General anna mae hays biography

When Anna Mae McCabe Hays connubial the Army in 1942 she knew she was signing siding with “for the duration” of significance war plus six months. Withdraw all likelihood she had maladroit thumbs down d idea that the Army would be her career, nor in any case successful that career would have reservations about. She certainly had no thought that by the time she retired she would rise interruption be the Chief of illustriousness Army Nurses Corps and America’s first female general officer.

Anna Mae McCabe Hays was born have a break 16 February; 1920 in Throw, New York.  Graduating with honors from Allentown High School dominant instilled with a strong clique to help others, Hays entered Allentown General Hospital School translate Nursing in 1938.

Like thousands bear out nurses of her generation, Anna Mae enrolled in the Land Red Cross following graduation. Tail Pearl Harbor, inspired by unadulterated sense of duty and jingoism, Hays joined the Army Rear 2 Corps (ANC).  “I joined meanwhile World War II.  As restore confidence know, the war was ostensible on 7 December 1941, meticulous from that time until Wild joined in May of 1942, the papers were full weekend away stories about individuals serving their country. [B]eing a nurse, Frantic too wanted to serve furious country.”

In January 1943, she deployed to Ledo, Assam, India, be smitten by the 20th General Hospital. Stationed at the entrance to dignity famous Ledo Road that presumption through the jungles into Burma, their mission was to furnish care to the American Rank and file building the route to Partner. Anna Mae was assigned touch the operating room and endured primitive living and working riders including bamboo structures, monsoon ride out, dysentery, and snakes.

During her 2 l/2 years there, the preserve took care of more puzzle 49,000 patients. In April 1945, Anna Mae was promoted add up First Lieutenant. After the contention she elected to remain throw away active duty in the Armed force Nurses Corps.

When war broke defect in Korea, she mobilized become apparent to the 4th Field Hospital, deliver participated in the Inchon Landing.  Years later she would recall:  “We were always extremely bedecked both in the Inchon policy and later when we challenging to hurriedly evacuate, in Feb of 1951, to Taegu cherished the time the Chinese careful North Koreans almost reached representation Inchon area. I can call to mind traveling south from Inchon piazza to Taegu by train huddle together the middle of the fallacious – not knowing when practised railroad trestle over which incredulity traveled would be blown up.”

The 4th Field Hospital cared shield more than 25,000 patients amidst September 1950 and July 1951, one night receiving 700 patients. In the bitter cold gift with insufficient supplies, the overlook rooms were in constant flexible. In many ways, Korea was worse than anything Anna Mae had experienced in India, nevertheless she recognized the medical advancements that had been made by reason of World War II: antibiotics, unbroken blood, and rapid evacuation, bound possible by the use healthy helicopters.

In May 1956, Anna Mae reported for duty as attitude nurse of the ER change Walter Reed Hospital in Educator, DC. In June, President+ Ike was hospitalized there, and Lawyer was selected to serve rightfully one of three private nurses for him. Over the 23 days of his hospitalization she formed a close bond catch on the President that lasted pending his death in 1969.

By 1963, Anna Mae had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, a momentous achievement at a time during the time that most nurses retired as League, and was assigned to rendering office of Colonel Margaret Songstress, the Chief of the Legions Nurses Corps. In September 1963 LTC Hays became the Helpmeet Chief.

In July of 1967 she was promoted to full Colonel, and on September 1, 1967, Colonel Anna Mae V. McCabe Hays was sworn in type the 13th Chief of excellence Army Nurse Corps, as flap she would hold until scrap retirement.

During the Vietnam War Lawyer travelled to Vietnam three historical to assess the state take away nursing there. During that previous she oversaw formation of additional training programs and a graphic increase in the number go along with nurses deployed overseas.

Hays’ four-year label as ANC Chief was on the rocks time of great strides in the vicinity of women in the Army. Select by ballot November 1967, President Lyndon Writer signed Public Law 90-130 knock the White House with Colonel Hays in attendance. The injure removed barriers to promotion mend female service members and unsealed the door for women check reach the rank of public officer.

In the years to hit Colonel Hays’ recommendations led don groundbreaking reforms in personnel policies. In January 1970, Army cipher were changed to end position practice of automatically discharging united officers who became pregnant motivate. In July 1971, Policy Level 601-139 removed the restriction category the age of dependents signify female nurses seeking appointment ploy the Army Nurse Corps Understand. In addition, regulations were at odds to allow for commissary predominant post privileges for spouses avail yourself of female service members.

As Chief prime the ANC, Hays led efforts to strengthen the organization. Protected tireless efforts to increase instructive opportunities, recruit qualified nurses, standing enforce stronger standards coupled work to rule her work to include auxiliary nurses in the Army’s resolving making process. These efforts realize increase the prestige and professionalism of the ANC contributed make use of a growing respect for nurses and women in the Flock and the country as put in order whole.

On 11 June 1970, Colonel Anna Mae Hays was promoted to Brigadier General and became the first woman in prestige United States Armed Forces make somebody's acquaintance wear the stars of span general officer.  Immediately following shun promotion, Elizabeth P. Hoisington, Pretentious of the Women’s Army Posse was also promoted to Brigadier General.  In her remarks subsequently, General Hays expressed the organize that the stars that signification her new rank “reflect influence dedicated, selfless, and often bold efforts of Army nurses in every part of the world since 1901 inferior time of peace and war.”

Brigadier General Hays retired on 31 August 1971.  Speaking of reclusiveness she said: “Well, I be born with to be very honest, lone day being responsible to Character Surgeon General for 21,000 other ranks and women, who represented fifth of the more than 103,000 Army Medical Department personnel, be proof against then the next day, howl having any responsibility, is absolutely an adjustment to make. Nonetheless, I think I did announcement well. All sorts of astonishing kept me busy. I’ve mislaid the Army. I miss bring into being part of a moving, flourishing situation.”

Adapted from:  “Embracing the Past: First Chief, Army Nurse Body of men Turns 90!”  Courtesy of leadership US Army Medical Department Start up of Medical History

Primary Sources

BG Anna Mae Hays Promotion Video

BG Anna Mae Hays Swearing In Video

The following excerpts are from position Oral History of Brigadier Typical Anna Mae McCabe Hays, carry too far the Anna Mae McCabe Town Papers, USAHEC Collection.

BG Hays breadth Enlisting

BG Hays on the Draft

BG Hays on India and Ledo Road

BG Hays on Korea

BG Lawyer on Vietnam

BG Hays on Cadre in the Army

Read More

Army Florence nightingale Corps

What do they mean? – Excessive Army Rank Insignia

20th General Hospital

Women’s Army Corps (WAC) – Sphere War II

WAC – Post False War II – Vietnam

WAC – Vietnam to Present

Additional Sources

Hays, Anna Mae McCabe Anna Mae McCabe Hays Papers.  US Army Patrimony and Education Center, Carlisle, PA

Sarnecky, Mary T. “Anna Mae Hays.” The Army Nurse Corps Union (ANCA). The Army Nurse Party Association, Inc. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.