Lenah Higbee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee
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| Born | May 18, 1874 Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | January 10, 1941 (aged 66) Winter Park, Florida, U.S. |
| Place of burial |
Arlington National Cemetery
(Section 3, Site 1797-WS) |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1908–1922 |
| Rank | Chief Nurse |
| Commands held | Superintendent of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps (1911–22) |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
| Spouse(s) | LtCol John Henley Higbee, USMC |
Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (born May 18, 1874 – died January 10, 1941) was a very important nurse in the United States Navy. She was born in Canada. Lenah Higbee became the leader, called the Superintendent, of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps during World War I. She is famous for being the first woman to ever receive the Navy Cross, a very high award for bravery.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Lenah H. Sutcliffe was born in Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada. Her birthday was May 18, 1874. She finished her nursing studies in 1899 at the New York Post-Graduate Hospital. After that, she worked as a private nurse. In 1908, Lenah Higbee continued her training at Fordham Hospital in New York.
In 1899, she married John H. Higbee. He was a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. John Higbee had served in the Marine Corps from 1861 to 1898. He passed away in April 1908 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
In October 1908, Lenah Higbee joined the new U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. She was one of the first twenty nurses to join. These nurses were known as "The Sacred Twenty." They were the first women to officially serve in the Navy. To join, nurses had to be between 22 and 44 years old. They also had to be unmarried. Lenah Higbee was a 34-year-old widow, so she met these rules.
She was promoted to Chief Nurse in 1909. Lenah Higbee became the Chief Nurse at Norfolk Naval Hospital in April 1909.
In January 1911, Higbee became the second Superintendent of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. This meant she was in charge of all Navy nurses. She led the Nurse Corps during World War I. For her great work, Chief Nurse Higbee received the Navy Cross. She was the first woman to ever get this award. Other Navy nurses like Marie Louise Hidell, Lillian M. Murphy, and Edna E. Place also received the Navy Cross in 1920. However, they received it after they had died. They caught the Spanish flu while caring for sick patients.
Later Years and Passing
Lenah Higbee left her job as Superintendent. She retired from the Navy on November 23, 1922.
She passed away in Winter Park, Florida, on January 10, 1941. Lenah Higbee is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Her Lasting Legacy
The U.S. Navy has honored Lenah Higbee by naming two ships after her:
- USS Higbee (DD-806): This was a Gearing-class destroyer ship. It was launched in 1945. It was the first U.S. Navy warship named after a woman.
- USS Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123): This is a planned Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. It is expected to join the fleet in 2024.
