Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado :a commemorative history /produced by the Public Affairs Office, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

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A History and Report

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Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

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Your Hospital

Helpless and alone you wait. . . In agony and pain. . . There’s a science tuned unto your need. . . You will not wait in vain. . . People, doctors, nurses, dedicated priests. . . Of life, specialists to all. . . Your Medical Corps’

.** This is your Hospital where even Life begins. u/i,<,r„ hi*u.

guardians' of your life . . . Ac ttle 'gainst the reign of death. . . Giving knowledge, s

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and bearing I

giving comfort, ease — /4y<? blood itsetj. ..in

of Man. . . To back the foe, save failing br&tth. . . Its heart — The operating room, where one man's hand. .

Human skill, aimed well at unseen foe. . t Movements swift, and deft, signals urgent in a dream. . . voices calm, insistent — Speak life failing, low. . . Anesthesia, The cool mask of Death. . . Alow clear voice — Relax, Bfeathe deep ayf count. . . One — Two — Three*— Sweet pungent Swirl. . . Spinning-— spinnityg — down — and out. . . Somewhere instruments dick, movements unseen, unfelt. . tSpdpel, rgfntftdor — Voices— Dust of dreams. ... Needle, Suture, Fumhe^—At^kth^ft StiUt/Pr A Wtroughtohe^JutrukL, the skill, Life bloods agaig. >v Thr<gigh JfOf hnttfeaf and love* t^ffghuS won. ?¥The long way back, Restored tlte shattered and the sick. . . The toil, the care" of many is beguft. . , This then is your hos^fkf^^kattWf' tffSrlL . . DevoWthtoryou and your urgent strife^. . Waging endless war tnt depth ahdhurl. . This tit robbing vital guardian of life. . . MSgt. John F. McCarthy * written in 1951

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On the cover: The Fitzsimons Crest

The most prominent feature of the insignia, the cross, symbolic of aid and assistance, represents the hospital. The single sword of sacrifice, with point down, alludes to 1st Lt. William Thomas Fitzsimons, an Army physician who was the first American officer killed by enemy action during World War I. The stylized, snow-capped mountains symbolize the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The golden sun ball was suggested by the Colorado State Flag, and is reminiscent of the sun's healing and health-giving rays. The green base represents the green plains and mountain slopes of the area, while the maroon and white colors are representative of the Army Medical Department. The Fitzsimons crest was unveiled April, 1971.

Our Fitzsimons

Out east of Denver not too far away above the skyline alone it stands

A sanctuary for the sick and wounded where trust is placed in able hands

Where men and women and youngsters too are ever cared for night and day

Where life so precious to us all, is fought for too with help from Him we pray

The doctors and nurses and all who tend the ill have thankless tasks tis true

Their deeds in fact oft overlooked

and patient's "thanks" or chiefs "well done" too few

But patients still to "Fitz" each day with faith in care and comfort seek Those fine few whose chosen work this is to cure and heal and soothe the weak

And life goes on and life stops too and they try the best they can

To help all those who need this place this edifice for the sick and wounded soldier man.

-Kenyon Cozine

(Editor's note: Kenyon Cozine was a technician in the Medical Distribution System at Fitzsimons.)

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

Aurora, Colorado A Commemorative History

Produced by the Public Affairs Office Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Aurora, Colorado

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016

https://archive.org/details/fitzsimonsarmymeOOauro

Commemorative History Book Staff

Managing Editor/Research

Helen W. Littlejohn Public Affairs Officer

Art Director/Research

Sheri Muehlbauer

Microbiologist, Dept of Clinical Investigation

Photographers

Charles Hale Chuck Linnear Jeanine Harder Theodore Moore

Administrative Support

Doris Sachanandani

Medical Technologist-Dept of Clin. Invest

SPC Kevin Quick Dept of Nursing

Martell Tully Secretary-Cardiothoracic

SPC Kimberly Bryant Public Affairs Office

SSG Barbara Hughes SGT Martin Haywood Stephanie Bubeck

Dept of Nursing Public Affairs-NCOIC Admin Asst-Visual Info.

