Anna Mae Hays: The Nurse Who Became America’s First Female General

Anna Mae Hays: The Nurse Who Became America’s First Female General

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the world wars, and this time I wanted to share the story of Anna Mae Hays.

She was born Anna Mae Violet McCabe on the 16th of February 1920 in Buffalo, New York, in the United States. Her parents were officers in the Salvation Army, and her when she was young, she had frequent moves before the family settled in Pennsylvania. She loved music and dreamed of studying at Juilliard, but finances forced her in to another direction. In 1939, she began training as a nurse and qualified in 1941.

In May 1942, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, becoming part of the American effort in the Second World War. By early 1943, she was sent to India, where she worked in a field hospital near the Ledo Road. The conditions were harsh, there were bamboo buildings, disease, and the constant danger, but she carried on.

After the war, she remained in the Army and continued her nursing career. When the Korean War began, she was deployed again, this time to Inchon in 1950. The cold, the lack of supplies, and the sheer number of wounded made the conditions even more difficult than before. Alongside a small team of nurses, she helped treat tens of thousands of patients.

Her career continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s. She served in senior hospital roles, cared for President Dwight D. Eisenhower during illness, and became Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. During the Vietnam War, she visited nurses in the field, working to improve training and support for those serving overseas.

In 1970, under President Richard Nixon, she became the first woman in U.S. Armed Forces history to be promoted to brigadier general.

She received numerous honours, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Army Commendation Medal. After nearly three decades of service, she retired in 1971.

Anna Mae Hays died on the 7th of January 2018 at the age of 97.

 

Do you think moments like her promotion changed perceptions more than policies ever could?

The Final Notes of Jock Hume: Duty, Loss, and Quiet Courage

The Final Notes of Jock Hume: Duty, Loss, and Quiet Courage

I have been learning about some of the people who were on board the Titanic. Recently I have been finding out a little about the musicians, and this time I wanted to share the story of Jock Hume.

He was born on the 9th of August 1890 in Dumfries, Scotland. By his early twenties he had already built a good reputation, performing on several ships. In the winter of 1910–1911, he spent time in Jamaica playing in a hotel orchestra. During these months, he started a relationship with Ethel McDonald and then became a father.

By April 1912, he was engaged to Mary Costin, who was expecting his second child. He got the opportunity to join the Titanic’s orchestra. He boarded at Southampton on the 10th of April.

Just days later, everything changed for him and everyone else on board. As the ship sank on the 15th of April, he and the other musicians continued to play. He must have had fear and anxiety but a determination to bring comfort to others.

He was only 21 years old when he died, leaving behind two children who would never know him.

After the disaster, his uniform became part of a painful and sad controversy, when the agency that employed the musicians sent his father a bill with a request for payment.

Do you think his decision to keep playing was driven by duty, or by a need to give comfort to others?

Image info:

Titanic’s musicians published by the Amalgated Musicians Union after the sinking.

Nephthys: The Guardian Who Stood Beside Grief and the Dead

Nephthys: The Guardian Who Stood Beside Grief and the Dead

I have been finding out a little about the many ancient Egyptian gods, and this time I want to talk about Nephthys.

In the earliest beliefs, Nephthys was part of a powerful divine family. She was the sister of Isis and Osiris, and the wife of Set. While others in her family are remembered for their dramatic roles, Nephthys seems quieter.

As the story of Osiris developed, Nephthys became closely linked to death and mourning. When Osiris was killed, she stood beside Isis grieving, wanting to help to restore him. She is not always at the centre, but she is there.

Over time, Nephthys became associated with the protection of the dead. She was often depicted in tombs and in funeral rites, watching over the dead. She was not a judge or a ruler, she was a guardian. She ensured that the dead were not alone. That must have been hugely, especially for those left behind.

She was also linked to night and to darkness, but not in a threatening way. More like the quiet that comes after everything else has calmed down. A time of reflection, of grief, and perhaps even of healing.

Nephthys, doesn’t seem like a goddess of mourning. I see her as comforting, standing beside someone in their darkest moments.

Do you think people found comfort in gods like Nephthys, who did not take away grief, but shared in it?

