Julia C. Stimson was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on May 26, 1881, and died in 1948 in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1920, Julia Stimson, one of the most significant nursing leaders of her era, was the first woman to be given the rank of major in the United States Army. In World War 1 she became the Director of Nursing Services in the Army Expeditionary Forces and managed 10,000 nurses during the last days of the war. Stimson received many honors and awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, World War 1 Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. Shortly before her death Julia Stimson was elevated to the position of Colonel. In 1976 Colonel Julie Stimson was inducted into the American Nursing Institute’s Bicentennial Hall of Fame.
Additional information on this remarkable woman can be found at the following websites:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Catherine_Stimson
http://www.nursingworld.org/JuliaCatherineStimson
http://history.amedd.army.mil/ANCWebsite/superintendents/stimson5.html
