Walter Reed

Tweet

I had the privilege to work at this historic hospital in Washingon, D.C. while I was in the Army in the 70's. I worked on Ward 31 that was Neurology, I also worked on Ward 33 that was Heart (open heart surgeries) I worked in CMS central Material Supply. I also worked on the 3rd floor of the Psychiatric Hospital that was a building across the back of Walter Reed with a street between this hospital and the Hospital itself. This building was closed around 1973 and torn down. What is really interesting I found is that there was a historic tunnel under the street that brought you between the hospital and Psych hospital. We had a closed ward that you could only get in using a key. no electronic devices in the 1970's. I knew about this tunnel from working there. If you followed the tunnel it would actually bring you to the morgue and then to the 30's Wards. I wonder how many other people remember this building that served during Vietnam in the 60's and 70's and knew this tunnel exsisted. Next to Walter Reed Hospital was WRAIR Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. In the basement we had a medical museum there where I spent many hours peering and studying what was past. There were actual formaldhyde jars where you could actually study with your eyes quite a few illnesses. I think this was very good to see what a liver and brain looked like after drinking for all the years, smokers lungs.There was quite different specimens to learn from. I was only 18 when I went in the Army. It taught me not to drink, drug or smoke. A little ways down from WRAIR and across the street was WRAIN Walter Reed Army Institute Nursing program. That was for nurses that were becoming R.N.'s There were a few barracks were the guys lived. But the most amazing place is Forest Glen. That is where the WAC's Women's Army Corp was housed. It is with much sadness this hospital and the glory of history once again is going to be nothing but a blur to those who know and loved working there. I was honored to work under General Colin F. VorderBrugge, General Westmoreland, General Moncrief, and General Baily that all became Commanding General of Walter Reed. Walter Reed is the one to find the in late 1800 to early 1900's that misquitoes transmitted Yellow Fever in people. This post was closed on July 27th, 2011. I am hoping from what I can find out that the original main hospital building you will see in the link here will remain open. Even for being there in the 1970's this building brings back so many memories. Some were bad memories, but seeing this main building and the fountain out front brings back some very respectful and good memories. http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=app-57a8702b-0122-4274-9b90-2bffbb16539b&show_article=1&article_id=D9OO3FMG2