This bill expresses Congress's support for naming a U.S. Navy vessel the USS Rear Admiral Alene Duerk in honor of the pioneering naval officer. Rear Admiral Duerk, born in Defiance, Ohio, became the first woman to achieve flag officer rank when she was promoted on April 16, 1972, after a distinguished career in the Navy Nurse Corps. Her service included caring for wounded soldiers during World War II at naval hospitals in Portsmouth and Bethesda, and on the USS Benevolence in the Pacific Theater, followed by decades of service in increasingly senior positions across multiple countries. The bill recognizes her valor through various military decorations she earned, including campaign medals and the Bronze Star. The legislation directs the Secretary of the Navy to consider naming a naval vessel after her to honor her historic contributions to the Navy.
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