Alene Bertha Duerk made history as the U.S. Navy’s first female admiral, but her career began with a calling to heal. Born in Defiance, Ohio, in 1920, she graduated from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1941. In 1943, with World War II underway, she joined the Navy Nurse Corps.
Assigned to the hospital ship USS Benevolence, Duerk cared for wounded sailors and Marines in the Pacific theater. Her compassion and skill under pressure left a lasting impact on those she treated. After the war, she served in naval hospitals across the U.S. and overseas, including Japan and Guam, steadily rising through the ranks.
In 1970, Duerk was appointed Director of the Navy Nurse Corps, leading modernization efforts in military medicine. Two years later, she broke a historic barrier when she was promoted to rear admiral, becoming the first woman in Navy history to achieve flag rank. Her achievement opened doors for generations of women who followed.
Duerk retired in 1975 after more than 30 years of service but remained an advocate for women in uniform and veterans’ healthcare. She passed away in 2018 at age 98, leaving a legacy as both a trailblazer and healer.
