WW2 Military Hospitals Zone Of Interior (United States)

Location of General, Convalescent, and Regional Hospitals in the Zone of Interior during WW2. The Roman figures designate the 9 Service Commands.

Introduction:

Many agencies of the War Department were involved in the actions required to provide the US Armed Forces with the necessary ‘Hospitalization and Evacuation’, the War Department General Staff (G-4 Division), the Office of The Surgeon General, the Air Surgeon, the Ground Surgeon, the Surgeons of the different local Service Commands, as well as the Headquarters of the Army Ground Forces (AGF), the Army Service Forces (ASF), the Army Air Forces (AAF) were committed on a large scale.
After the outbreak of war in Europe, the US Army increased its authorized peacetime strength, and as Congress approved mobilization, the Armed Forces grew enormously – this affected the Medical Department which had to expand its operations accordingly. To prepare for a future war, the expansion of medical installations such as overall Hospital facilities in the United States was mandatory, in order to provide the US Army with the necessary housing and number of beds to support a system of field hospitalization and evacuation. New Hospitals were created in the ZI and staffs of existing ones augmented. Green and young inexperienced Officers had to organize hospitals and establish the necessary procedures for their administration. Finally it became necessary to develop new procedures based on the ‘national’ system for the future operation of an appropriate hospital system overseas!
Hospital units were activated, trained, manned, and supplied, and – eventually transferred overseas …
This separate article covers the aspect of Military Hospitals active in the Zone of Interior, i.e. the continental United States. It must be noted that almost all the Hospitals were activated in the US prior to their transfer overseas. It is easy to recognize those units that were active in the ZI, for they were ‘named’ Hospitals, whereas the units that were shipped overseas were designated by a number, hence the ‘numbered’ Hospital units. The special ‘affiliation’ or link to Hospitals and Universities sponsoring the organization of Military Hospitals is duly covered in the following paragraphs as well.

Organization chart of The Surgeon General for Hospitalization and Evacuation, period 1943-45. The top chart illustrates the organization in July 1943, the middle chart shows the organization in February 1944, while the bottom charts depicts the organization in June 1945.

Background Information:

In June 1939, the Medical Department had little more than doctrine – only 4 Medical Regiments existed (two of which were stationed overseas) and 1 Medical Squadron, while total Hospital capacity was 4,136 General Hospital beds and 8,234 Station Hospital beds. Limited medical capacities did exist, in the continental United States, in Alaska, in Puerto Rico, and spread overseas in the Philippines, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Panama Canal Zone. The Surgeon General believed the Army’s Hospitals were inadequate, even for peacetime needs, but Congress funds were insufficient to successfully remedy the situation. To at least provide for wartime hospitals, physicians, dentists, and nurses, The Surgeon General proposed to revive the system of ‘affiliated units’ – reserve units sponsored by civilian hospitals and medical schools or universities (as organized by the American Red Cross during WW1). The plan was approved in August 1939 and included proposals to organize affiliated units to staff 32 General, 17 Evacuation, and 13 Surgical Hospitals! The effect of the outbreak of the war in Europe was to expand the US Armed Forces, including the Medical Department. This also involved increased operations and building of new medical facilities, not only in the ZI, but also in overseas possessions, and providing new ones in the Atlantic Defense Bases!

The expansion and build-up of hospital facilities in the ZI involved many considerations. Decisions had to be made as to the types of housing to be used and the number of beds that would be required. Means had to be found for providing suitable hospital plants in as short a time as possible. New hospitals had to be manned and the staff of existing ones increased! All hospitals were under technical supervision of The Surgeon General.

General view of Lawson General Hospital, at Atlanta, Ga. Designated US Army General Hospital by WD Letter AG 322.3, dated 9 Jan 41. The Hospital was a wooden cantonment-type construction with an authorized bed capacity of 2,514. First patients were received from 22 Jul 41 onward. Medical specialties included neurology, neuro-surgery, amputations, and X-Ray therapy.

When President F. D. Roosevelt proclaimed a ‘limited national emergency’ on September 8, 1939, the Medical Department of the United States Army was only operating 7 named General Hospitals and 119 Station Hospitals! Five of the General Hospitals were located in the US (1909 Walter Reed – Washington D.C., 1887 Army-Navy – Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1918 Fitzsimons– Denver, Colorado, 1911 Letterman – San Francisco, California, 1921 William Beaumont– El Paso, Texas), one in Hawaii (1898 Tripler) and another one in the Philippines (1898 Sternberg). The majority of the Station Hospitals was primarily located in the United States and Alaska, with the remainder divided over the Philippines, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Panama Canal Zone. The expansion program on the eve of World War 2 brought along a lot of conflicts, since everybody requested personnel and equipment. When mobilization was announced, planning and expansion of hospitals was made on a more comprehensive basis, and the provision of hospitals in the Zone of Interior became a necessity. Domestic construction of 10 General Hospitals (there were only 5 at the time) was approved on September 25, 1940. Numerous difficulties were encountered in opening new Hospitals, when shortages of suitable supplies and equipment were discovered, thus basic needs had to be met by issuing inadequate reserves stored after World War One.

