During World War II, Warrington had a significant connection with the United States, particularly with the presence of Burtonwood. However, a lesser-known story involves the 63 African American nurses stationed at the 168th Station Military Hospital in Appleton – the first African American nurses from the US Nursing Corps to be assigned in Europe.
At the beginning of the war, the United States had a shortage of Army and Navy nurses, prompting a recruitment drive in collaboration with the Red Cross. Despite the need for nurses, the U.S. Army Nurse Corps had strict entry requirements, including being unmarried women aged between 22 and 30 with civilian nursing training, and a silent requirement of being white.
Many African American nurses in America applied to enlist but were met with rejection letters citing regulations that did not allow for colored nurses in the Corps. After appeals and pressure from civil rights groups, 56 black nurses were finally admitted in 1941. By 1944, there were over 40,000 nurses in the U.S. Army Corps, with only around 300 being black.
The 63 African American Army Nurses stationed at the 168th Station Military Hospital in Warrington were the first female African-American military personnel in Britain, arriving before their colleagues in the Women’s Army Corps. Despite initial reservations about caring for German Prisoners of War, the nurses found a more welcoming and less segregated environment in Warrington compared to the United States.
After a training course, the nurses began their duties at the hospital, eventually caring for American casualties once the German prisoners were transferred elsewhere. Their presence at Appleton represented a significant portion of the total number of nurses in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during the war.
The story of these 63 African American nurses sheds light on the challenges they faced in serving their country during a time of segregation and discrimination. Their contributions to the war effort, despite initial obstacles and objections, highlight their resilience and dedication to their roles as nurses.