Theodore Moore Visual Information Chief

Advisors

Gene Geise Forms Management

Contributors

R. Laurie Simmons, M.A. Front Range Research Assoc. ( History of Fitzsimons)

Sylvia Weber, R.N. (Nursing History)

The staff would like to thank all of the various individuals , departments and directorates who provided input for this project. Every attempt was made to correctly represent all the departments at Fitzsimons. Any omissions were inadvertent. This is not to say the contributions of those departments were any less significant. It should also be noted that the pictures and information were done near closure and in some cases may not show the complete staff.

DEDICATION

There are a few people I'd like to thank, because without them, the history book would not have happened:

Sgt. Martin Haywood, Public Affairs; Sheri Muehlbauer and Doris Sachanandani, Department of Clinical Investigation; and Martell Tully, Department of Surgery.

How do you begin to tell the history of a 78-year old landmark institution? We can ’t begin to estimate the number of people who 've come through the gates every day starting back in 1918. The soldiers. ..the sailors. ..the airmen and the Marines... their families. The military doctors, nurses ...nutritionists... the food service workers, ...the janitors... the researchers... the students... the generals... the privates... the civilians.

the sergeants major... the lieutenants... the engineers, the entertainers... the commissary Stockers... the logisticians... the company commanders... the old, the young... the women... the men... the firefighters, the police, the photographers...

the church goers... the golfers... the list could go on for- ever. They all had one thing in common . We all had a com- mon mission. Taking care of the wounded. Over the years, our mission expanded. We taught, we conducted research.

We trained. We went to war. And through it all, we took care of patients. Every minute of every hour; every hour of every day. For 78 years.

We 've done our duty. And so it comes to this final salute. This commemorative historical book is just a small token, dedicated to all of those who came before us. More people than I could name are very, very special and each deserves a place in our history.

Thank you all for being a part of our history. The history of the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Family.