When the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Medical Department had a total of 22 General, 24 Station, 17 Evacuation,and 8 Surgical Hospitals that had been activated as training units! Of these, 3 Station Hospitals were already overseas, and 9 Station, 4 Evacuation, and 3 Surgical Hospitals were included in a WD pool with almost 100% of their T/O EM strength, and from 50 to 75% of their Officers’ strength. Affiliated Hospitals organized, but not yet activated numbered 41 General, 11 Evacuation, and 4 Surgical Hospitals.

Scene taken in a Convalescent Center somewhere in the ZI in 1944. Sitting at right, talking with the patients is well-known comedian Bob Hope, touring with one of the USO shows.

Convalescent Centers / Hospitals:

The establishment of Convalescent Centers for the care of both combat crew members and general AAF patients was first started by the US Air Corps which therefore activated 8 Convalescent Centers in the latter half of 1943. ASF followed by establishing convalescent annexes at each General Hospital, and later authorized the set up of formal Convalescent Hospitals. In preparation for a large influx of overseas patients, the necessary measures were taken to activate 2 (ASF) and 5 (AAF) Convalescent Hospitals in June 1944, which  grew up to 13 Convalescent Hospitals in August / September of the same year (of these, 12 had sections devoted to treatment of mild psychoneuroses). The reason to develop Convalescent Hospitals was based on considerations that the usual type of hospitalization was not really conducive to recovery for the average open ward patient who was not seriously ill …

Following Convalescent Hospitals have been identified in the ZI:

Camp Atterbury CONV HOSP – Ind.
Camp Butner CONV HOSP – N.C.
Camp Lockett CONV HOSP – Calif.
Camp Edwards CONV HOSP – Mass.
Camp Pickett CONV HOSP – Va.
Camp Upton CONV HOSP – N.Y.
Fort Custer CONV HOSP – Mich.
Fort Logan CONV HOSP – Colo.
Fort Sam Houston CONV HOSP – Tex.
Fort Story CONV HOSP – Va.
Madigan CONV HOSP – Wash.
Mitchell CONV HOSP – Calif.
Welch CONV HOSP – Fla.

View of Oliver General Hospital, at Augusta, Ga. Designated US Army General Hospital by WDGO 64, dated 24 Nov 44. The construction was a multi-story permanent brick building, in fact the converted “Forest Hills” Hotel. The Hospital had an authorized bed capacity of 2,240 patients. The converted unit was already capable of receiving patients on 28 Jan 43. Apart from general medicine, orthopedic surgery was one the Hospital’s specialties.

Evacuation Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘affiliated’ Units):

Evacuation Hospitals were semi-mobile or mobile units designed to provide major medical facilities for treatment of patients received from Division, Corps and Army Clearing Stations.
The list below identifies Evacuation Hospitals. The first date following the numbered Evacuation Hospital designates its date of activation, then comes its affiliation, and finally the overseas destination and date of embarkation.

2d Evac Hosp – 22 Jan 42 – St. Luke’s Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for Northern. Ireland 4 Sep 42
7th Evac Hosp – 22 Jan 42 – New York Post-Graduate Medical School, New York, N.Y., embarked for Tongatabu 7 Apr42
8th Evac Hosp – 8 Aug 42 – University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va., embarked for North Africa 2 Nov 42
9th Evac Hosp – 24 Aug 42 – Roosevelt Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for England 26 Sep 42
12th Evac Hosp – 12 Aug 42 – Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for England 6 Jan 43
14th Evac Hosp – 15 Aug 42 – City Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for India 10 Jul 43
16th Evac Hosp – 15 Oct 42 – Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill., embarked for North Africa 14 Apr 43
21st Evac Hosp – 17 Aug 42 – Oklahoma School of Medicine, Oklahoma City, Okla., embarked for Guadalcanal 29 Aug 43
25th Evac Hosp – 18 Aug 42 – West Suburban Hospital, Oak Park, Ill., embarked for New Zealand 19 Oct 42
27th Evac Hosp – 15 Oct 42 – University of Illinois, Chicago, Ill., embarked for North Africa 3 Apr 44
30th Evac Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – University of Texas, Galveston, Tex., embarked for Australia 7 Sep 43
38th Evac Hosp – 16 Apr 42 – Charlotte Memorial Hospital, Charlotte, N.C., embarked for England 5 Aug 42
48th Evac Hosp – 13 Aug 42 – Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, R.I., embarked for India 18 Jan 43
51st Evac Hosp – 24 Oct 42 – Sacramento County Hospital, Sacramento, Calif., embarked for North Africa 3 Apr 44
52d Evac Hosp – 12 Jan 42 – Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., embarked for New Caledonia 23 Jan 42
56th Evac Hosp – 4 Apr 42 – Baylor University, Dallas, Tex., embarked for North Africa 16 Apr 43
59th Evac Hosp – 6 Apr 42 – San Francisco Hospital, San Francisco, Calif., embarked for North Africa 12 Dec42
73d Evac Hosp – 2 Jan 42 – Los Angeles County General Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif., embarked for India 20 Jan 43
77th Evac Hosp – 10 May 42 – University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kans., embarked for England 5 Aug 42
92d Evac Hosp – 25 Aug 42 – St. Mary’s Hospital, Pueblo, Colo.,embarked for Australia 28 Jun 43

