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A SALUTE TO ONE OF OUR OWN
BG (Retired)Madelyn N. Parks: 15th Chief, Army Nurse Corps
25 August 1923 to 24 November 2002
'The futureevolves out of the present and past. To determine what the future developmentsand goals in nursing should be, I would have to look at where we are now and howwe got there.' BG (Retired) Madelyn N. Parks
'The nurse hasserved in every war since 1775. Nurses have always been in combat theaters..As a nurse, you have to be where the action is.. where the patients are.' BG (Retired) Madelyn N. Parks
Born in Jordan, Oklahoma on 25 August 1923, but raised inTexas, BG (Retired) Madelyn N. Parks, 15th Army Nurse Corps Chief,served over 29 years in the United States Army Nurse Corps. Parks career began in 1943 when she received her registered nurse'sdiploma from Corpus Christi School of Nursing. Spurred by patriotism, Parks and her twin sister, Margaret, joined theArmy in 1944. Commissioned as asecond lieutenant in the Nurse Corps, she completed Basic Training at Fort MeadeMaryland and an initial tour as a staff nurse on the Eye Ward at Valley ForgeGeneral Hospital in Pennsylvania. Hertwin sister followed her footsteps in June of 1944, completing her firstassignment in psychiatry. By Augustof the same year, the sisters were overseas. Parks assignment as an operating room nurse in a frontline evacuationhospital in the Po Valley front in Italy provided her with extensive experience. While overseas during WWII, Parks also served in India, Iranand Italy.
Returning to the United States in 1946, Parks left themilitary for civilian life and nursing. Duringthis break in service, she worked with an ophthalmologist who she had trainedwith during her nursing program. In1951, motivated by the outbreak of the Korean War, Parks applied to reenter theArmy Nurse Corps. She applied for and received a Regular Army commission. Onceagain, Parks' twin sister accompanied her and they served together as staffnurses at Fort Polk, Louisiana. While expecting to receive orders to Korea, the sisters weresurprised to find themselves assigned to Hawaii. From November 1951 until November 1954, Park had duty as aneye clinic staff nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. At the conclusion of this tour, Parks' sister Margaret left the serviceand married. Park was reassigned asa staff nurse on the Ears, Eyes, Nose and Throat Ward at Brooke Army MedicalCenter in San Antonio, Texas, where she served from December 1954 until February1957.
At this juncture in her career, Parks completed the WardAdministrator Course. Thisadministrative course was designed to prepare nurses for advanced supervisorypositions. In May 1958, Parks waspromoted to Captain. She served asEducational Coordinator at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Exhibiting continuing success, Parks was reassigned toFort Sam Houston where she became an instructor and later the supervisor ofEnlisted Medical Training at the United States Army Medical Training Center,Fort Sam Houston, Texas. While atFort Sam Houston, Parks completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing atIncarnate Word College. She waspromoted to the rank of Major in October 1960.
In 1961, Parks returned overseas with an assignment as theChief Nurse of the 32nd Surgical Field Hospital in Wurtzburg,Germany. After a year in this position, Parks interviewed and was selected tobecome the Chief Nurse of the 62nd Medical Group. In this position, Parks coordinated nursing care for five hospitals and alarge collection of clearing companies. The 62nd was the largest medical groupin Europe. During an interview conducted in July 1992, Parks recalls setting upan Evacuation Hospital in the caves under Luxembourg City. The hospital set-up was part of an exercise with the French and Germans,one of the initial international medical exercises after WWII. Parks returned to the states in June of 1963.
From June 1963 until graduation in May 1965, Parks attendedthe Health Care Administration Program at US Army-Baylor University, Waco,Texas. Armed with her Masters in Health Care Administration, Parks became theDirector of the Clinical Specialist Course at Letterman Army Hospital in SanFrancisco. Parks stated that many dramatic changes occurred with the 91C programwhich she had intricate involvement. This assignment was considered herresidency and she related fond memories of this year of her career. Parks was promoted in April 1967 to Lieutenant Colonel.
Upon completion of her residency, with a nation once againat war, Parks returned overseas. InJune 1967, Parks began her tour in Vietnam. She was assigned as the Chief Nurse of the 85th EvacuationHospital in Qui Nhon, Vietnam. Parkswas told that the hospital needed a great deal of work and she was the nurse todo the job. During her year inVietnam, Parks was instrumental in the success of the 85th EvacuationHospital. In her oral historyinterview, she recalls the disarray of the POW Ward and her actions to make it afunctioning hospital unit. Parksstated, 'We stripped that ward from top to bottom. I got one of my best wardmasters and brought him over there and I got a young captain that was very goodand put her in charge. So it turnedout that much good came out of it.' Althoughit was a year filled with anxiety and sometimes tears, Parks recalled her yearin Vietnam as a tremendous experience.
At the completion of her tour in Vietnam, Parks wasassigned to the Medical Field Service School at Fort Sam Houston, Texas as aninstructor with a follow-on assignment as the Assistant Chief, Nursing ScienceDivision and Assistant Professor, United States Army-Baylor University Programin Health Care Administration. Parks transferred to Fort Monroe, Virginia inMarch 1972 to become the Chief Nurse, Surgeons Office at Headquarters,Continental Army Command, United States Army (CONARC). In May 1973, Parks was promoted to Colonel.
With this promotion, Parks became the Chief, Department ofNursing, Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Sheserved in this position until her selection as the 15th Chief of theArmy Nurse Corps in September of 1975, at which time she was promoted toBrigadier General (BG). During her tenure as Corps Chief, BG Parks wasintricately involved in the evolution of the Army nurse midwife program andultimately the advanced practice programs that followed. She also was an advocate for equal opportunity for nurses within themilitary and supported nurses in forward combat positions. BG Parks' greatest job satisfaction was seeing other nurses develop intheir careers and reach their full potential. She once stated, 'Some do, somedon't. But if I've touched anybody's life, inspired them in their career,I've done my job.'
BG Parks retired from the Army Nurse Corps in 1979. Upon her retirement, she resided in San Antonio, Texas. A longstanding supporter of the AMEDD Museum, BG Parks was a strongsupporter for the preservation of military medical heritage. On 24 November 2002, at the age of 79, BG Parks passed away at her homein San Antonio. The Army NurseCorps salutes the dedication, accomplishments, and selfless service of our 15thCorps Chief, BG (Retired) Madelyn N. Parks. BG Parks retired from the Army Nurse Corps in 1979. Upon her retirement, she resided in San Antonio, Texas. A longstanding supporter of the AMEDD Museum, BG Parks was a strongsupporter for the preservation of military medical heritage. On 24 November 2002, at the age of 79, BG Parks passed away at her homein San Antonio. The Army NurseCorps salutes the dedication, accomplishments, and selfless service of our 15thCorps Chief, BG (Retired) Madelyn N. Parks.
Historical Data located at the Army Nurse Corps Collection,United States Army, Office of Medical History, Office of the Surgeon General,Falls Church, VA
