Kathleen Mae Donahue Bruyere was born on February 5, 1944, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Joseph Paul Donahue Sr. and Lucille Alessandroni Donahue. Raised in a military family, she spent her youth moving around, from Guam to Germany, graduating from Trenton Cathedral High School. She went on to earn her degree from Chestnut Hill College, a women’s college in Philadelphia, in 1966.

Later that year, Bruyere was commissioned into the United States Navy, launching a 28-year career that would break barriers and redefine women’s roles in the military. She served during both the Vietnam War and Persian Gulf conflict, earning multiple commendations, including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and Navy Commendation Medal.

In 1975, she became the first female officer to serve as flag secretary to an admiral, commanding nine Pacific training commands. That same year, Time magazine named her one of twelve Women of the Year, placing her on the cover alongside eleven other influential women. 

In 1977, Bruyere joined five other Navy women in suing the Department of Defense, challenging the restrictions that barred women from serving on combat ships and limited their opportunities for promotion. The case led to the 1978 federal court ruling that struck down the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act as being unconstitutional, opening the door for women to serve in thousands of Navy roles aboard combatant ships and aircraft, previously denied to them.

Her work for women’s opportunities continues. In 1987, as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations for Women’s Policy, Bruyere led studies into gender inequality and pushed for reforms that opened over 9,000 shipboard jobs and leadership roles to women. In 1991, she took command of the Navy’s only boot camp that trained women, facing serious issues like harassment and assault with a determination to build a safer, coeducational environment based on teamwork and mutual respect. In 1994 she would retire from the Navy at the rank of Captain.

After retiring, Bruyere remained a force in the veteran community. She served on the boards of the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego and the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Center, driven in part by the illnesses that affected her husband, Thomas Edgar “Tom” Bruyere, and her parents. She was also a member of the MOAA's board of directors, being a former president of the Silver Strand Chapter in California, even volunteering for 11 years at Miramar National Cemetery, where her husband was also laid to rest. She was a strong supporter of veterans without family, regularly coordinating funeral support through the Patriot Guard.

Bruyere passed away on September 3, 2020, in San Diego, California, at age 76. She is buried at Miramar National Cemetery. Her impact lives on through the thousands of women who followed her into roles she helped make accessible. Her legacy is marked by her unwavering commitment to equality and her instrumental role in transforming the culture for women in the U.S. military.

This biography was researched and written by students as part of the Digital Veterans Legacy Project at Loyola Marymount University, funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Cemetery Administration. 

More information:

https://www.inquirer.com/obituaries/kathleen-donahue-bruyere-obituary-navy-captain-20200910.html

Capt. Kathleen Donahue Bruyere, USN, who fiercely paved the way for women to serve in Navy jobs aboard combatant ships and aircraft, and later served as a member of MOAA’s board of directors, died Sept. 3.  She was born on February 5, 1944 and died on September 3, 2020.  Bruyere, a former president of the Silver Strand Chapter in California, was 76. Family members said she had been fighting cancer – and maintained her energy and positive nature throughout her fierce battle.  “She was the most caring person that I’ve ever met – just a true unselfishness,” said TJ Bruyere, her stepson. “She was great at taking care of other people and liked to take care of other people.”  For more information:  https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2020-news-articles/navy-trailblazer,-former-moaa-board-member-dies-at-76/.  *The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events. 

Captain Bruyere taking a phone call behind her desk

Miramar National Cemetery

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Rest easy.   Thank you for your service. 

Serving with Capt Bruyere was definitely at RTC Orlando was a definite career boost for me. We created programs for the new integration of male/female recruits that were instrumental instruments for other RTCs to follow. From physical training to side-by-side seamanship proved to be the gateway into the new Navy opportunities. I arrived as a 1st class petty officer, left as a CPO, and made SCPO the first time up as well as getting selected for the Warrant Officer program. Captain's guidance and drive to always do better and achieve everything possible despite the hurdles for yourself as well as your shipmates was her motto at every meeting we had.
hank you for the pleasure of serving and learning.

Ed Thank you for your amazing service,God bless.

Thank you for your service and dedication to our country.

Capt. Bruyere will have space dedicated to her at the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Medical Center. Bruyere was one of the twelve women named by Time magazine as Time Person of the Year in 1975, representing American women (at the height of the feminist movement). In May 1975, she became the first female officer in the Navy to serve as the flag secretary to an admiral commanding an operational staff. In 1977, Bruyere was one of six officers who sued the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United States Secretary of Defense over their being restricted from serving on combat aircraft and ships. This led to the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act being struck down as unconstitutional.

KATHLEEN M BRUYERE

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