BAUER-CATHERINE

 

Biography for:

Catherine “Kay” M. Wilhelmy Bauer. I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and attended St. Catherine University where I first majored in English and Speech with a minor in education then changed to science and nursing. 

Favorite memories:

Growing up with 6 awesome sisters and 7 brothers on a farm by Larpenteur and Hazel St. in St. Paul where all has been swallowed up into post WWII homes. Riding wild horses on the farm next door, learning about the German work ethic from my parents and Catholicism from them and the good St. Joseph and Notre Dame nuns.

Enlisting in the Navy while at St. Kate’s.  The Navy paid my fifth year of college and gave me a monthly salary I used to pay off all my student loans.

Newport, RI- learning about the Navy, going aboard many Navy ships and attending the Newport Jazz Festival.

St. Albans, L.I., NY where I cared for Joe Campbell, Lt for Teddy Roosevelt and Lou Broadus who was Roosevelt’s bugle boy; attending many fantastic Broadway Plays for free in uniform: West Side Story with Leonard Bernstein conducting; Peter Pan with Mary Martin in her last Broadway performance. Barely missing being court martialed! One New Year’s Eve in Times Square and another playing a guitar and singing through the streets of Jamaica with an Italian family we met that day.

Sailing on a Navy ship for the first time and learning that we were ‘required’ to attend happy hour in sick bay at lunch and in the evening in the quarters of the Navy C.O. and then that of the Merchant Marine C.O.

Yokosuka, Japan where I fell in love with the Far East and the people there and learned to use chopsticks 

Guam where I learned how to breathe through water, scuba dive, meet the first astronauts after they landed, surviving Typhoon Karen, sleeping on the floor of the dirty equipment room while our quarter were ankle deep in water; helping admit Lana Turner to the hospital when she became ill during a Bob Hope program and taking another Navy cruise home

Great Lakes where I got to be head nurse in Pediatrics and in charge of the department of education by default; accepting a position as director of nursing education at a college in the mission field then declining and accepting a slot in a 7 member Forward Surgical Team in Vietnam with two friends, Robina Beveridge and Don Hopping.

Rach Gia South Vietnam where I renewed my love for the Asian peoples and their food and learned a very great deal about U.S. Agency for International Development, cultural differences in medicine as well as many innovative ways to handle injuries, wounds, and never being quite well enough prepared for living and working in a constant war zone, the atrocities and daily encounters with death, watching horrific events and barely missing death.

Quantico, VA where I was able to care for so many Marines returning from Vietnam; was invited to lunch at the White House by then President Johnson with about 19 other military women when he signed the bill allowing women to attain the rank of Admiral and General. Being OOD on weekends and watching for the President’s Yacht to alert the on call staff If there was a need; learning how to handle a rifle and pistol at the FBI/CIA range.

Recruiting Duty in Minneapolis covering MN, WI, IA, ND, SD, parts of IL and MI. where I was able to meet with and induct so many wonderful men and women into the Navy ~ many of whom are still friends of mine, surprisingly! And some are now member of our NNCA Chapter here in MN!  On the downside, having my office at the Federal Office Bldg. in Minneapolis being blown up by anti war protestors in 1971! Meeting my dear husband (who has put up with me for over 44 years) attempting to adopt and having to resign my regular commission per the adoption agency, not the Navy. Then adopting our son Jeff then being pregnant with and delivering our son Terry 11 months later!  What a whirlwind and joy! 

Reserve Duty where I learned by trial and error the differences between regular and reserve Navy; Starting  an annual Tri-Service Nursing Program for the 5 state area with awesome speakers; helping to start the annual Navy Nurse portion of the AMSUS program;  Reserve duty at Camp LeJeune, San Diego, Bremerton, Key West, Camp Pendleton, Hameln Germany, London, England and many Navy Hospitals., sitting on numerous selections boards, working in the office of the Director of the Navy Nurse Corps under 3 directors, giving testimony in congress, and working at the Pentagon.

Retirement: Helping to start the Vietnam Nurse group of really awesome military nurses in St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN where I was the ‘token Navy’ nurse for many years; helping Diane Evans to get the VN Women’s Memorial dedicated in DC.; our group continues get together several each year and were in DC for the dedication and the 20^th  and the 25^thanniversary of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. Working with the General to help with the Women In Military Service to America Memorial, going to Panama to work with the Air Force Director of Nursing service finalize deactivation of the USAF hospital there, and, finally helping to start the Midwest Chapter of the Navy Nurse Corps. I have been privileged to be invited to attend the retirement of many friends.  Several were at the Women’s Memorial and one on the 4^thof July where we sipped champagne on the roof while watching the fireworks; another, from St. Kate’s, took us on a day and evening tour of DC guided by her aunt who was a professional tour guide there.  Working on my Masters in Adult Education at the University of MN became quite a challenge after being out of the education system for such a long time!

 

What I remember the most:

There is not one thing I could have accomplished without the support, encouragement, and continual help of so many, many:

My mom and dad and 14 brothers and sisters and their families.

My beloved husband, Vern, and his family;  sons Jeff and Terry and families, especially my grandchildren: Halie, Alex, Ethan, Madden, Wesley and Cole.

So many Navy Nurses who worked with me to help develop and present the programs for the first several AMSUS conferences in Nashville and, the first Tri`Service Nurse Programs in Minneapolis. 

Having friends in almost every state and many countries. 

So many wonderful friends who are retired or former Army and Air Force and Navy nurses.

Sadly missing when they passed away, so many wonderful women and men who helped me in so many ways, and with whom I worked and traveled and enjoyed many years of life.

It would take many hours to tell the stories of how and when and why these awesome people helped me throughout my many years and the laughter and joy they have brought to, and shared with, me. BLESS THEM ALL!