Evacuation Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘non-affiliated’ Units):

1st Evac Hosp – 1 Aug 40 – embarked for Australia 4 Mar 42
3d Evac Hosp – 1 Aug 40 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 8th Evac Hospital (North Africa), subsequently disbanded 24 Aug 42
4th Evac Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 2d Evac Hosp (Northern Ireland) + 48th Evac Hosp (India), subsequently disbanded 24 Aug 42
6th Evac Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 9th Evac Hosp (England), subsequently disbanded 24 Aug 42
10th Evac Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Australia 4 Mar 42
11th Evac Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for North Africa 2 Nov 42
15th Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for North Africa 7 Feb 43
19th Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 7th Evac Hosp (Tongatubu) + 12th Evac Hosp (England), subsequently disbanded 25 Aug 42
23d Evac Hosp – 16 May 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 25th Evac Hosp (New Zealand) + 52d Evac Hosp (New Caledonia), subsequently disbanded 18 Aug 42
36th Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 56th Evac Hosp (North Africa), embarked for New Guinea 19 Feb 44
37th Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 16th Evac Hosp (North Africa), subsequently disbanded 13 Nov 42
41st Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for England 13 Nov 43
42d Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 27th Evac Hosp (North Africa) + 77th Evac Hosp (England), subsequently disbanded 15 Oct 42
43d Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 14th Evac Hosp (India), subsequently disbanded 15 Aug 42
53d Evac Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 21st Evac Hosp (Guadalcanal) + 73d Evac Hosp (India), subsequently disbanded 17 Aug 42
54th Evac Hosp – 2 Jun 41 – embarked for Australia 31 Jul 43
68th Evac Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 51st Evac Hosp (North Africa) + 59th Evac Hosp (North Africa), subsequently disbanded 23 Oct 42

Entrance to Ft. Eustis Station Hospital, at Lee Hall, Va. It opened 26 Mar 41 and was commissioned by Col. William Borden. Ft. Eustis was an Antiaircraft Artillery Replacement Training Center (RTC) and had a troop capacity of 815 Officers and 17,266 EM. In Aug 44, the Hospital was considered surplus to requirements by the Army and so was handed over to the Navy for use as a Naval Hospital.

General Hospitals (named):

Named General Hospitals differed from Station Hospitals, since they were empowered to receive patients from a much wider area and to provide more complex medical or surgical care, particularly in those specialized fields demanding special training and equipment, such as thoracic, neurological, plastic, or orthopedic surgery.
Here comes a list of named US Army General Hospitals located in the Zone of Interior during World War 2. The date following the Hospital’s name is the WD designation date, then comes the location, the readiness date, the authorized bed capacity, etc.

