Commemoration

Lt. Annie Fox was the first woman to receive the Purple Heart award. She was serving as the Chief Nurse at the Hickam Field Hospital on the day of the attack. The significance behind the Purple Heart Medal has changed from what it represented in the 1940's. Presently, the award is given to any member of any branch in the U.S. Armed Services if they are injured or killed during battle with enemy forces. This is different from the 1940's, in which it was awarded for any "singularly meritorious act of extraordinary fidelity or essential service" (Wartime Heritage Association). Lt. Annie Fox was awarded this medal as a token of gratitude for the way she stepped up in her leadership at Hickam Field during the chaos of Pearl Harbor. 

This is a New York Times article from January 25, 1942 written about the heroic work of World War II nurses who were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Majority of the article is about U.S. nurses serving in various places during the second world war; however, the first paragraph explains that the events of Pearl Harbor and the heroic army nurses present for the attack are what sparked the idea of writing the article. Their bravery inspired the author Anne Peterson to research and write about nurses serving in the war. The events and experiences of the nurses that conspired on December 7, 1941 were horrific, but as is evident from this article, they motivated the public to give more much needed recognition and praise to the women of the war.