Helen Littlejohn

Table of Contents

Page

The Mission Vision 1

Parting Messages

The Commander Brigadier General John S. Parker 2

The Command Sergeant Major CSM Roger Smith 3

The Army Surgeon General Lieutenant General Alcide M. Lanoue 4

The Leaders 5

Deputy Chiefs of Staff 6

Medical Center Brigade 7

Past Commanders 9

Fitzsimons' Name Sake: First Lt. William Thomas Fitzsimons 12

History at a Glance (time line) 14

Fitzsimons History 19

Exploration and Fur Trade (1 700-1845) 20

The Colorado Gold Rush (1858-1870) 21

Native American Interaction (1700-1869) 22

Farming, Agriculture, and Residential Development (1900-1917) 23

Early Ownership and Development (1861-1917) 24

Campaign for Military Hospital in Denver (1917-1918) 27

Creation of General Hospital No. 2 1 ( 1 9 1 8- 1 9 1 9) 29

Redesignation and Further Development of the Hospital ( 1 920- 1 929) 36

Landscaping Projects 39

Recreation 40

Search for Permanence (1930-1938) 41

Improvement and Expansion (1935-1938) 45

Mobilization and Entrance into World War II (1939-1941) 48

Main Hospital Building 49

Wartime Activities and Expansion (1942-1945) 51

Prisoner of War Camp 53

Women's Army Corps 54

End of World War II and After ( 1 945-present) 55

Rehabilitation Programs 60

Remembering the 60's and 70's 61

World Class Health Care Organization 62

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, 2001 64

Mass Casualty Exercises 65

Deployments 66

World Youth Day 67

Modern Construction (1990-1996) 68

The End of An Era 69

The Final Fitzsimons Gala 70

The Inactivation Ceremony 71

The History of The Stethoscope 72

The Departments at Fitzsimons 77

Administrative Directories 79

Directorate of Contracting 80

Directorate of Information Management 81

Directorate of Logistics 82

Administrative Division 82

Maintenance Division 82

Supply Personnel 83

Nome Street Warehouse Personnel 83

Transportation 84

Housekeeping Service 84

Directorate of Personnel and Commmunity Activities 85

Administrative Group 85

Bowling Lanes 85

Golf Course 86

Child Development Services 86

Community Club 87

ITR/Outdoor Recreation 87

Army Community Services 87

Youth Center 88

School Age Group 88

Military Personnel Division 88

Civilian Personnel Office 89

Alcohol & Drug Prevention Abuse Control Office 89

Human Resources & Development Center 90

Financial Management Services Division 90

Directorate of Plans, Training, and Security 91

Department of Defense Region VIII Map 93

Fitzsimons Health Services Region Map 93

Directorate of Public Works (Engineering & Housing) 94

Operations & Maintenance 94

Administrative Section 95

Billeting 95

Fire Department 95

Directorate of Resource Management

96

Managed Care

97

Patient Representative Office

98

Medical Library

98

Optical Fabrication Laboratory

99

Directorate of Nutrition Care

100

Patient Services Division

101

Patient Administration

101

Pre-Admissions Service

102

Patient Services Division

102

Central Appointments

103

Health Benefits Advisors Office

103

Provost Marshal

104

Command Group

105

Base Closure Office

106

Command Group

108

Medical Education

108

Dental Headquarters

109

Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority

110

Staff

110

FRA Executive Committee- 1 996

111

Fitzsimons Redevelopment Plan

112

Medical Center Brigade

114

Preventive and Community Medicine

116

Veterinary Services

118

Clinical Departments

119

Department of Clinical Investigation

120

Department of Medicine

121

Office of the Chief

121

Allergy/Immunology

122

Cardiology

122

Dermatology

122

Emergency Medicine Service

122

Endocrinology

123

Gastroenterology

123

Hematology/Oncology

123

Infectious Disease

124

(Adult) Primary Care

124

Nephrology

124

Neurology

125

Optometry

125

Pulmonary

125

Pulmonary Function Lab

126

Respiratory Therapy Section

126

Rheumatology

126

Department of Nursing 127

Nursing History 128

Nursing Personnel 143

Administrative Section 143

Pediatrics-3 East 143

Medical Intensive Care Unit 144

Gynecology 144

Home Care 144

Surgical Intensive Care Unit 145

Coronary Care Unit 145

Medical Ward 146

General Surgery Ward-5 East 146

Practical Nurse Program 147

Department of Pathology 149

Department of Pediatrics 149

Department of Pharmacy 150

Department of Psychiatry 151

Department of Radiology 152

Department of Surgery 153

Administrative Section 153

Operating Room #4 153

Anesthesia-Operation Services 154

General Surgery Clinic-5 North 154

Urology Service 155

Tumor Registry Office 155

Orthopedics-Brace Shop 155

Physical Medicine Service 156

Physical Therapy 156

Occupational Therapy 156

Social Work Service 157

Other Groups 159

Thrift Shop 159

Officers' Wives Club 160

Special Staff 161

American Red Cross 162

Department of Ministry and Pastoral Care 164

Equal Employment Opportunity 165

Internal Review and Audit Compliance Office 165

Office of the Center Judge Advocate 166

Office of the Inspector General 167

Safety Office 167

Public Affairs Office 168

Quality Improvement / Risk Management Office 169

Radiation Protection Office 170

Tenant Units 171

Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) 172

Defense Printing Service 172

AMEDD/U S AR Procurement Office 173

Defense Accounting Office 174

Defense Commissary Agency 175

DENTAC 176

Edgar L. McWethy Jr. U.S. Army Reserve Center 177

5502 U.S. Army Hospital 177

324th Psychological Operations Company 178

5046th U.S. Army Reserve Forces School 179

Fitzsimons Federal Credit Union (FFCU) 180

Office of Civilian Health and Medical Program for the Uniformed Services

(OCHAMPUS) 181

Rocky Mountain Veterinary Services Support 182

U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) 183

U.S. Army Medical Equipment and Optical School (USAMEOS) 185

Medical Equipment Repair School 185

Optical School 186

U.S. Army Readiness Group, Denver 5th Army 187

Memories 189

Famous Visitors 213

Street Names 219

Map of Fitzsimons 220

Farewell 221

: - •

The Vision:

We are and will continue to be a World Class Health Care Organization.