Percy M. ASHBURN GEN HOSP – 16 Dec 42 McKinney, Tex. – ready 15 Jun 43 – 1592 beds (disposition of last patient 18 Dec 45)
Bailey K. ASHFORD GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 White Sulphur Springs, West Va. – ready 14 Nov 43 – 2025 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Jun 46)
Newton D. BAKER GEN HOSP – 24 Mar 43 Martinsburg, West Va. – ready 28 Jan 44 – 1806 beds (disposition of last patient 20 Jun 46)
Joseph K. BARNES GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Vancouver, Wash. – ready 16 Apr 41 – 1547 beds (disposition of last patient 14 Dec 45)
Robert BATTEY GEN HOSP – 15 May 43 Rome, Ga. – ready 7 Nov 43 – 1826 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Dec 45)
Jedediah H. BAXTER GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Spokane, Wash. – ready 24 Jun 43 – 2001 beds (disposition of last patient 8 Nov 45)
William BEAUMONT GEN HOSP – 26 Jan 20 El Paso, Tex. – ready 1 Jul 21 – 4000 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
John S. BILLINGS GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Ind. – ready 15 Jul 41 – 1510 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Mar 46)
Henry P. BIRMINGHAM GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Van Nuys, Calif. – ready 25 Feb 44 – 1777 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Mar 46)
William C. BORDEN GEN HOSP –  24 Nov 42 Chickasha, Okla. – ready 12 Mar 43 – 1400 beds (disposition of last patient 20 Sep 46)
Roger BROOKE GEN HOSP – 29 Oct 42 Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, Tex. – ready 4 Sep 42 – 3071 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Earl H. BRUNS GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Santa Fe, New Mexico – ready 19 Apr 43 – 1575 beds (disposition of last patient 14 Dec 46)
George E. BUSHNELL GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Brigham City, Utah – ready 10 Oct 42 – 3377 beds (disposition of last patient 28 Jun 46)
George W. CRILE GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Cleveland, Ohio – ready 8 Apr 44 – 1867 beds (disposition of last patient 25 May 46)
Harvey CUSHING GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Framingham, Mass. – ready 27 Feb 44 – 1800 beds (disposition of last patient 30 Sep 46)
Carl R. DARNALL GEN HOSP – 29 Dec 41 Danville, Ky. – ready  24 Mar 42 – 921 beds (disposition of  last patient 15 Dec 45)
George D. DESHON GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Butler, Pa. – ready 1 Dec 42 – 1774 beds (disposition of last patient 29 Apr 46)
Calvin DeWITT GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Auburn, Calif. – ready 27 Feb 44 – 1852 beds (disposition of last patient 30 Dec 45)
John DIBBLE GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Menlo Park, Calif. – ready 22 Feb 44 – 1868 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Jun 46)
Thomas M. ENGLAND GEN HOSP – 21 Sep 43 Atlantic City, N. J. – ready 15 Aug 43 – 3650 beds (disposition of last patient 7 Jun 46)
John M. T. FINNEY GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Thomasville, Ga. – ready 5 Jun 43 – 1994 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Dec 45)
William T. FITZSIMONS GEN HOSP – 26 Jun 20 Denver, Colo. – ready 13 Oct 18 – 3417 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
John P. FLETCHER GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Cambridge, Ohio – ready 26 Jun 43 – 1670 beds (disposition of last patient 29 Mar 46)
Charles L. FOSTER GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Jackson, Miss. – ready 11 Sep 43 – 1905 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Dec 45)   
Ruth M. GARDINER GEN HOSP – 1 Oct 43 Chicago, Ill. – ready 1 Oct 43 – 1061 beds (disposition of last patient 21 Jun 46)
James D. GLENNAN GEN HOSP – 15 May 43 Okmulgee, Okla. – ready 17 Dec 43 – 1690 beds – used for Prisoners of War and designated PRISONER OF WAR No. 1 GEN HOSP (disposition of last patient 2 Dec 45)
Paul S. HALLORAN GEN HOSP – 14 Oct 42 Willowbrook, Staten Island, N.Y. – ready 5 Nov 42 – 5350 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Dec 46)
William A. HAMMOND GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Modesto, Calif. – ready 24 Oct 42 – 2540 beds (disposition of last patient 20 Dec 45)
Daniel W. HARMON GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Longview, Tex. – ready 9 Dec 42 – 2218 beds (disposition of last patient 6 Dec 45)
John V. R. HOFF GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Santa Barbara, Calif. – ready 12 Jun 41 – 1141 beds (disposition of last patient 10 Nov 45)
Percy L. JONES GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Battle Creek, Mich. – ready 15 Jan 43 – 3414 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
James M. KENNEDY GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Memphis, Tenn. – ready 1 Jan 43 – 4387 beds (disposition of last patient 23 Jun 46)
Lewis A. LaGARDE GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 New Orleans, La. – ready 14 Jun 41 – 1176 beds – (disposition of last patient 7 Dec 45)
Thomas E. LAWSON GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Atlanta, Ga. – ready 22 Jul 41 – 2514 beds  (disposition of last patient 25 Jun 46)
Jonathan LETTERMAN GEN HOSP – 23 Nov 11 San Francisco, Calif. – ready 27 Jul 99 – 3500 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Joseph LOVELL GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Ayers, Mass. – ready 20 Jun 41 – 4000 beds (disposition of last patient 24 Jun 46)
Patrick S. MADIGAN GEN HOSP – 22 Sep 44 Tacoma, Wash. – ready 22 Aug 44 – 4300 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Charles F. MASON GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Brentwood, L.I., N. Y. – ready 5 Jul 43 –3032 beds (disposition of last patient 20 Dec 46)
William J. MAYO GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Galesburg, Ill. – ready 1 Feb 44 – 1855 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Sep 46)
Walter D. McCAW GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Walla Walla, Wash. – ready 5 Mar 43 – 1502 beds (disposition of last patient 25 Nov 45)
James A. McCLOSKEY GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Temple, Tex. – ready 20 Oct 42 – 3454 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Mar 46)
Hunter H. McGUIRE GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 43 Richmond, Va. – ready 29 Jul 44 – 1765 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Mar 46)
Samuel P. MOORE GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Swannanoa, North Carolina – ready 2 Dec 42 – 2605 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Nov 46)
Henry J. NICHOLS GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Louisville, Ky. – ready 11 Dec 42 – 1717 beds (disposition of last patient 29 Mar 46)
Eugene G. NORTHINGTON GEN HOSP – 15 May 43 Tuscaloosa, Ala. – ready 5 Sep 43 – 2131 beds (disposition of last patient 5 Apr 46)
Robert T. OLIVER GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 44 Augusta, Ga. – ready 28 Jan 43 – 2240 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Robert M. O’REILLY GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Springfield, Mo. – ready 7 Nov 41 – 3232 beds (disposition of last patient 23 Sep 46)
PRISONER OF WAR No. 2 GEN HOSP – 23 Nov 44 Cp. Forrest, Tenn. – ready 21 Oct 44 – 2500 beds – Station Hospital converted into General Hospital for the treatment of Prisoner of War patients (disposition of last patient 15 Dec 45)
William R. REAM GEN HOSP – 1 Oct 43 Palm Beach, Fla. – ready 10 Sep 43 – bed capacity unknown (disposition of last patient 21 Jul 44)
Thomas L. RHOADS GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Utica, N. Y. – ready 25 Aug 43 – 2000 beds (disposition of last patient 30 Jun 46)
William R. SCHICK GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Clinton, Iowa – ready 12 Feb 43 – 2014 beds (disposition of last patient 25 Feb 46)
Alexander N. STARK GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Charleston, South Carolina – ready 18 May 41 – 2400 beds (disposition of last patient 23 Oct 45)
William S. THAYER GEN HOSP – 15 May 43 Nashville, Tenn. – ready 4 Oct 43 – 1867 beds (disposition of last patient 18 Dec 45)
James TILTON GEN HOSP – 9 Jan 41 Ft. Dix, N. J. – ready 14 Jul 41 – 3700 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
George H. TORNEY GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Palm Springs, Calif. – ready 5 Aug 42 – 1600 beds (disposition of last patient 22 Nov 45)
US ARMY GEN HOSP – 30 Jan 45 Cp. Butner, North Carolina – ready 30 Jan 45 – 2900 beds (disposition of last patient 29 Mar 46)
US ARMY GEN HOSP – 30 Jan 45 Cp. Carson, Colo. – ready 30 Jan 45 – 3000 beds (disposition of last patient 12 Apr 46)
US ARMY GEN HOSP – 30 Jan 45 Cp. Edwards, Mass. – ready 30 Jan 45 – 3200 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Mar 46)
US ARMY GEN HOSP – 30 Jan 45 Cp. Pickett, Va. – ready 30 Jan 45 – 2700 beds (disposition of last patient 15 Dec 45)
VALLEY FORGE GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Phoenixville, Pa. – ready 12 Mar 43 – 2509 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Victor C. VAUGHAN GEN HOSP – 24 Aug 43 Hines, Ill. – ready 1 Aug 44 – 1900 beds (disposition of last patient 1 Apr 46)
Frank B. WAKEMAN GEN HOSP – 25 Apr 44 Cp. Atterbury, Ind. – ready 5 Apr 44 – 2700 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Dec 46)
Walter REED GEN HOSP – 2 May 06 Washington, D.C. – ready 1 May 09 – 3000 beds (disposition date of last patient not available)
Thomas W. WILSON GEN HOSP – 24 Nov 42 Staunton, Va. – ready 6 Jun 43 – 1565 beds (disposition of last patient 31 Mar 46)
Francis A. WINTER GEN HOSP – 14 Dec 42 Topeka, Kans. – ready 5 Jul 43 – 1771 beds (disposition date of last patient 30 Nov 45)

