SubjectsFascinating FactsHistory FactsFactsIP FactoidsPeople Facts The first woman to receive a Purple Heart was a nurse who served during the attack on Pearl Harbor. By IP Factly - Jul 23, 2015 0 3 Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Annie G. Fox, the first woman to receive the Purple Heart for combat as a member of the Army Nurse Corps during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Resized version downloaded from the source. PD image. Lt. Annie Fox, the chief nurse at Hickam Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor, received a Purple Heart for her bravery. Later on, however, the Purple Heart was replaced by a Bronze Star because she was not injured during combat.