The woman who did it again, and again… and again
By Lucy LeVon
Betty O. Bowman. Courtesy of Tribute Archive.
Betty O. Bowman
May 27, 1922 – February 2, 2019
Betty O. Bowman was born on May 27, 1922 in New York.[1] Her family settled in Staten Island, where she would grow up doing a plethora of activities such as swimming, bowling, tennis, and singing. She was an extremely bright and talented girl, graduating from Cornell University in 1943 at the age of 22. She studied Home Economics, a very popular degree for women at the time, and learned “effective feeding and clothing of the family; the care and guidance of children - the family relationships; the organization and running of the home on a sound economic, social and hygienic basis; and the growth of artistic sense and taste that brings beauty into the home in many ways adding to the contentment and serenity of the family.”[2] Bowman knew the importance of education and finding opportunities that helped advance her career. Straight out of university, she did an internship with the Walter Reed Hospital as a dietitian and soon after enlisted in the U.S. Army Women’s Medical Service Corps during World War II as a dietitian. This decision would change the course of her life, as this would be the first of three wars that Bowman would serve in. During the Second World War, Bowman would spend roughly two years overseas as a dietitian, where she would serve in Red Cross-sponsored hospitals with duties mirroring those of other healthcare professionals. However, she would not receive the same status or benefits as Army medical personnel until 1944. This could be one of the main reasons why, when she returned to the States, she would enroll in Yale University School of Nursing and graduate in 1951. Rather than returning as a dietitian, Bowman advanced to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Nurse Corps. In an interview with Michigan State University, she states that her reasoning for enlisting was “a combination: travel, pay, security, (and) patriotism.”[3]
In this interview, Bowman explained what her twenty-two years of service entailed. Her role was a medical-surgical nurse, which meant she “worked in all departments, just about in all capacities except anesthesia.”[4] She described how her living situations were not always the best, and at one point she lived in a dormitory-style house with a shared bathroom and nine roommates! Bowman also describes the medical attention she experienced first and second hand, ranging from “disappointing to top-notch.”[5] The hardships seldom outweighed the benefits; as Bowman highlighted the privilege of being able to travel so many places and meet so many people. Bowman was in Japan during the Korean War and recalls the time when Eleanor Roosevelt visited one of the infirmaries. She remembers the heartbreak of dealing with the wounded but also “gratefulness of patients” and Korean men bowing to show their “appreciation for their care by our hospital unit.”[6] Bowman would serve through the Korean War and continue her service through the Vietnam War, taking care of wounded soldiers and continuing to lead a life full of travel and adventure. In addition to Japan, she would serve in Germany, Iran, and Korea until discharged. Bowman's time in service was filled with ups and downs, but clearly she was extremely happy with her choices as she concluded that she “love[d] my [her] work and found it fascinating.”[7]
After her twenty-two years of service, Bowman was ready for retirement and settled in Denver, Colorado. She was excited for the freedom to do the things she hadn't had time to do while in the Army, such as take “adult education” courses.[8] She would continue to be connected in the military community, joining the Women’s Overseas Service League in 1976. The WOSL was founded in 1921 by women who had served overseas during World War I. Their mission included supporting the welfare of those who served overseas in any branches of the armed forces, government roles, and social services agencies that provide support to those overseas.[9] They also offer scholarships to help support women pursuing higher education or training in public services. Bowman never married nor had children but was surrounded by the rich relationships she had fostered throughout her life. She would eventually pass away on February 21, 2019, at the University of Colorado Hospital.
Footnotes ↓
1 “Betty O. Bowman Obituary,” Tribute Archive, https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/4439507/betty-o.-bowman, accessed July 9, 2025.
2 Cornell University, “Announcement of the New York State College of Home Economics for 1943-44,” Cornell University Library, https://hdl.handle.net/1813/34919., accessed July 9, 2025.
[3] Betty Bowman Interviewed by Marjorie Brown, Women’s Overseas Service League Oral History Project, Michigan State University,1986, accessed July 9, 2025.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] “Womens Overseas Service League Mission,” Womens Overseas Service League, accessed August 13, 2025, https://wosl.org/mission/.
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