World War II Honoree

Olga C. Benderoff

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Ms. Katherine Benderoff

Colonel. One of few nurses to achieve the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and the only chief nurse to head a hospital unit for the full term of the war. She was a graduate of Western Reserve University and Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Was the Chief Nurse of Lakeside Hospital Unit in the Southwest Pacific assisting in the organization of the hospital in Melbourne, Australia, expanding it to 2,900 beds in spite of serious personnel shortage. When the unit was moved from Australia to Finschhafen, New Guinea, she worked alongside other nurses, sometimes in mud up to her knees, and in seven days they were providing treatment for the sick and wounded. Received the Legion of Merit Award for exceptional meritorious conduct.