At the laying of From the War of 1812 to NNMC the Cornerstone, ince the infancy of our Nation, when drugs often did more harm than good and surgeries took FDR stated, “the place whenever and wherever possible, military medicine in the U.S. has grown to be in the forefront striking architecture of modern medicine and has led the way in innovative emergency quality care in remote and of this great dangerous environments. center (combines) S practical usefulness (with) the harmony In 1812, the appropriated $115,000 for the construction of a 50- of its lines and first naval bed naval hospital at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, gives expression medical SE, in Washington, D.C., between 9th and 10th to the thought that facility in the Streets. Soon outdated, the Naval Hospital at art is not dead Washington, Pennsylvania Avenue was deemed “antiquated and New Navy Hospital circa 1925 in our midst,” D.C. area was insufficient,” and in 1906, Congress appropriated knew that the very best medical care for our and apparently the US Department of the established $125,000 for a replacement. returning Sailors, Soldiers, Marines and Airmen Interior agreed, designating the original in a rented Tower a historical landmark in 1977, citing Built behind the Old Naval Observatory at 23rd would be needed. December 7, 1941, “a day that building the building’s significance as an outstanding and E Streets NW, the “New Naval Hospital” would live in infamy…” proved him right. near the example of Art Deco architecture. Washington included quarters for sick officers and nurses, a contagious disease building, and administrative President Franklin D. Roosevelt Selects Old Navy Hospital Pennsylvania Ave. Navy Yard. the Present Site 1866. The Bureau offices. From that day to this, the original At the time there was pressure from both Navy hospital on Pennsylvania Ave. came to be of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) was established As the former Assistant Secretary of the Navy military and political sources to choose an in 1842, as the central administration for Navy known as the “Old Navy Hospital.” The “New from 1913 to 1920, President Franklin Delano alternate site closer to the city. Some even medicine and was given the responsibility for all Naval Hospital”, along with the Naval Medical Roosevelt (FDR) was very dedicated to the Navy, suggested the Navy hospital be built on the Navy hospitals and the care of Navy and Marine School, became the Naval Medical Center in and particularly to Navy Medicine. He envisioned grounds of the Walter Reed Army Medical Corps patients in the US. Dr. William P.C. Barton, a 1935. To this day, these historic buildings are an a Navy Medical Center complete with a vital Center, in order to foster medical cooperation surgeon in the U.S. Navy, became the first Chief of integral part of navy medicine, housing the current training college, research capacities, a laboratory, between the two services. Ultimately, President the Bureau (later known as Surgeon General). location of BUMED and the offices of the Surgeon a pharmacy, a dental school, an extensive medical Roosevelt’s choice became the final location. General of the Navy. library, and medical services and care second to He drew a sketch of the building on White In 1843, patients from the medical facility were none in military medicine. House Stationary, reminiscent of the State transferred to the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Capitol Building in Lincoln, Nebraska, which Streets. In 1866, during the Civil War, Congress he admired. This sketch became the template for the design of the new Naval Medical Center. Ground was broken on June 29, 1939, by Rear Admiral Percival S. Rossiter, MC, USN, the former U.S. Surgeon General, and President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone on Armistice Day, November 11, 1940. New Naval Hospital/Naval Observatory now BUMED Even in its conception and early history, NNMC FDR with Rep. Carl Vinson, Chairman of the House Naval was an integral part of the expansion of military Affairs Committee; Senator David Walsh, Chairman of the medicine and warrior care. President Franklin D. Senate Naval Affairs Committee; and Rear Admiral P.S. Roosevelt pushed the growth of modern military Rossiter, Surgeon-General of the Navy, at the site of future 1908: The first Navy Nurses “The Sacred Twenty” were medicine into the future as he prepared for the Naval Hospital. also the first women accepted into the Navy. inevitable American involvement in WWII. He In 1937, Congress appropriated funds for the construction of a new Naval Medical Center. When “At all the watery margins they have been present. Not only on the deep sea, the President Roosevelt saw farmland with a spring- broad bay, the rapid river, but also up the narrow muddy bayou, and wherever the fed pond on the outskirts of the town of Bethesda, ground was a little damp, they made their tracks.” MD; it reminded him of the Biblical “Healing Pool of Bethesda”, and he felt it would be a perfect spot —President Abraham Lincoln, 1863 Referring to Union Navy Sailors. for the medical center. President Roosevelt delivering dedication speech. 