Irene A. Gepfert Mertz (1919-2012), of Fort Wayne, Indiana, served in the United States Navy Nurse Corps (NNC) from 1943-1946. Irene Mertz was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on October 13, 1919. She grew up there, and as both of her parents died when she was a child, she lived with older siblings. After graduating from high school, she received nurse’s training at St. Joseph Hospital, also in Fort Wayne, graduating in 1942. Mertz then chose to join the U.S. Navy, working briefly at St. Joseph Hospital while she waited for her orders, which sent her to San Diego in June of 1943. She remained there at San Diego Naval Hospital until January of 1944 before going to Oahu, Honolulu. Mertz worked on an orthopedic ward there, and remained there for nineteen months, until September of 1945. She also met her future husband while at Oahu. In September of 1945, Mertz was assigned to a clinic in Indiana, where she worked until the 1st of December 1945. During that time, her future husband had been assigned to Great Lakes, Indiana, and they were married on December 3rd, 1945. After leaving the service, Mertz had her first child and attained her B.S. in nursing at Butler University in Indianapolis, using the GI Bill. She died on 29 November, 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
