(This article by Lt. Col. Patrick J. Chaisson, USA (Ret), originally appeared in the February 2026 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members who can log in to access our digital version and archive. Basic members can save on a membership upgrade and access the magazine.)
At 3 a.m. on Jan. 31, 1968, Viet Cong guerrillas attacked a U.S. logistics base at Long Binh, Republic of Vietnam. Just 45 minutes later, Army nurses stationed there with the 93rd Evacuation Hospital began treating the first casualties. For the next four weeks, an incessant stream of wounded American soldiers, Vietnamese civilians, and enemy combatants entered the hospital for medical care.
“Casualties varied from a trickle to a downpour,” Lt. Margaret Ann LaSalle of the 93rd Evac told an interviewer in 2000. “There was no such thing as working shifts. It went on for endless days and days and days.”
Throughout the monthlong Tet Offensive, Army nurses at Long Binh braved frequent enemy rocket attacks while overcoming supply and personnel shortages to accomplish their mission of providing excellent nursing care.
February marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Read on to learn about the contributions of Army nurses across generations and about events planned to commemorate this milestone.
The Army Nurse Corps Association
Formed in 1976, the Army Nurse Corps Association (ANCA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting generations of military nurses while helping to preserve the Army Nurse Corps’ rich history. Other functions include awarding nursing scholarships, advancing medical research, and establishing social connections in the form of a newsletter and biennial convention.
All current and former members of the Army Nurse Corps who are retired or who hold an honorable discharge are eligible to join the association. This includes nurses who served with the National Guard and/or Army Reserve. Members receive a subscription to ANCA’s quarterly newsletter, The Connection, as well as access to its online membership database, which facilitates networking and communication. Other benefits include the opportunity to assist with ANCA’s education and scholarship, nursing research, and future initiatives.
The association has an online application form. Email membership@e-anca.org for more information.
Then-1st Lt. Edie Meeks poses in front of a Vietnam field hospital during the Vietnam War. Meeks, an Army nurse, was inspired to commission into the Army by her brother who joined the Marine Corps. (Courtesy photo via Army)
Nurses have cared for sick or wounded American soldiers since 1775. Until the turn of the 20th century, however, they served solely as civilian volunteers or contract employees. That changed Feb. 2, 1901, when female nurses became a permanent part of the Army’s medical department.
The Army Nurse Corps’ first real organizational test came during World War I, specifically 1917-1918. Working in base, evacuation, and mobile surgical hospitals around the globe, 21,460 American women answered their nation’s call as Army nurses.
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In World War II (1941-1945), the Army Nurse Corps grew dramatically in size and responsibilities. As their duties changed, many nurses endured the hardships and hazards of front-line duty. During the war, 16 U.S. Army nurses were killed in action.
In 1947, members of the Army Nurse Corps gained permanent commissioned officer status. The office of the chief of the Army Nurse Corps was also established that year. Men were first authorized to become Army nurses in 1955.
Members of the Army Nurse Corps served courageously throughout the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam. They continued to provide lifesaving medical care during such combat actions as Operation Desert Storm and the global war on terrorism. Army nurses also played critical roles in the successful accomplishment of humanitarian aid missions at home and abroad.
Any mention of the Army Nurse Corps’ achievements must include their service to the community in peacetime. Army nurses furnish exceptional care to military members and their families — from infants to geriatric patients. Their contributions have saved lives on the battlefield and shaped modern medicine, to include innovations in education and research.
Col. Karen Gausman, USA (Ret), pictured, a former Army nurse and treasurer of MOAA’s Valley Forge (Pa.) Chapter, said highlights of the anniversary celebration include a gala set for Feb. 6 in the historic Union Station in Washington, D.C. Event planners, she noted, will “welcome up to 900 attendees for a reception, dinner remarks, and a [musical] tribute by the U.S. Army Chorus.”
The Army nurses’ gala will also feature displays of major milestones in Nurse Corps history and a display of historical uniforms, she said. Organizers also plan to screen a video presentation with comments from the Army Nurse Corps’ most senior living general officer as well as several nurses serving today.
Visit the Army Nurse Corps Association’s website for more on the 125th anniversary.
Lt. Col. Patrick J. Chaisson, USA (Ret), is a historian and writer based in Scotia, N.Y.
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