Dr. McGee was a daughter of Dr. Simon Newcomb (1835-1909),
American pioneer astronomer and Assistant Surgeon in the United
States Army and assigned to duty "In Charge of the Army Nurse Corps."
In the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Dr. McGee was the only person in
America whose offer of personal assistance was accepted by the
Japanese Government and Red Cross Society. As President of the
society of the Red Cross of Philadelphia, she took a party of trained
nurses to Japan for a period of six months of work in the Army
Hospitals here in Japan, the entire party coming without
compensation. They were welcomed as guests of the Japanese nation and
assigned to posts of honor as nurses in the most important hospitals
of the army and on the finest hospital ships. She served in Hiroshima
for months, and visited Russian POWs in Matsuyama for 2 days in
April, 1904.
In appreciation of their services, each nurse received decorations, and His Majesty, the Emperor, bestowed on Dr. McGee the Order of the Sacred Crown, a very rare honor, and she received also the "special" decoration of the Red Cross Society.
Refference: 542 NEWCOMB
GENEALOGY
Pictures are from "Seiro Zue" Special Issue No.289 Published in May
10, 1904
More about the Newcomb
Family visit at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/2957/index.html 
 Welcoming Dr.McGee at Shinbashi Port, April 22,1904 |
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