Senate Resolution No. 3506

BY: Senator KENNEDY

MOURNING the death of Anna Mae Hays, United States
Army General, distinguished citizen and devoted
member of her community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae Hays, an Army nurse who served overseas during
World War II, led the Army Nurse Corps at the height of the Vietnam War,
and became the first female general in American military history, died
on Sunday, January 7, 2018; she was 97; and

WHEREAS, Born in Buffalo, New York, on February 16, 1920, Anna Mae
Violet McCabe was the daughter of Salvation Army officers; she dreamed
of becoming a nurse as a young girl, wrapping bandages around the legs
of a kitchen table; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae Hays graduated from high school in Allentown,
Pennsylvania, before earning a nursing degree from Allentown General
Hospital's School of Nursing in 1941; and

WHEREAS, Upon the completion of her studies, Anna Mae Hays joined
the United States Army Nurse Corps in May of 1942, having been inspired
to serve her country after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae Hays deployed to Ledo, Assam, India with the 20th
General Hospital in January of 1943, during which time she treated
patients in one of the worst malaria-infested districts, as well as
members of the special-operations Army unit known as Merrill's
Marauders; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of her valiant efforts, this brave woman was
promoted to First Lieutenant and was asked to remain on active duty once
the war was over; and

WHEREAS, In 1950, Anna Mae Hays was deployed with the 4th Field
Hospital where she treated some of the earliest casualties of the Korean
War and helped establish the first military hospital in Inchon; under
her able leadership, the 4th Field Hospital cared for more than 25,000
patients between September of 1950 and July of 1951; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae Hays reported for duty as the head nurse of the
Emergency Room at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC, in May of
1956; in this capacity she served as one of President Eisenhower's
private nurses during his hospitalization and the two became lifelong
friends; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae and William A. Hays were united in marriage in
July of 1956; during this time she returned to school and received a
bachelor's degree in nursing education from Columbia University's

Teachers College; she went on to earn a master's degree in nursing from
the Catholic University of America; and

WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Anna Mae Hays worked at building up the Army
Nurse Corps to aid the military effort in Vietnam; she was named
Assistant Chief of the Corps in 1963, and just four years later she was
sworn in as its 13th Chief; and

WHEREAS, Anna Mae Hays became a symbol of unprecedented female
advancement on June 11, 1970, when she was promoted to the one-star rank
of Brigadier General; upon her retirement on August 31, 1971, she was
honored with the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit;
and

WHEREAS, Throughout her distinguished military career, Anna Mae Hays
was instrumental in Army policy changes which paved the way for women in
the military, including the 1970 establishment of maternity leave for
female officers; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, through her tireless efforts, married officers
were no longer automatically discharged from the ranks for becoming
pregnant, and a provision was removed that limited mothers' ability to
join the Army Nurse Corps Reserve; and

WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Anna Mae Hays leaves behind a legacy which will long endure
the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all she
served and befriended; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Anna Mae Hays, United States Army General,
distinguished citizen and devoted member of her community; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Anna Mae Hays.