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USAH Bremerhaven
7th Medical Command
Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please email me (webmaster).

121st Gen Hosp

319th Sta Hosp

348th Sta Hosp

USAH Bremerhaven (19..-19..)

Newspaper articles

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121st General Hospital
(Source: EUCOM Medical Bulletin, Vol. 1, No. 3, October 1946, USAREUR History Office web site )
The 121st General Hospital at Bremerhaven, Germany, being located at the only port servicing United States Occupation Forces, assumes an unusual and interesting role. It occupies one of the finest hospital plants in Germany, completed in 1939 as a German Marine hospital. The buildings are of brick and concrete fire-proof construction, modern and beautifully finished. Necessary additions have been completed, including a neuropsychiatric section, a mess for patients, Red Cross facilities, a theater and a chapel, all of which facilitate the hospital's long term mission.

The 121st continues to process an average of 600 patients each month for movement by hospital ship to the Zone of the Interior. Most of these patients were transferred by hospital train to the 121st from "boarding hospitals" throughout the occupied area. These cases represent a wide variety of interesting disease entities, offering invaluable material for observation and study -- an opportunity which is exploited through frequent clinical conferences. Patients continue to receive definitive treatment while awaiting embarkation, to permit their going aboard the hospital ship in the best possible condition for withstanding a ten-day or twelve-day voyage. Patients requiring immediate definitive care which is beyond the scope of occupation force hospitals, as well as those who are too ill to withstand the long boat trip, are evacuated to the United States by air, via Bremen, Germany, and Paris, France.

In addition to its role as a holding hospital, the 121st General maintains an active pediatric service, children being admitted directly here from ships bringing dependents from the States. A fully equipped children's ward has been established and trained personnel provided for the care of these patients. The proximity of the troop staging and redeployment center, both male and female, as well as occupation units and personnel of the Navy and Merchant Marine provides his hospital with an active and varied patient census.

The 121st General Hospital was activated 10 March 1944 at Camp Ellis, Illinois, and departed for overseas 22 July of the same year. The unit became operational as the 4111th US Army Hospital Plant under the 802nd Hospital Center on 2 September 1944, at Lufton Camp, Yeovil, Somerset, England, a former British infantry post. The hospital was closed on 4 May 1945, after eight months of successful operation at this site, and moved to Lesum Barracks, Bremen, Germany, by way of Southampton, Le Havre and the Maginot-Niel Medical Staging Camp, France, arriving 26 July 1945. Construction necessary for the conversion of the Lesum Barracks, a former German Ordnance Post, to a General Hospital plant was initiated on 20 June 1945, according to plans prepared by the Surgeon's and Engineer's Office , Bremen Post Command.

On 3 December 1945, the unit moved to St. Joseph's Hospital, Bremen, Germany, relieving the 115th Evacuation Hospital, which formerly occupied this site, and began operations as the 4458th US Army Hospital Plant, rendering definitive medical care to the troops in the Bremen Area. A small number of officers and enlisted men remained at Lesum Barracks to supervise construction of the future home of the unit. In January 1946, upon deactivation of the 348th Station Hospital, the 121st General Hospital assumed operation of the 4457th US Army Hospital Plant located in the former Marine Lazarett, Bremerhaven, Germany. The new unit, designated Detachment "A", 121st General Hospital, served as a holding hospital for all patients being returned to the Zone of the Interior from the Theater, as well as caring for troops stationed in the Bremerhaven area.

The 121st General Hospital moved from St. Joseph's Hospital, Bremen, Germany, to the Lesum plant on 25 April 1946 and Headquarters moved to Detachment "A" in Bremerhaven. A redesignation of the units was affected, the Lesum plant becoming Detachment "A", 121st General Hospital. The change was instituted because the greater patient and administrative load rested with the Bremerhaven plant. Since then, the two units of the 121st General Hospital have continued a mission that is among the most important of the tasks entrusted to the medical service in the European Theater.
 