Mission statement:

* The maintenance of health

* The restoration of health

* Health care delivery in peace and war

* Education from the beneficiary level, to include sophisticated Graduate Medical Education

* Research at all levels, to include technical methods of health-care delivery on the battlefield

1

The Commander

Brig. Gen. John S. Parker

THE LAST DAY

Saturday morning, the 8th of June, 1996 came fast. Faster than any other day at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. The sky was blue and clear, the air crisp and dry. There was anticipa- tion — Interns, Residents and Fellows were going to graduate today. It would mark the culmination of years of work for them and it was to be a celebration much de- served by them and their families.

The troops and Band were anxious and were focus- ing on the morning’s events. Precision is everything on the Parade field. Some saw it as just another day, some saw it as a historic that day.

The State Flags sur- rounded the field. A soft breeze caused the flags to make a small flapping sound. Soldiers were talking softly as they made last checks — are they in the proper order? As early morning grew older the sun grew warmer. The traf- fic increased and the people of the Fitzsimons community gathered. Past Commanders, Mayors, Congressional and Senatorial representatives, parents, families and friends were all present. The time of ceremony was fast approach- ing.

It seemed that at the last minute this great institu- tion made a penultimate cry that it could not be closed or forgotten. The main power to

the installation ceased as if to say “not yet”. Human inge- nuity and the whine of a camper generator said “go on”.

The graduation cer- emony was grand. The smiles, the hand shakes and the pictures with the Surgeon General will mark the careers of many of our finest. Then a short break. A gathering of troops — Adjutant’s call and we all knew the end was ap- proaching fast.

Oh, it was spectacu- lar. The troops, soldiers, sail- ors and airman, all in forma- tion. Flags everywhere. Hon- ors, the cannon, the smoke the sound never to be forgotten.

The last review of the troops. From my vantage point in the back of a World War II jeep that was polished and bright, I saw the array of people and troops. My eyes were clouded and my heart was full. The stands were full and there were baby carriages and blan- kets spread to and fro under the trees and around the field. I paused as my thoughts took me to scenes of Bull Run and how the town people came out to see the event. I was so proud that so many cared. Fitzsimons would not be en- tombed cold and alone.

The National An- them, the awards, the retire- ments were all very grand.

Then with a precision that only a Command Sergeant Major can make — the flags silently moved, were rolled and encased. They moved from the field in silence as we all choked. Some new flags were unfurled and few real- ized what happened in such a short time but 78 years of his- tory was closed and THAT’S THAT! It had become hot. The speeches were short. The silences long and the feelings indescribable. It was over!

This great institu- tion will live in the hearts and minds of countless thousands of people who were bom here, treated here, trained here, or served here. Their contribu- tions are now the contribu- tions of a great institution now silent. The people who made Fitzsimons what it was will never be forgotten. I hope that the memories that are provoked by this histori- cal book will cause warm re- flection of great people and a great institution.

(Editor's note: Photos from the inactivation ceremony appear on page 71.)

2

The Command Sergeant Major

The Enlisted Sol- dier-Medic of Fitzsimons has, throughout this institution’s grand and glorious existence, always been a vital part of the Army Medical Department’s team. “To Conserve the Fighting Strength,” has been our motto. The enlisted medic has always been there to support the professional health care providers whose task would have been much more difficult, if not impos- sible, without the enlisted medic standing along side for support and assistance.

Enlisted medics were here in 1919 as medical technicians, clerks, x-ray technicians, physical therapy

CSM Roger Smith

technicians and supply per- sonnel. Medics were here to take care of our veterans re- turning from the World Wars, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.

