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In 1928 the
Office of the Surgeon General constituted a group of surgical
hospitals. These were large hospitals with the primary mission of
providing surgical support for a field Army. One of these
hospitals, the 95th, existed only on paper until 1 June 1941 when
the unit was activated at Fort Francis C. Warren. On 25 August
1942, the 95th was reorganized and redesignated as the 95th
Evacuation Hospital (Motorized)
On 19 February 1943, the hospital was again reorganized and
redesignated the 95th Evacuation Hospital (Semimobile) . The first
overseas mission was to set up a 400 bed hospital at Ojuda; French
Morocco in support of units of the Fifth U.S. Army. On 5 July the
hospital moved to Ain—et-Turk where it acted as a receiving
hospital for casualties from the invasion of Sicily. In August
1943, the 95th began training for the assault landing on the
Continent and on 9 September 1943, it became the first U.S
hospital in Europe in World War II landing on the Salerno
beachhead at noon of D—day.
The hospital returned to the United States and was deactivated at
Camp Kilmer, N.J. on 3 December 1945.
Because of the build—up in Vietnam, the 95th was reactivated 26
March 1963 at Ft. Benning, Georgia and alerted for overseas
movement, On 26 March 1968 the 95th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl)
arrived in the Republic of Vietnam to carry on in the outstanding
tradition of its predecessors.
The Advanced party arrived at the proposed site of the hospital; a
sandy beach called “Red Beach” with no access road on the 20th of
March 1968. By the time the ship (USS Geiger)arrived with
personnel and TAT equipment on the 26th of March 1968, an access
road had been started, the site plan completed and Sea Bees were
assigned to assist. The initial phase of construction was the
preparation of defensive position, perimeter wire and tentage for
billets. During the initial phase the unit provided its own mess,
electrical power, potable water and hospital laundry facilities.
By the 1st of April the vertical construction was initiated
consisting of two by four frames for tent wards. Incorporated in
the initial construction was the use of parts of the “MUST: unit
to provide proper conditions for traumatic surgery in the tropics.
There was some uncertainty that the “MUST” unit would arrive in
time, so by conserving on available construction resources the
unit was able to construct a tropical structure suitable for
air-conditioning.
The construction for the first 100 beds was completed by the l0th
of April which had been set as a tentative date of opening,
however the vessel with the general cargo of the unit had not
arrived in port. By the time that the general cargo arrived on the
l4th off April 1968, additional work had been competed and the
first 100 beds was reported operational on the 28th of April. By
the 30th of April the hospital was 99% filled, additional beds
were rapidly being added so that on 8 May, 300 beds were reported
operational. The 27th day of May saw a 400 bed hospital with a
census of 240 and an experience of a total of 320 medical
patients, 941 surgical patients and 1058 outpatients, with a total
of 1261 admission and 1021 dispositions. Seven hundred and
fifty-nine of these patients were not from transfer by direct
admissions. It was obvious to the staff that this evacuation
hospital must continue to improve its procedures because it was to
a great extent operating as a Surgical Hospital as well as an
Evacuation Hospital. The hospital personnel soon adapted to the
situation and found that combined operation of a tent Evacuation
Hospital and a “MUST” operating room or complex was feasible.
During the following month (May) the unit was continually harassed
by enemy action in the nearby areas requiring the personnel to put
in arduous 12 hour shifts of patient care and then sleep or stand
watch on the perimeter the other 12 hours. To a man and woman
without exception, they all did their assigned tasks in an orderly
uncomplaining manner. By the end of June the hospital had
experienced an additional 1215 admissions and 1188 outpatients for
a total of 2476 admissions in the first 63 days of operation.
During the preceding time, a new site was being constructed for
the hospital some eight miles distance away at the foot of Monkey
Mountain.
Not only was it necessary for the staff to build and run the tent
hospital, they were also required to use that spare time they had
to visit the new site and offer needed advise and plan for the
future move of their respective sections onto the new site. Plans
were carefully layed and the move was scheduled to start by the
4th of July.
By the last week of June personnel of the operating hospital on
Red Beach were cut to a minimum and worked daily at the new site
in preparation for the move without interrupting patient care at
either site. Patient census was reduced as low as the situation
would allow and the actual move began with one third of the staff
moving to the new site on the 4th and 5th of July 1968.
In July, the remainder of the staff moved with approximately 60
patients and by the evening of the 7th of July the hospital
reported 323 beds operational. In a period of 71 days the
personnel of the 95thEvacuation Hospital built one 400 bed “tent”
hospital from the ground up on Red Beach, incorporating the use of
parts of a “MUST” unit, operated it under combat conditions and
moved completely to another location without interruption of its
mission, providing its own mess, electrical power, water supply
and hospital laundry.
As of this date the 95th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl) continues its
mission of taking care of the sick and wounded under more pleasant
conditions. The present hospital is a 320 bed air conditioned
facility offering area medical support to US Military units
without organic medical support in the Da Nang area. The hospital
also provided medical care to the Free World Military Assistance
Forces and Civilian war Casualties. Hospitalization is provided
for all classes of patients within the Lintits of available
specialties. Selected patients are prepared for further evacuation
to medical facilities providing specialized treatment not
available at the 95th Hospital
The organization includes four full time dispensaries serving
outlying units in the Da Nang Area. The wide range of professional
capabilities available has made the 95th Evacuation Hospital a
referral center for difficult and sophisticated cases in Northern
Military Region I. Neurology, Dermatology, Special Radiologic
Procedures, Oral Surgery, Psychiatric Consultations, Orthopedic
Surgery, Neuro—Surgery, General surgery are some of the many
specialties that have made the hospital the major medical
treatment facility in this region. Active “on the job” training in
all specialties of medicine is constantly being performed by
medical corps officers and Vietnamese physicians as well. Medical,
surgical and consultative assistance is provided to the Duy—Ton
and Provincial Hospital of Da Nang on a regular basis.
A future program is anticipated to train Vietnamese enlisted men
technical skills in laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and ward
procedures. The 95th Evacuation Hospital was closed down on March
31st 1973 and abandon in place.
Some of our veterans have toured Da Nang in recent years and all
findings are that the unit is no longer at its fixed site. The unit
was used for many years as military barracks for the North Vietnamese
Army. At this time a four lane roadway runs from the base of
Monkey Mountain to Marble Mountain, this road runs North South
where the 95th Evacuation Hospital was situated.
For all our veterans who served at the 95th Evac, you did good,
and for all the soldiers civilians and others who were treated by
the staff at the 95th Evacuation Hospital, glad you made it home,
at least you can view this web site and enjoy the history and
photographs.
Terry Caskey |
