Wakeman General Hospital
Annual Reports

TO: The Surgeon General, U. S. Army
Washington 25, D. C.

THRU: Channels

The year 1945 opened with the Medical Department of Camp Atterbury serving a post population of 11,625.  This strength was exclusive of Wakeman General and Convalescent Hospital with is a separate unit and concerns the Post Surgeon only to the extent that it provides hospitalization for the personnel of the post.  Relations between the hospital and this office are most cordial and cooperation is on a high level.

The post strength except for the 85th Field Hospital consisted entirely of ASF units necessary for the maintenance of post functions.  The ASF units comprised the following:

A reception center for new inductees.

A special training unit for newly inducted men below the fourth grade level.

A reception station for returnees for redeployment.

A separation center for the separation of men from the service for other than medical disabilities.

A German Prisoner of War Camp.

The 85th Field Hospital, the last unit in training remaining from 1944 departed this station to the POE on 2 January 1945 per SO No. 2, Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

The personnel of the Post Surgeon's Office at the beginning of the year was an integral part of the Headquarters and Headquarters Section of the 1560th Service Unit and consisted of 41 officers, (9 MC, 26 DC, 2 MAC, 3 SnC, 1 VC) 66 EM, 1 enlisted WAC and 32 civilians.  The Post Surgeon's Office performed the following duties:

Operated seven dispensaries which included the main dispensary for the service unit, the special training unit dispensary, the dispensary for the Prisoner of War guard section, three dispensaries in the Prisoner of War compound and one dispensary at the Branch Prisoner of War Camp, Austin, Indiana.

In addition to the regular dispensary services rendered, the medical personnel in the dispensaries provided many services which ordinarily would be rendered by a station hospital.  Among these were day and night ambulance service for the post, and physical examinations of all prospective post civilian employees, including those of Wakeman General Hospital.

Conducted two dental clinics rendering dental service for the post.

Conducted post sanitary inspections, accomplished mosquito surveys, and carried out necessary measures for the control and extermination of insects and rodents.

Performed post medical inspections.

Rendered post veterinarian service for the post.

Operated a venereal disease control section with a venereal disease control officer in charge.  This section operated three prophylactic stations in the surrounding cities.

Made epidemiological surveys for the control of communicable diseases.

Conducted nutritional surveys.

Rendered various reports of the Surgeon's Office which included the Statistical Health Report and Report of Sick and Wounded for Camp Atterbury.

The medical services of the Reception Center, the Reception Station and the Separation Center were at the beginning of the year rendered by medical personnel within these units.  The Post Surgeon maintained a general supervision of their activities.

Effect 1 February 1945, all units of Camp Atterbury except the 729th MP Bn and the 451 ASF Band were re-designated the 1560th Service Command Unit in accordance with the G. O. No. 6, 5th Service Command, Ft. Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, dated 1 February 1945, and ASF Circular No. 13, dated 31 January 1945.  The medical personnel formerly assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Section were now designated Station Medical of the 1560th SCU.  The organization and function of Station Medical remained the same.

On June, 1945 Brigadier General Ernest A. Bixby, succeeding Colonel Welton M. Modisette, assumed command of Camp Atterbury and of the War Department Personnel Center.  Thereafter the Post Surgeon became directly responsible for all post medical activities.  Prior to this time, the Post Surgeon had acted in a rather general supervisory capacity in regards to the functions of the Personnel Center.  The other functions of the Surgeon's Office remained the same.

With the cessation of hostilities in Europe and the subsequent redeployment to the Pacific theatre, the operational activities of the Reception Station greatly increased.  Later, after V-J day, the operational activities of the Separation Center increased tremendously.

It is of interest to note the number of officers and men processed through the Separation Center during the past year and especially the marked increase in the number separated during the latter half of the year:

The large number of separatees being processed made a relative shortage of medical officers which became critical during the months June and July.  To supply the urgent need of medical assistance 50 officers were transferred from the Field Medical Service School directly to the Separation Center during the first week of October.  It was a wise and timely move.  Thereafter it was possible for the medical examination teams to spend sufficient time to render a careful physical examination on the separatees.

The peak post strength, 52,339, was reached in the month of September.

Page last revised 12/14/2012
       James D. West
  www.IndianaMilitary.org