Image info:

 Nephthys on the sarcophagus of Ramses III

Maude C. Davison: Leadership, Survival, and the Angels of Bataan

Maude C. Davison: Leadership, Survival, and the Angels of Bataan

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the World Wars and over the past couple of days we have been focusing on some of the nurses who served. Today I wanted to talk about Maude C. Davison.

She was born on the 27th of March 1885 in Ontario, Canada, and began her career as a dietitian before she trained as a nurse in the United States. By 1918, she had joined the Army Nurse Corps, which was the start of a long military career.

She rose through the ranks and by 1941, she was serving in the Philippines as chief nurse. After the invasion of the Philippines following Pearl Harbor, she organised nurses, all whilst the area was being bombed and even after she was injured. As the American forces left, she helped to establish makeshift hospitals in jungle conditions and later within the Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor.

 

When the surrender came in 1942, Davison led her nurses into captivity at Santo Tomas. These incredible women became known as the Angels of Bataan. Despite the harsh conditions, she maintained strict order and ensured their survival. After their liberation in 1945, her health was broken, but her leadership had saved lives. Maude C. Davison died on 11th of June 1956, aged 71.

 

 

Image info:
Major Maude C. Davison and First Lieutenant Eunice F. Young, ANC
Date: 1945

John Clarke: The Bassist Who Played Through Titanic’s Final Hours

John Clarke: The Bassist Who Played Through Titanic’s Final Hours

I have been learning about some of the people on board the Titanic, and have over the past few days have focused on the musicians, and today I want to share a little about John Frederick Preston Clarke.

He was born on the 28th of July 1883 in Manchester, into a working family. His father worked as a law clerk and his mother was a dressmaker.

In 1901, he was living in Liverpool and working as an insurance clerk. But by 1911, he had turned to music, living with his family and performing professionally. He played with local orchestras and even the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

In April 1912, he joined the musicians on board RMS Titanic, and travelling in second class. When the ship hit the iceberg on the 14th of April, he like everyone else was faced with fear and anxiety, but he and the other musician continued to play. Maybe using music to try and calm the others in those terrifying final moments.

He died in the early hours of the 15th of April, aged just 28. His body was later recovered and laid to rest in Halifax.

Do you think continuing to play in such a moment was an act of courage, or something far deeper?

Khonsu and the Moon: A God of Time, Healing, and Protection

Khonsu and the Moon: A God of Time, Healing, and Protection

I have been learning a little  about the many ancient Egyptian gods. So I want to find out more about Khonsu.

Khonsu was associated with the moon and the passing of time. He is often linked to the protection of travellers. The moon moves across the night sky, but always returns.

As Egyptian beliefs developed, Khonsu became more closely connected with healing. It was thought that he could drive away illness and harmful spirits.  

He was also part of a triad at Thebes with Amun, his father and Mut, his mother.  I think that being part of the triad made him easier to relate to, especially for people who put value in family.

 

Do you think people found more comfort in gods like Khonsu?

 

Image info:

Title: Mummy Mask of Khonsu

Date: 1279–1213 B.C. New Kingdom, Ramesside. Reign of Ramesses II

Collection: Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

Annie G. Fox: The Nurse Who Stayed Calm Under Fire at Pearl Harbor

Annie G. Fox: The Nurse Who Stayed Calm Under Fire at Pearl Harbor

I have been learning about some of the remarkable people who served during the world wars and recently I have focused on some incredible US nurses. Today I want to find out about Annie G. Fox.

She was born on the 4th of August 1893 in East Pubnico, Nova Scotia. She later became an American citizen. She joined the United States Army Nurse Corps and steadily built a career.

By the 7th of December 1941, she was serving as chief nurse at Hickam Field in Hawaii. When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, she remained at her post and continued to care for the wounded. She administered anaesthetics, organised treatment, and guided both trained staff and civilian volunteers.

She was awarded the Purple Heart in 1942, becoming the first woman to receive it. At that time, the award could be given for outstanding service, not just for being wounded. Later, when the rules changed, her Purple Heart was replaced with the Bronze Star in 1944.

She passed away on the 20th of January 1987 at the age of 93.