Aerial view of Birmingham General Hospital, at Van Nuys, Calif. Designated US Army General Hospital by WDGO 48, dated 24 Aug 43. The construction was a “Type-A”, one-story semi-permanent Hospital, built out of brick and stucco, with wards placed on both sides of corridors. Authorized bed capacity was 1,777, and first patients were not received before 25 Feb 44. Medical specialties covered syphilis treatment, rheumatic fever, and psychiatry.

Note: in order to achieve speed and conservation one of the methods used by the War Department was to convert existing civilian buildings into Army Hospitals. The acquisition of civilian buildings to house additional General Hospital beds was considered favorably notwithstanding some restrictions of use. Even after suitable buildings were found and arrangements for acquisition had been completed, numerous additions and alterations had to be made before the Medical Department could move in and set up functioning Hospitals! By the end of 1943, the US Army acquired enough civilian buildings to house 23 Hospitals and expand 5 others…

General Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘affiliated’ Units):

1st Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Bellevue Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for England 28 Dec 43
2d Gen Hosp – 31 Jan 42 – Presbyterian Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for England 1 Jul 42
3d Gen Hosp – 1 Sep 42 – Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for North Africa 4 May 43
4th Gen Hosp – 13 Jan 42 – Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, embarked for Australia 23 Jan 42
5th Gen Hosp – 3 Jan 42 – Harvard University Hospital, Boston, Mass., embarked for Northern Ireland 19 Feb 42
6th Gen Hosp – 15 May 42 – Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass., embarked for North Africa 7 Feb 43
7th Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Boston City Hospital, Boston, Mass., embarked for England 5 Dec 43
9th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Society of the New York Hospital, New York, N.Y., embarked for Guadalcanal 31 Jul 43
12th Gen Hosp – 28 Jan 42 – Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill., embarked for North Africa 12 Dec 42
13th Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, Ill., embarked for New Guinea 5 Jan 44
17th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Harper Hospital, Detroit, Mich., embarked for North Africa 30 Jul 43
18th Gen Hosp – 20 Apr 42 – The John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md., embarked for New Zealand 26 May42
19th Gen Hosp – 24 Jul 42 – Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, N.Y., embarked for England 5 Sep 43
20th Gen Hosp – 15 May 42 – University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., embarked for India 19 Jan 43
21st Gen Hosp – 12 Jan 42 – Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., embarked for England 20 Oct 42

Picture of a Hospital Ward Car (part of a Hospital Train) on standby for debarking patients, at Hampton Roads P/E, 29 May 43. After loading, the Hospital Cars would then continue their trip to the Valley Forge General Hospital, located at Phoenixville, Pa. for further medical treatment.

