Navy’s First Female Admiral, Alene Duerk, Passes Away From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division Retired Rear Adm. Alene B. Duerk, the Navy’s first female admiral, passed away July 21, 2018. She was 98 years old. “It took 197 years and a forward-looking Chief of Naval Operations, Elmo Zumwalt, to break with …