Elizabeth Thomson Imsande, a former World War II Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), visited Naval Hospital Jacksonville on Dec. 18.

Imsande trained and worked at NH Jacksonville as a Hospital Corpsman (called a Pharmacist’s Mate at that time) during World War II from 1943 to 1945, after completing basic training in New York City.

During Imsande’s visit, she toured several hospital clinics and units, accompanied by the hospital’s commander, executive officer, and command master chief.

WAVES were stablished in 1942 as a unit of the U.S. Naval Reserve.  During WWII, some 100,000 WAVES served in a variety of capacities, from clerical duties to instructors.  They were not allowed to go overseas, nor were they eligible for combat duty.  However, their contributions proved to be a vital asset to winning the war, as well as proving that mixed-gender forces could be successful.

In 1948, with the passage of the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act, WAVES became a permanent component of the Navy.

Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville deliver quality health care, in an integrated system of readiness and health.  NH Jacksonville includes five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia.  It serves 163,000 active-duty and retired sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, guardsmen, and their families, including about 83,000 patients who are enrolled with a primary care manager.  To find out more, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter.

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/.