23d Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, N.Y., embarked for North Africa 29 Jul 43
24th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Tulane University, New Orleans, La., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug43
25th Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Cincinnati General Hospital and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, embarked for England23 Dec 4
26th Gen Hosp – 1 Feb 42 – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., embarked for England 20 Oct 42
27th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa., embarked for Australia 5 Jan 44
29th Gen Hosp – 1 Sep 42 – University of Colorado, Denver, Colo., embarked for New Caledonia 3 Nov 43
30th Gen Hosp – 15 May 42 – University of California, S. Francisco, Calif., embarked for England 4 Jun 42
31st Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 43 – Denver General Hospital, Denver, Colo., embarked for Espiritu Santo 18 Oct43
32d Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – University of Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana, embarked for England 5 Sep 43
33d Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Albany Hospital, Albany, N.Y., embarked for North Africa 7 Jul 43
36th Gen Hosp – 28 May 43 – Wayne University, Detroit, Mich., embarked for North Africa 20 Aug 43
37th Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y., embarked for North Africa 7 Jul 43
38th Gen Hosp – 15 May 42 – Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., embarked for Egypt 21 Sep 42
39th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Yale university, New Haven, Conn., embarked for New Zealand 3 Nov 42
42d Gen Hosp – 20 Apr 42 – University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md., embarked for Australia 19 May 42
43d Gen Hosp – 1 Sep 42 – Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug 43
44th Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., embarked for Australia 25 Sep 43
45th Gen Hosp – 15 May 42 – Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Va., embarked for North Africa 21 Mar 43
46th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – University of Oregon, Portland, Oreg., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug 43
47th Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – College of Medical Evangelists, Loma Linda, Calif., embarked New Guinea 11 Jan 44
50th Gen Hosp – 4 Sep 42 – Seattle College, Seattle, Wash., embarked for England 29 Dec 43
52d Gen Hosp – 1 Sep 42 – Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y., embarked for England 6 Jan 43
58th Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa., embarked for England 8 Oct 43
64th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Louisiana State university, New Orleans, La., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug43
65th Gen Hosp – 15 Jul 42 – Duke University, Durham, N.C., embarked for England 13 Oct 43
67th Gen Hosp – 1 Sep 42 – Maine General Hospital, Portland, Maine embarked for England 24 Nov 42
70th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 43 – St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug43
71st Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Mayo Foundation of University of Minnesota, Rochester, Minn. (disbanded)
79th Gen Hosp – 21 Sep 42 – Long Island College of Medicine, Brooklyn, N.Y., embarked for Northern Ireland 9 Oct 43
105th Gen Hosp – 20 Apr 42 – Harvard University, Boston, Mass., embarked for Australia 19 May 42
108th Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Loyola University, Chicago, Ill., embarked for England 8 Oct 43
118th Gen Hosp – 21 Apr 42 – The John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., embarked for Australia 19 May 42
127th Gen Hosp – 15 Jan 43 – University of Texas, Galveston, Tex., embarked for England 8 Oct 43
142d Gen Hosp – 20 Apr 42 – University of Maryland, Baltimore, Md., embarked for New Zealand 26 May 42
297th Gen Hosp – 10 Jun 43 – Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Ill., embarked for England 30 May 44
298th Gen Hosp – 27 Jun 42 – University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., embarked for England 20 Oct 42
300th Gen Hosp – 17 Jul 42 – Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., embarked for North Africa 21 Aug 43

General Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘non-affiliated’ Units):

53d Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination PTO 29 Dec 43
56th Gen Hosp – 1 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 4th Gen Hosp (Australia), and Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination ETO 12 Oct 43
63d Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination PTO 15 Jan 43
66th Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel for 5th Gen Hosp (Northern Ireland), inactivated 15 Apr 43, and disbanded 11 Nov 44
147th Gen Hosp – 1 May 41 – embarked for Hawaii 16 Jun 42
148th Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Hawaii 21 Mar 42
183d Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – inactivated 14 Jan 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
203d Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 105th Gen Hosp (Australia), and Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination ETO 29 Dec 43
204th Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Hawaii 8 Apr 42
207th Gen Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 30th Gen Hosp (England), inactivated 15 Jan 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
208th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Iceland 18 Feb 42
209th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 2d Gen Hosp (England), inactivated 10 Jun 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
210th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Panama Canal Zone 8 Jan 42
212th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – inactivated 15 Jan 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
213th Gen Hosp – 27 Jun 41 – inactivated 15 Jan 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
214th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – inactivated 15 Jan 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
215th Gen Hosp – 16 May 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 42d Gen Hosp (Australia), inactivated 15 Apr 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44
216th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination ETO 13 Mar 44
217th Gen Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 142d Gen Hosp (New Zealand), embarked for overseas with destination ETO 28 Feb 44
218th Gen Hosp – 6 Jun 41 – embarked for Panama Canal Zone 8 Jan 42
222d Gen Hosp – 16 Jun 41 – supplied Enlisted personnel to 18th Gen Hosp (New Zealand), and Cadres for other units, embarked for overseas with destination ETO 1 Apr 44, redesignated 134th Gen Hosp
223d Gen Hosp – 17 Jun 41 – inactivated 15 Apr 43, disbanded 11 Nov 44

