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Honoring the cadet nurses of World War II
The Massachusetts Cadet Nurses of World War II—an essential part of that era’s health care system—are beginning to get their due, thanks in part to Barbara Poremba ’72BSN, ’91EDD. Poremba organized a recent ceremony at the Massachusetts statehouse and has been a vocal advocate to grant honorary veteran status to Cadet Nurses nationwide. She says her efforts are motivated by her wish to honor the memory of her former College of Nursing teacher and dean, Dr. Lillian R. Goodman, who was a Cadet Nurse.
From “Gov. Charlie Baker, lawmakers dedicate Cadet Nurse Corps plaque”:
The newest plaque gracing wall space in the Massachusetts State House commemorates the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, and it finally got a dedication ceremony. …
The dedication arrived months after state lawmakers passed and [Governor] Baker signed legislation that for the first time recognized the public service of the 9,000 Cadet Nurses who served in Massachusetts hospitals during World War II. The state law designated July 1 as U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Day.
The Bay State cadet contingent represents a fraction of the total 124,000 nurses who served in the Cadet Nurse Corps and cared for the nation's veterans.
“We appreciated the push you made to make this happen, and I really do hope that it turns out that a whole bunch of other states follow the lead that we set here," Baker told attendees during the dedication ceremony, which his office organized.
Barbara Poremba, a Salem resident and member of the Friends of the USCNC WWII, said the legislation embodies the culmination of a “North Shore” effort that involved advocacy from Lovely, Tucker, Sen. Bruce Tarr and Rep. Brad Hill.
“The plaque was created and installed by Leland Hussey and me on behalf of the Friends of the U.S. Cadet Nurses Corps after we worked with all of these representatives to pass legislation for this,” she said.
Cadet nurses, who worked under the U.S. Public Health Service and military, served as student nurses in civilian and military hospitals across the nation from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. They eased an acute shortage of nurses at home during the war and are credited with preventing the collapse of the civilian health care system.
Read the full article in Wicked Local >>
Learn more and find updates about Poremba’s work to recognize Cadet Nurses >>
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