Hampden Township near Enola in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
History of Military Nursing
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 28, 2026
1. History of Military Nursing Marker
A military nurse is a registered nurse who is also commissioned [in] one of the branches of the military, serving their country by providing medical care to other service members. They also support the families of our servicemen and servicewomen. Military nursing is a crucial branch of nursing that is vital to military success. Nurse assignments can vary, and nurses can be expected to travel nationally and internationally as needed, including service on hospital ships. Military nurses can also be called on to offer support during natural disasters. Military nurses are essential to providing urgent care, treating the wounded, and assisting soldiers with rehabilitation and recovery when they return home from war.
The Army Nurse Corps became a permanent corps of the Medical Department under the Army Reorganization Act passed by Congress on 2 February 1901. In 1908, the Navy Nurse Corps was created and the Air Force Nurse Corps in 1949. Marine Corps Nurses are commissioned in the Navy Nurse Corps and undergo additional Marine Corps training.
Throughout history, the role that military nurses play in conflict stayed
this page online
[Photo captions read]
Clara Barton was a nurse during the American Civil War. Her work saved thousands of lives during and after the war which earned her the name "Angel of the Battlefield". While she went on to found the American Red Cross, her work in the Civil War redefined the job of a nurse in the military and inspired the creation of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Nurse Corps.
Florence Blanchfield was a Chief Nurse during World War I in France. Decades later, she served as a lieutenant colonel, and later the superintendent of the Army Nurses Corps, during World War II to recruit more nurses to help in the war. She fought to give members of the Army Nurse Corps full military status and equal pay so that their work
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 28, 2026
2. History of Military Nursing Marker
Representatives of the Army Nurse Corps from the nine Army Corps Areas meet in Washington to discuss recruiting of Army nurses, April 1942
Erected by Hampden Township and Concerned Citizens and Organizations.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Patriots & Patriotism • Women.
Location. 40° 17.476′ N, 76° 58.823′ W. Marker is near Enola, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It is in Hampden Township. It can be reached from no nearby street. Marker is in the Hampton Township Veterans Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4345 Marketplace Way, Enola PA 17025, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania and in Greater Harrisburg. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: U.S. Women in WWII (here, next to this marker); The Korean War (here, next to this marker); World War II (a few steps from this marker); Liberty Tree (a few steps from this marker); Vietnam War (a few steps from this marker); World War I (within shouting distance of this marker); Vietnam Era Naval Propeller (within shouting distance of this marker); Desert Shield/Desert Storm (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Enola.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
