World War II, 1939-1945
Statement by Samuel K. Wilson, S.J., president of Loyola University, on the Loyola's war efforts.
The story of Loyola Nurse Veterans begins with the need to provide skilled nursing care during World War II. Following the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany, followed by other countries joining either the Allies or Germany and the Axis powers. The United States stayed neutral until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
Upon the United State's entry into World War II, there was a great need for well-educated nurses for both the home front and to serve with the armed forces. Nationally, schools of nursing were urged to accelerate and shorten their programs to quickly increase the number of qualified nurses. Loyola's School of Nursing complied by revising its five-year program, which consisted of three years of basic training in any of the six affiliated hospital schools of nursing plus two years of university study, to a more streamlined program. Cadet Nurse Corps units were established in all of Loyola's affiliated hospital schools and many of the nursing students joined these units. They were educated in the accelerated 30-36 month Cadet Nurse Corps model. Many of Loyola nurses who had already graduated and completed state board examinations volunteered for various divisions of the U.S. Military while others enlisted to serve specifically with nurse colleagues and physicians in Loyola's 108th General Hospital unit.