Aerial view of McGuire General Hospital, at Richmond, Va. Designated US Army General Hospital by WDGO 48, dated 24 Nov 43. The Hospital was a “Type-A” construction with additional VA-type brick buildings. Construction was based on Veterans Administration plans for possible use after the war, with approval of The Surgeon General, and with cooperation of the Corps of Engineers (3 similar VA-Hospitals were built during WW2). Authorized bed capacity was 1,765, and first patients were received 29 Jul 44. Medical specialties were neurology and neuro-surgery, including amputations.

Hospital Centers:

Here follows a partial list of identified Hospital Centers and their location:

Brooke HOSP CEN – Tex.
Camp Butner HOSP CEN – N.C.
Camp Carson HOSP CEN – Colo.
Camp Edwards HOSP CEN – Mass.
Camp Pickett HOSP CEN – Va.
Madigan HOSP CEN – Wash.
Percy Jones HOSP CEN – Mich.
Prisoner of War No. 2 HOSP CEN – Tenn.
Wakeman HOSP CEN – Ind.

Booklet describing the Madigan Hospital Center, located at Ft. Lewis, Washington, ZI. With Circular No. 115, dated 11 Apr 45, the War Department announced its intention to create 9 Hospital Centers, each composed of a General and a Convalescent Hospital. The new Hosp Cen were to be established at Cp. Pickett, Va. – Cp. Butner, N.C. – Cp. Edwards, Mass. – Cp. Carson, Colo. – Cp. Atterbury, Ind. – Ft. Custer, Mich. – Ft. Sam Houston, Tex. – Cp. Forrest, Tenn. – and Ft. Lewis, Wash. Centralization brought many advantages as well as saving on administration and personnel.

Regional Hospitals:

Camp Haan REG HOSP – Calif.
Fort George G. Meade REG HOSP – Md.

General view showing the 303d Station Hospital, at Cp. Kilmer, Stelton, N.J. The Camp itself served as Staging Area for the New York Port of Embarkation (NY P/E), and had an available troop capacity of 2,074 Officers and 35,386 EM.

Station Hospitals:

Active Station Hospitals were directed by Army Regulations (AR 40-580 & AR 40-590) to limit themselves in their overall medical practice to serve the local community for relatively minor diseases and injuries. In case more complex medical or surgical care was required, patients were sent to General Hospitals.

AAF Regional STA HOSP – Fla. (7 converted Hotels)
AAF STA HOSP – N.J. (10 converted Hotels + 1 former AAF Sta Hosp)
AAF STA HOSP – Ill. (1 converted Hotel + 1 former AAF Sta Hosp)
AAF STA HOSP – Fla. (1 converted Hotel)
Boston Port of Embarkation STA HOSP – Mass. (1 new Debarkation Hospital)
Bronx Area STA HOSP – N.Y. (1 converted Hospital)
Camp Beauregard STA HOSP – La.
Camp Blanding STA HOSP – Fla
Camp Bowie STA HOSP – Tex.
Camp Claiborne STA HOSP – La.
Camp Crowder STA HOSP – Mo.
Camp Custer STA HOSP – Mich.
Camp Edwards STA HOSP – Mass.
Camp Forrest STA HOSP – Tenn.
Camp Kilmer STA HOSP – N.J.
Camp Leonard Wood STA HOSP – Mo.
Camp Livingston STA HOSP – La.
Camp McCoy STA HOSP – Wis.
Camp Maxey STA HOSP – Tex.
Camp Myles Standish STA HOSP – Mass.
Camp Ord STA HOSP – Calif.
Camp Patrick Henry STA HOSP – Va.
Camp Roberts STA HOSP – Calif.
Camp Shanks STA HOSP – N.Y.
Camp Wallace STA HOSP – Tex.
Charlotte STA HOSP – N.C.
Dante STA HOSP – Calif.
Fort Belvoir STA HOSP – Va.
Fort Benjamin Harrison STA HOSP – Ind.
Fort Benning STA HOSP – Ga.
Fort Bliss STA HOSP – Tex.
Fort Bragg STA HOSP – N.C.
Fort Des Moines STA HOSP – Iowa
Fort Devens STA HOSP – Mass.
Fort Dix STA HOSP – N.J.
Fort Francis E. Warren STA HOSP – Wyo.
Fort Huachuca STA HOSP – Ariz.
Fort Jackson STA HOSP – S.C.
Fort Knox STA HOSP – Ky.
Fort Lewis STA HOSP – Wash.
Fort McClellan STA HOSP – Ala.
Fort Oglethorpe STA HOSP – Tenn.
Fort Rosecrans STA HOSP – Calif.
Fort Sam Houston STA HOSP – Tex.
Jefferson Barracks STA HOSP – Mo.
Los Angeles STA HOSP – Calif.
New Haven STA HOSP – Conn.
Oakland Area STA HOSP – Calif.
Pasadena Area STA HOSP – Calif.
St. Petersburg STA HOSP – Fla.
Seattle Area STA HOSP – Wash.
Staten Island STA HOSP – N.Y.
Tuskegee STA HOSP – Ala.
Vancouver Barracks STA HOSP – Wash.

