Legislation would rename US Navy ship in honor of first woman admiral, northwest Ohio native

TOLEDO, Ohio — Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) and Bob Latta (OH-5) introduced bipartisan legislation to rename a US Navy ship in honor of a servicewoman from northwest Ohio whose achievements were historic.

In a press release, Latta’s office said both Representatives took part in introducing “Rear Admiral Alene Duerk Ship Renaming Act of 2025,” a bipartisan bill that would require the renaming of a U.S. Navy vessel after Duerk. Duerk was born in Defiance and raised in Holgate and, over the course of her 32-year naval career, achieved the rank of Rear Admiral. In doing so, Duerk became the first woman in Navy history to achieve Flag Rank.

Duerk’s northwest Ohio connections include not only her place of birth and hometown, but also her education: Duerk graduated from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in 1941. Her military career included service in the Nurse Corps in World War II, caring for wounded service members at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, as well as treating liberated American prisoners of war in the Pacific.

Duerk then served as a nursing instructor in the Korean War. She was appointed Director of the Navy Nurse Corps in 1970, and two years later she earned the rank of Rear Admiral. She was also known for championing for better medical care for service members, advocated for equal pay and pushed for expanded opportunities for women in the military, Latta’s office said. Even in retirement, Duerk continued a life of service, including teaching English to Vietnamese immigrants and volunteering with charitable organizations, according to the press release.