The year was 1945, Lieutenant Alene B. Duerk, Registered Nurse, stood tall on the deck of the USS Benevolence, one of the Navy's large hospital ships. The ship was nearly as long as two football fields and weighed over 11,000 tons when empty. The USS Benevolence was commissioned to provide various hospital services; such as, care for battle casualties from the 3rd Fleet, preventive medicine, compassion, consoling and other care needed by those fighting in the war against Japan.
How did a nurse become the first woman to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the Navy history?