Station Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘non-affiliated’ Units):

1st Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Christmas Island 30 Jan 42
2d Sta Hosp – 16 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
3d Sta Hosp – 18 Mar 42 – embarked for England 30 Jun 42
5th Sta Hosp – 7 Jan 41 – embarked for Australia 17 Feb 42
7th Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Northern Ireland 26 Sep 42
8th Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Bora Bora 17 Jan 42
9th Sta Hosp – 11 Feb 41 – embarked for Australia 23 Jan 42
10th Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Northern Ireland 14 Jan 42
11th Sta Hosp – 25 Jan 41 – embarked for Iceland 5 Sep 41
12th Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Australia 18 Feb 42
13th Sta Hosp – 16 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
16th Sta Hosp – 16 Mar 42 – embarked for England 3 Jun 42
17th Sta Hosp – 16 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
18th Sta Hosp – 16 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
22d Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Hawaii 27 Feb 42
25th Sta Hosp – 24 Mar 42 – embarked for Liberia 28 May 42
26th Sta Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Canton Island 31 Jan 42
44th Sta Hosp – 4 Jun 42 – embarked for Canada 14 Jun 42
45th Sta Hosp – 29 May 42 – embarked for Canada 12 Jun 42
46th Sta Hosp – 2 Jun 42 – embarked for Canada 17 Jun 42
47th Sta Hosp – 18 Jun 41 – embarked for Australia 18 Feb 42
71st Sta Hosp – 14 Apr 42 – embarked for Fiji Islands 9 May 42
95th Sta Hosp – 30 Apr 42 – embarked for India 27 May 42
97th Sta Hosp – 28 Apr 42 – embarked for India 27 May 42
98th Sta Hosp – 28 Apr 42 – embarked for India 27 May 42
99th Sta Hosp – 28 Apr 42 – embarked for India 27 May 42
100th Sta Hosp – 1 May 42 – embarked for India 27 May 42
109th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for New Caledonia 23 Jan 42
151st Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for England 30 Jun 42
152d Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for England 5 Aug 42
153d Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Australia 18 Feb 42
154th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Iraq 10 Dec 42
155th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
156th Sta Hosp – 3 Jun 41 – embarked for Hawaii 11 Mar 42
159th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for India 19 Mar 42
160th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for England 5 Aug 42
165th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Hawaii 27 Feb 42
166th Sta Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – embarked for Australia 19 May 42
167th Sta Hosp – 12 Jul 41 – embarked for Iceland 5 Sep 41
168th Sta Hosp – 12 Jul 41 – embarked for Iceland 5 Sep 41
171st Sta Hosp – 3 Apr 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
172d Sta Hosp – 20 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 19 May 42
174th Sta Hosp – 29 Mar 42 – embarked for Australia 18 May 42
175th Sta Hosp – 17 Feb 42 – embarked for Ascension Island 14 Mar 42

Surgical Hospitals (Overseas Embarkation of ‘non-affiliated’ Units):

6th Surg Hosp – 1 Aug 40 – (redesignated 91st Evac Hosp in the ZI 31 Aug 42) embarked for North Africa 12 Dec 42
7th Surg Hosp – 1 Aug 40 – (redesignated 92d Evac Hosp in the ZI 25 Aug 42) embarked for Australia 28 Jun 43
11th Surg Hosp – 5 Aug 42 – (redesignated 99th Evac Hosp in the ZI 25 Aug 42) embarked for the Pacific Theater 15 Jun 44
28th Surg Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for Australia 4 Mar 42 (redesignated 360th Sta Hosp overseas 28 Oct 43)
33d Surg Hosp – 25 Jan 41 – embarked for Australia 4 Mar 42 (redesignated 361st Sta Hosp overseas 28 Oct 43)   
48th Surg Hosp – 10 Feb 41 – embarked for England 2 Aug 42 (redesignated 128th Evac Hosp overseas 1  May 43)
61st Surg Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – (redesignated 93d Evac Hosp in the ZI 25 Aug 42) embarked for North Africa 16 Apr 43
63d Surg Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – (redesignated 94th Evac Hosp in the ZI 25 Aug 42) embarked for North Africa 28 Apr 43
74th Surg Hosp – 1 Jun 41 – (redesignated 95th Evac Hosp in the ZI 25 Aug 42) embarked for North Africa 16 Apr 43

This page was printed from the WW2 US Medical Research Centre on 9th December 2024 at 04:49.
Read more: https://www.med-dept.com/articles/ww2-military-hospitals-zone-of-interior/