She was promoted to chief nurse and was stationed at Norfolk Naval Hospital after just six months in the corps; in 1911, she became the second NNC superintendent and held the position for 11 years.

Now, Cvancara is trying to make history by becoming the first pre-service amputee to join the Navy, and the Nurse Corps in particular. Cvancara’s dad was an Air Force flight surgeon, so she grew ...

Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee entered service in 1908 as part of the “Sacred Twenty,” the U.S. Navy’s first nurses. Within three years, she had gained leadership of the corps as the forerunner of ...