Ruth M. Gardiner-- Part 2: Died in Alaskan Theater

She entered Army nursing in January 1943 and served in the Alaskan Theater.

She died when her plane crashed while on a medical evacuation mission on July 27, 1943.

A hospital in Chicago was named for her on July 9, 1944.  A crowd estimated at 3,000 attended the dedication.

The hospital had 1,250 beds.

--GreGen

Ruth M. Gardiner-- Part 1: First Nurse Killed In Line of Duty

From Wikipedia.

In the June 10 post, I wrote about the Chicago Beach Hotel being turned into a hospital named Gardiner General Hospital.  It was named for Ruth M. Gardiner, the first nurse to lose her life in World War II while in the line of duty.

May 20, 1914 to July 27, 1943.  Nurse in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.

She trained as a nurse at the White Haven, Pennsylvania, Sanitarium and graduated in 1934.

--GreGen