Clara Ayres (September 16, 1880 – May 17, 1917) was an American nurse who joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Ayres and Helen Burnett Wood were the first two women to be killed while serving in the United States military, following an explosion on USS ''Mongolia'' on May 17, 1917.

Career

Clara Edith Work (later Ayres) was born on September 16, 1880, in

Venice Township, Seneca County, Ohio Venice Township is one of the fifteen civil township, townships of Seneca County, Ohio, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The United States Census, 2020, 2020 census found 1,683 people in the township. Geography Located in the southeastern cor ...

. She was the eldest of three children of James and Mary Work. She was brought up in Attica within the Township. On September 30, 1903, she married grocery store owner Wayland D. Ayres, who died three years later from

tetanus Tetanus (), also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'' and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually l ...

from a workplace injury. She attempted to run the store herself, but was eventually employed as a clerk at a dry foods store nearby. In 1910, she traveled to Chicago to study nursing at the school there. She graduated in 1913 and worked until 1917 as an instructor at the

Cook County Hospital The John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County (shortened ''Stroger Hospital'', formerly Cook County Hospital) is a public hospital in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is part of Cook County Health, along with Provident Hospital of Cook Cou ...

. That year she responded to the

American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...

appeal for trained nurses for the

. She was accepted, and was transferred on board the USS ''Mongolia'' to travel to France. While sailing the crew underwent a firing practice. The medical staff being transferred watched from near one of the guns, when it exploded, killing Ayres and a fellow nurse Helen Burnett Wood. The ship returned their bodies to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The two were the first women to be killed while serving in the United States military. Following a service by the Red Cross on May 23, Ayres' body was taken back to Ohio where she was buried with military honors on May 26. A bronze plaque honoring her was placed at the Chicago Training School for Nurses. The deaths made national news, and the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

was accused in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

of covering up how the women were killed. A historical marker was placed near her grave in 2017.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayres, Clara 1880 births 1917 deaths American nurses American women nurses Female nurses in World War I World War I nurses People from Seneca County, Ohio