American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Kathleen Young, 77, who joined the U.S. Navy in Narrowsburge, N.Y. in 1966. After Boot Camp and Hospital Corpsman School at Great Lakes, Ill., she reported to Naval Hospital St. Albans (Queens), N.Y., where she received wounded from Vietnam. She then served at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., where she trained for laboratory work and worked in a ward. At the end of her enlistment, she separated and began a multi-year period as a Sister of the Order of Saint Francis. She earned a Bachelors Degree in Nursing and worked in Catholic hospitals in Florida.
In 1980 she rejoined the Navy as a commissioned nurse, again assigned to the hospital in Bethesda working in neurosurgery and the ICU. From 1983 to 1986 she was assigned to Charleston Naval Hospital as a coronary critical care nurse and earned a Master Degree in Health Care Administration. She next served at Naval Hospital Philippines, where she worked in labor and delivery, nursery, OB-GYN and pediatrics. Her next assignment was at Naval Air Station Alameda, Calif., as senior nurse. She followed that assignment by earning another Masters Degree, this time in Community Health Nursing.
Staying in California, she was assigned to Oakland Naval Hospital in surgery. Then she transferred first to MCAS Beaufort and then as Director of Operational Medicine at Parris Island. While there, the Crucible was established requiring special medical attention. Following the Marines, she then served at MCAS Iwakuni as senior nurse. Her final assignment was back at Charleston Naval Hospital from which she retired in 2003 as a Commander, Nurse Corps with 28 years of service.
Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.