The Medicine Show (121st GH newspaper) - Some of the issues published while in Germany
 
ISSUES IN COLLECTION
DATE ISSUE HQS
Aug 18, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 1 Bremen-Lesum
Aug 25, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 2 Bremen-Lesum
Sept 1, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 3 Bremen-Lesum
Sept 8, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 4 Bremen-Lesum
Sept 15, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 5 Bremen-Lesum
Sept 22, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 6 Bremen-Lesum
Sep 29, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 7 Bremen-Lesum
Oct 6, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 8 Bremen-Lesum
Oct 13, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 9 Bremen-Lesum
Oct 20, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 10 Bremen-Lesum
Oct 27, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 11 Bremen-Lesum
Nov 3, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 12 Bremen-Lesum
Nov 10, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 13 Bremen-Lesum
Nov 17, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 14 Bremen-Lesum
Nov 24, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 15 Bremen-Lesum
Dec 1, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 16 Bremen-Lesum
Dec 8, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 17 Bremen-Lesum missing
Dec 14, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 18 Bremen-Lesum
Dec 21, 1945 Vol. 1, No. 19 Bremen-Lesum
Dec 28, 1945-??? Vol. 1, No. 20-??? Bremen-Lesum missing
 
319th Station Hospital
 
(Source: EUCOM Medical Bulletin, Vol. 8, No. 4, April 1951, USAREUR History Office web site)

The 319th Station Hospital is located in Bremerhaven, Germany, and occupies the plant which was formerly a German Marine Lazarett.

Construction of the main hospital plant was started by the German Navy in 1937 and finished in 1939. It was subsequently used by the German Navy until the advance party of the 348th Station Hospital moved in and officially occupied the plant on 27 June 1945. The evacuation of German patients was begun immediately. Repairs and construction work, which included construction of the patients' mess hall, patients' recreation room, chapel, theater, detachment mess and detachment recreation room, was also started.

The 348th Station Hospital continued to operate in this plant until 15 January 1946 when the 121st General Hospital assume operation. This general hospital was redesignated the 121st Station Hospital 1 December 1946, and redesignated the 319th Station Hospital effective 31 January 1947.

US Army hospitals occupying the former German Marine Lazarett in Bremerhaven, Germany, were commanded by the following Medical Corps officers in the order named:

  Lt Col Stewart D. Sunday
  Lt Col Nelson R. Saphir
  Col W. W. Vaughan
  Lt Col Walter R. deForest
  Maj Malcolm C. Todd
  Lt Col William M. Merritt
  Col Kincheon H. Bailey
  Col Earle D. Quinnell
  Col John B. Herman
  Col Seth Gayle
  Lt Col Paul S. Parrino
 
Colonel Parrino has been the Commanding Officer of the 319th Station Hospital since 5 February 1950.
 
348th Station Hospital
 
 
 
 
 
USAH Bremerhaven / Bremerhaven MEDDAC
Bremerhaven MEDDAC DI
(Source: MEDCOM EXAMINER, February 1982)
Bremerhaven MEDDAC: harbor for health
By Ruth Hamill

Editor's note: During the coming months the MEDCOM Examiner will feature each of the MEDCENs, MEDDACs and other MEDCOM treatment facilities in a series of articles designed to further acquaint people throughout 7th MEDCOM with the activity. The series begins this month, focusing on the Bremerhaven MEDDAC in Northern Germany.
 

USAH Bremerhaven

AOR map
 
Bremerhaven, with a population of more than 150,000 people, is the largest city on Germany's North Sea coast and is, according to travel brochures, the economic and cultural center for the surounding region. It is also the home of the U.S. Army MEDDAC, Bremerhaven, which provides medical care for more than 14,000 people living throughout the Norddeutschland (NDL) Military Community. NDL is a 27 000 square mile area bounded by Denmark on the north, East Germany on the east, Holland on the west and an imaginary line from Braunschweig through Muenster on the south.

Bremerhaven is at least several hours by car or train from some U.S. military communities in Germany and is usually visited by Americans only when dropping off or picking up a vehicle at the Bremerhaven Port adjoining Carl Schutz Kaserne. On this basis many dismiss Bremerhaven as a less than choice assignment, but the families who live and work there in connection with the MEDDAC have a different point of view. They think Bremerhaven is one of the best kept secrets in Germany.

Col. Harry E. Davis II, commander of the Bremerhaven MEDDAC and Director of Health Services for the NDL Military Community, echoed the sentiments of many other MEDDAC personnel when he said, "You really hit your full stride when you are in Bremerhaven with your family. It has a small town atmoshpere with the advantages of a big city. We have strassenbahns, several television stations including AFN, military dependent schools and hospitals, but with only 150,000 people in the community it is not crowded This is reflected in the impressive attitude I have found in the hospital staff since I arrived in July from the Command General Staff College at Fort Leonard Wood."

