Rear Adm. Maxine Conder is the former director of the nurse corps and the second woman in the Navy to become a rear admiral. In 1977, Adm. Conder took part in an American Nurses Association-sponsored trip to the People’s Republic of China. She was the first U.S. Navy nurse to visit mainland China, and one of the first U.S. military officers to visit since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Adm. Conder spent the majority of her 28-year Navy career serving at medical treatment facilities (MTF). Conder retired from the Navy in July 1979 and returned to her home state of Utah, where was recognized as “one of Utah’s most influential women.”

Last Updated: 31 March 2023