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the Manila-Bataan area rendering efficient and devoted service during the prolonged siege. Miss
Bernatitus was regularly attached to the Naval Hospital, Canacao, Philippine Islands having reported for duty there on 20 July 1941. Shortly after hostilities commenced in December 1941 the Naval Hospital Staff and patients were moved to a new establishment in Manila. On 24 December 1941, when Manila was being evacuated Miss Bernatitus accompanied by two Navy Medical Officers proceeded to the Army Hospital at Limay, Bataan. The remainder of the hospital staff stayed in Manila and were taken prisoners. On 25 January 1942, Miss Bernatitus was transferred to Army Field Hospital No. 1 at Little Baguio, Bataan and remained there on active duty until that hospital was destroyed by enemy bombing on 7 April. When Bataan fell Miss Bernatitus was transferred to Corregidor. During her stay in Bataan she worked directly under Lieutenant Commander C. M. Smith (MC), USN, who is now a prisoner of war. The conditions under which the nurses lived and worked lacked everything in the way of comfort. They were constantly exposed to enemy bombing attacks and experienced several as well as the endemic jungle diseases of that area. Miss Bernatitus suffered from both dysentery and beriberi during her tour of duty in Bataan. In spite of all difficulties Miss Bernatitus performed her duty in an exemplary manner with courage and good spirit. She was officially transferred from Corregidor three days before the surrender of that fortress. (Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bernatitus is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
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For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the
Government of the United States as a member of Surgical Unit No. 5 during the Japanese attack on the Philippines, December 1941 through April 1942. Nurse Bernatitus maintained her position in the front lines of
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post-graduate program in operating room nursing in 1935. Bernatitus's first assignments with the Navy were as a staff nurse at the Naval
Hospitals in
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Oral
Histories – United States Navy Nurse in the Pacific Theater during World War II – Recollections of CAPT Ann Bernatitus, NC, USN, (Ret.)
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December 1941 through April 1942. She was also the first person authorized to wear the "V" Device with the award.
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supervision. As the lone Navy nurse on her team, Bernatitus treated
American, Filipino, and Japanese wounded from the
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The
President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to
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A monument in her honor was dedicated 23 June 2007, at the Exeter
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war in the
Pacific, Canacoa Hospital staff and patients were evacuated to
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Home of the Heroes – Lieutenant (j.g.) Ann A. Bernatitus "Angel of Mercy"
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In brief: Legion Post in Exeter to honor the late Capt. Ann
Bernatitus
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In October 1942, she became the first American recipient of the
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Captain Bernatitus donated her Legion of Merit medal to the
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on 3 March 2003, and was interred at St. Casimir's Cemetery
620:"Ann Bernatitus - Recipient - Military Times Hall of Valor"
638:"Anne Agnes Bernatitus: 21 January 1912 - 3 March 2003"
551:). Ann Bernatitus, obituary. March 4, 2003, Page 7A.
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just prior to the fall of Corregidor. She served at
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Wyoming Valley Homeopathic Hospital Training School
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259:, Philippines Islands in July 1940. After the
255:before assignment to the US Naval Hospital at
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247:In 1940, she was assigned duty on board the
16:U.S. Navy decorated combat nurse (1912–2003)
355:She died at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital,
437:Lieutenant, Junior Grade Ann A. Bernatitus
174:Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
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590:. Robert Kalinowski. December 27, 2006.
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344:on 1 August 1950, and retired from the
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760:Military personnel from Pennsylvania
508:"Valor awards for Ann A. Bernatitus"
484:"Valor awards for Ann A. Bernatitus"
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220:in 1936, after graduating from the
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301:She was in the last group of the "
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340:She was promoted to the rank of
212:Ann Bernatitus was appointed as
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533:In Memoriam, Ann A. Bernatitus.
200:who served under combat during
423:National Defense Service Medal
409:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
398:American Defense Service Medal
346:United States Navy Nurse Corps
183:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
178:American Defense Service Medal
111:United States Navy Nurse Corps
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512:Military Times Hall of Valor
365:Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
283:between December and April.
88:Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
755:21st-century American women
750:United States Navy captains
605:September 30, 2007, at the
586:September 30, 2007, at the
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565:Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
549:Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
418:World War II Victory Medal
357:Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
321:Naval Hospital Great Lakes
230:University of Pennsylvania
72:Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
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429:Legion of Merit Citation
99:United States of America
82:St. Casimir's Cemetery,
488:valor.militarytimes.com
404:American Campaign Medal
377:Smithsonian Institution
313:Bethesda Naval Hospital
261:attack on Pearl Harbor
238:Chelsea, Massachusetts
730:Female wartime nurses
117:Years of service
191:Ann Agnes Bernatitus
148:Battle of Corregidor
56:Exeter, Pennsylvania
577:The Citizens' Voice
442:United States Navy
195:United States Navy
400:with "BASE" clasp
263:and start of the
234:Graduate Hospital
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67:(2003-03-03)
710:2003 deaths
705:1912 births
517:November 6,
413:battle star
333:during the
317:New Orleans
180:(with star)
699:Categories
493:2017-02-11
453:References
296:Corregidor
95:Allegiance
49:1912-01-21
471:NHHC 2016
411:with one
379:in 1976.
352:in 1959.
342:Commander
308:Spearfish
249:USS
242:Annapolis
120:1936–1959
648:19 April
603:Archived
584:Archived
361:Pittston
265:Japanese
251:Chaumont
170:Combat V
105:Service/
84:Pittston
350:Captain
277:US Army
257:Canacao
216:in the
134:Captain
386:Awards
371:Legacy
330:Relief
323:, and
292:Bataan
275:under
273:Bataan
269:Manila
214:Ensign
208:Career
162:Awards
107:branch
348:as a
198:nurse
650:2017
519:2016
294:and
271:and
240:and
125:Rank
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