Josephine Beatrice Bowman was the third superintendent of the United States Navy Nurse Corps.

In the spring of 1908, Bowman took part in the first Red Cross disaster relief operation after a tornado caused extensive damage around Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

As the supervising nurse of Unit D, she served at Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, England, for six months.

She also served as chief nurse at Fort Lyon, Colorado, a Navy tuberculosis sanitarium for sailors and marines.

She became superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps in December 1922 and held that position for over twelve years, until her retirement at the beginning of 1935.