Fitzsimons has its share of heroes; some well docu- mented, others who were and are heroes, in doing the day- to-day mission of taking care of the soldiers, sailors, air- men, marines, their family members and the retiree.

The soldier-medics of Fitzsimons also demonstrated they were proficient in being not only the best medics in the Army but also the best sol- diers by competing at Com- pany, Brigade, Installation,

and Major Subordinate Com- mand levels in basic skills and military knowledge competi- tions, and winning. Fitzsimons’ medics have ex- celled as Honor Graduates, being recognized on Commandant’s Lists and re- ceiving Leadership Awards from numerous Army schools.

The enlisted soldiers of Fitzsimons have always risen to the “Call of Duty.” Whether it was a “No Notice” deployment or responding to a tasking from a higher head- quarters, they were there! With the downsizing and eventual closure of Fitzsimons, the Enlisted Sol-

dier is demonstrating diver- sity by moving from the role of health care into that of lo- gistician, accountant, and/or auditor, among others. They are and will continue to be a vital part of the grand and glo- rious history of Fitzsimons even to the day the gates close for the last time as an Army Installation.

To the soldier-medics of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, I salute you for your professionalism, caring, and “For Being All You Could Be.” You made Fitzsimons what it was and what it is to- day.

3

The Army Surgeon General

In early June, I partici- pated in the ceremonies that celebrated and honored the 78 years of distinguished service Fitzsimons Army Medical Center provided to genera- tions of Army families.

Since its founding in 1918 as U.S. Army Hospital No. 21, this great and proud facility has treated wounded soldiers, airmen, and sailors from World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. The current building was dedicated on Dec. 3, 1941, just four days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thus began a long tradition of “Be- ing There” when needed for countless service members and their families.

LT General Alcide M. Lanoue

Fitzsimons’ inactiva- tion on June 8, 1996 closes one chapter of the facility’s history as an Army medical center, but I am convinced that it is not the end of story of this prestigious institution.

Just as the Army and the AMEDD are transforming themselves in tandem to meet the new demands and expec- tations of the 21st Century, Fitzsimons is also changing itself to accommodate a new environment. It’s not abso- lutely clear exactly what kind of institution will evolve from the transformation, but I am convinced that a new, and per- haps improved, facility will emerge from the process like the legendary phoenix.

One of the reasons that I am so optimistic about the rebirth of Fitzsimons is the determination of the staff and the overwhelming support of the local community. I had the privilege of meeting the Hon- orable Paul Tauer, the mayor of the City of Aurora, and sev- eral other distinguished offi- cials from the Aurora and Denver areas. It is crystal clear that they have the intel- ligence, determination and team spirit to achieve their goal of making Fitzsimons an integral part of a new health- care organization in collabo- ration with the University of Colorado Medical School and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Although the details are not finalized, I am confident that something good will come out of these efforts. Fitzsimons was originally es- tablished because of the hard work and determination of the Denver civic community, which raised money for the land for the hospital in an in- credible four-day fund-raising drive.

The same civic determi- nation that opened the hospi- tal in 1918 is still alive today. And that is perhaps the most dramatic testimony to the love and respect that Fitzsimons has earned over its lifetime of caring beyond the call of duty.

4

The Leaders

Dr. (Col) Carolyn D. Randle

Deputy Commander

Col. Van R. Booth

Chief of Staff

Dr. (Col.) Arlene Zaloznik

Deputy Commander 1995- Jan. 1996

Deputy Chiefs of Staff

Col. Carolyn D. Randle

Clinical Services

Lt. Col. William Finney

Resource Management

Lt. Col. Ronnie L. Rahm

Integrated Installation Support

Col. John M. Bull

Readiness Operations

Col. Joseph C. Crain

Personnel

Col. William Mantia

Regional Health Services Operations

6

Medical Center Brigade

Col. James E. Crissey

Brigade Commander

CSM Bernard G. McCartney

Brigade Command Sergeant Major

Capt. William M. Stubbs

A Co. Commander

Capt. James C. Boxmeyer

B Co. Commander

Capt. Matthew J. Schofield

Student Commander Med. Hold. Commander

7

First Sgt. Efrain Cornier

A Co. First Sgt.

