Women's Historic Firsts: Anna Mae Hays uniform

Anna Mae Hays Uniform (Front) 

Anna Mae Hays (February 16, 1920 – January 7, 2018) was an American military officer who served as the 13th chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. She was the first woman in the U.S. Armed Forces to be promoted to a General Officer rank; in 1970, she was the first woman promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. 

Brig. Gen. Hays’ black evening “mess” dress uniform comprises black floor-length skirt, white ruffled blouse, neck tab, cummerbund, shoulder boards, and medals.  Her decorations include The Distinguished Service Medal, The Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), American and Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medals, The World War II Victory Medal and Korean Service Medal.

Photo by Hugh Talman / Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.