World War II Honoree

Mary Elizabeth Galvan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Elizabeth, New Jersey

Honored By

A Grateful Kansan

While working as a Registered Nurse for the American Red Cross in the early 1940’s, she was drafted into the United States Army Nurse Corps, and subsequently achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant. After extensive military training, she traveled by troop transport to France in June of 1944. Following thirteen turbulent days at sea, she arrived at Normandy, France shortly after D-Day. She and her unit proceeded to establish and operate various military field hospitals in Europe that cared for and ultimately helped save the lives of many of the American soldiers wounded in battle. She was discharged after achieving the rank of Captain.