1942 4 NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER GUIDE 2011 NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER GUIDE 5 Always standing ready to treat the including shore activities.” This change established the Nation’s Heroes National Naval Medical Center Region, and placed all naval health care facilities within the Naval District Washington Nearing the end of World War II in 1945, under the authority of the Commanding Officer of the Naval temporary buildings were added to accommodate Medical Center. The new inpatient buildings and the Naval 2,464 wounded American Sailors and Marines. Medical Center were consolidated into one command to form With the start of the Korean War, the medical the National Naval Medical Center. center’s capacity once again rose, this time to 1,167 beds in 1951, and during the Vietnam In 1975 another extensive renovation was needed which War, the bed capacity peaked at 1,122 beds in included the construction of two new buildings: Building 9, 1968. Temporary buildings remained on the a three-story outpatient structure and Building 10, a seven- grounds in one form or another to accommodate story, 500-bed inpatient facility. Combined, the buildings War Wounded until 1979. covered more than 880,000 square feet. In 1979 the remaining temporary buildings were finally razed to make room for a multi-level staff- The Medical Center is Expanded parking garage. In August of 1960, a $5.6 million dollar expansion project was initiated and consisted of two five-story wings Front page of the 1st issue of attached to the original “The News.” Jan. 6, 1945 Dr. Janet Travell, personal The launching of the physician to President “News” by Vice Admiral Kennedy, touring the Ross T. McIntire, then Navy nurses during greensward maneuvers at the call NNMC facilities. 1961 of a Marine. 1944. Surgeon General of building. Completed the U.S. Navy, was an The Original Center in the summer of 1963, buildings 7 and 8 important step toward provided space for 258 additional beds and creating solidarity With a final ribbon cutting on August 31, 1942, replaced some of the temporary ward buildings. again officiated by President Roosevelt, the Naval among Navy Medical The caption from Center personnel. “The Medical Center was comprised of a 500-bed In January of 1973, the mission of the Naval the back of this 1942 Hospital, the Medical School, the Dental School Medical Center was modified to include the souvenir postcard: The United States Naval decision to launch a and the Medical Research Institute, and consisted provision: “provide coordinated dispensary Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., twelve miles from newspaper (here) is a of the Tower (building 1), the back of the tower health care services as an integral element Washington, is practically a city in itself. It is hoped that eventually it wise one and the result, (building 2), and two “wings” (buildings 3 and 5, of the Naval Regional Health Care System, will become the Medical Center of the World, even surpassing that of Vienna. and buildings 4 and 6). I am confident, will be 1969 Vietnam. U.S. Marines The mission of NNMC changed again in 1982, when the Center beneficial to all hands” Temporary ‘Quonset’ type carrying out their wounded was reorganized as the Naval Medical Command, National Capital he said. The News 10 miles northeast of An Hoa. Region (NMCNCR), but in January of 1989, NMCNCR once again Ward WWII Wounded. 1945 was the predecessor of became the National Naval Medical Center. In 2004, the Naval the current Command Dental Center integrated with the National Naval Medical Center into one command, and in 2009 Naval Support Activity Bethesda newspaper; The Journal. was established to oversee the 247-acre complex. “I can imagine no more rewarding a career...any man who may be asked... what he did to make his life worthwhile...can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction I served in the United States Navy.” Wounded soldiers at Naval Medical Center. 1942 – John F. Kennedy 6 NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER GUIDE 2011 NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER GUIDE 7 List of Past Commanders The President’s Hospital 1935-1936: CAPT Ulys R. Webb, MC, USN. 1965-1966: RADM C.L. Andrews, MC, USN. ince 1942, the National Naval Medical Center has served, treated and cared for every 1936-1938: RADM C.S. Butler, MC, USN. 1966-1968: RADM G.M. Davis, MC, USN. SPresident of the United States and their families. President Clinton 1938-1941: RADM H.W. Smith, MC, USN. 1968-1969: RADM R.O.