Marine Lazarett
Hospital construction began in the early 1930s during a period of extensive building in Germany prior to World War II. The hospital was officially opened in 1938 as a "Marine Lazarett" or German Naval Hospital. It was used temporarily by the British during their occupation of the Bremerhaven area, but was soon turned over to the U.S. Army forces under the command of Col. John Herman on June 28, 1945.

The facility was designated as the 348th Station Hospital and remained under the command of various units for 25 years until 1969 when it was upgraded to a Field Hospital. In 1975 the facility was officially designated as the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity (MEDDAC), Bremerhaven. Today the MEDDAC is composed of the U.S. Army Hospital, the U.S. Army Dental Activity (DENTAC) and the 21st Medical Detachment (Veterinary Services.)
 
The large, four-story, E-shaped hospital is constructed of fireproof materials and concrete with marble floors and walls. The main staircase has a series of stained glass windows which portray maritime scenes reflecting the heritage of the hospital's original occupants. With the exception of some remodeling projects, such as the new dental clinic which opened Sept. 28, the building itself has not changed much. The services and personnel, however, have expanded greatly over the years.

More than 320 people are on the hospital staff, including 67 officers, (14 of which are doctors) and 170 enlisted people, according to 1st Lt. Candace Tormey, adjutant. There is also one doctor who is a DA civilian and one who is a local national.

In addition to general medical care the MEDDAC offers specialties such as general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, optometry and social work services. In the last two years the following specialties have been added or expanded: orthopedics, psychiatry, psycnology, radiology and pediatrics.

New orthopedic department
Capt. Larry L. Josie, chief of Patient Administration for the hospital, said that. they have an operating capacity of 51 beds with an average of 20 occupied at any one time. There are between 130 and 170 admissions per month and he feels this number will increase because of the new orthopedic department. He said, "Patients receiving orthopedic care will be admitted to our hospital instead of going elsewhere for treatment" There are more than 5000 clinic visits per month and the hospital currently maintains 8000, outpatients records.

Medical conditions that cannot be treated at the hospital are referred to German physicians or are sent to the Frankfurt or Landstuhl. Medical Centers. Davis said, "Because we are relatively isolated we must work closely with and depend on the German civilian physicians in our community.

Lt. Col. Mike Hinton, executive officer, added, "We also have a very close working relationship with the 159th Aviation Unit in Garlstedt due to our unusually large geographical area of patient responsibility. The 159th brings patients to Bremerhaven from Norddeutschland's outlying areas or moves them to Frankfurt or another of the larger military hospitals."

He continued, "I consider this a small town hospital, but with better staffing and facilities I believe the military community is very pleased with the medical care they receive. Our workload permits the extra care and attention which often separates satisfaction from dissatisfaction. Patient satisfaction is completely different from patient care. A patient may receive excellent medical care and still not be satisfied."

The hospital building complex also houses the 21st Medical Detachment (Veterinary Services). Under the supervision of Maj. Bennie Rice, Jr., commander, 16 soldiers and one local national are responsible for veterinary food inspections for the NDL Military Communities. They are nearly always on the road inspecting potatoes, eggs, dairy products, beef, pork and other foods at slaughter houses, commercial establishments, the Cold Storage Depot, Troop Subsistence Activity, Commissaries and Foodlands. Rice said, "All food destined for use by the military originating or passing through Norddeutschland must be inspected. Due to an increase in Army procurement our workload tripled last year and we inspected about 150 million pounds of food."

The 21st Medical Detachment also has an animal technician who maintains the Zoonosis Animal Disease Prevention and Control Facility (which offers treatment for diseases transmittable between animals and man), administers rabies and distempter immunizations and performs other veterinary duties.

Although the Bremerhaven MEDDAC is the smallest in Germany it has the largest area to support, according to SSgt. Roger Keathley, NCOIC of Patient Administration. In spite of the responsibility of the mission Keathley agreed with Davis and many others when he said, "Because the relationship between the enlisted and the professional staff at the hospital is so good we have very high morale and it makes Bremerhaven a great place to work."
 
If you have more information on the history or organization of the Bremerhaven Army Hospital, please contact me.
 
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