse Association. This group later became the Visiting Nurse Foundation. She served on their board for almost 25 years. The board also created a scholarship fund in her honor at the University of Central Florida.
Alene Duerk was very close to her family. She never married or had children of her own.
See Also
- Women in the United States Navy
- List of female United States military generals and flag officers