First Sgt. Randall C. Orndorff

B Co. First Sgt.

First Sgt. Percy W. Bell, Jr.

Student Co. First Sgt.

First Sgt. Richard Martinez

Med Hold First Sgt.

8

Past Commanders

Lt. Colonel William P. Harlow (Aug. 27, 1918 - Jun. 14, 1919)

Colonel Howard J. Johnson (Jun. 15, 1919- Dec. 23, 1919)

Lt. Colonel Calvin D. Cowles (Dec. 24, 1919- Mar. 18, 1920)

Colonel Henry Page (Mar. 19, 1920- Sept. 24, 1920)

Lt. Colonel William H.

Colonel Paul C Hutton (Aug. 26, 1923- Sept. 30, 1929)

Moncrief (Sept. 25, 1920-Aug. 25, 1923)

Colonel Paul S. Holloran (Oct. 1, 1929- Apr. 26, 1931)

Colonel Earl H. Bruns

(Apr. 27, 1931- Jul.3 1, 1931)

Colonel Carroll D. Buck (Aug.l, 1931-Jun 30, 1940)

Colonel Frederick S. Wright (Jul. 1, 1940- May 28, 1942)

Brigadier General Omar H. Quade (May 29, 1942- Aug. 31, 1948)

Brigadier General Edwi., H. Roberts (Sept. 1, 1948-Apr. 1, 1950)

9

Past Commanders

Colonel Howard W. Doan (Apr. 2, 1950-May 15, 1950)

Colonel Wendell A. Weller (Mar. 1, 1958- May 12, 1958)

Major General Robert E. Blount (Mar. 1, 1966- Aug.l, 1968)

Brigadier General Harry D. Offutt (May 16, 1950- Aug.3 1, 1951)

Major General John F Bohlender ( May 13, 1958-Sept. 11, 1960)

Major General Byron L. Steger (Aug. 2, 1968- Jul.3 1, 1969)

Brigadier General Paul 1. Robinson (Sept. 1, 1951- May 16, 1954)

Major General Carl W. Tempel (Sept. 12, 1960- Aug. 31, 1962)

Major General James A. Wier(Aug.l, 1969- Aug. 31, 1976)

Major General Martin E. Griffin (May 17, 1954- Feb. 28, 1958)

Major General Clinton S. Lyter(Sept. 1, 1962- Feb. 28, 1966)

Major General Kenneth R. Dirks (Aug. 31, 1976- Oct. 15, 1977)

10

Past Commanders

Colonel Joseph H. Baugh (Oct. 14, 1977- Dec. 18, 1977) (Mar. 24, 1980- Jun. 2, 1980)

Brigadier General Philip A. Deffer (Dec. 19, 1977- Jun. 30, 1979)

Major General Raymond H. Bishop, Jr. (Jul. 2, 1979-Mar. 24, 1980)

Brigadier General William R. Dwyre (Jun. 2, 1980- Sept. 22, 1983)

Colonel Alphonse C. Gomez ( Sept. 22, 1983 - Oct. 3, 1983)

Brigadier General Philip K. Russell (Oct. 3, 1983- Apr. 2, 1986)

Brigadier General Thomas M. Geer (Apr. 2, 1986- Jun. 20, 1988)

Colonel Harry S. Spaulding Jr. (Jun. 20, 1988-Aug. 23, 1988)

Brigadier General Thomas E. Bowen (Aug. 23, 1988- May 28, 1993)

Colonel Thomas A. Verdon, Jr. (May 28, 1993- Dec. 6, 1993)

Brigadier General John S. Parker (Dec. 6, 1993-Jun. 8, 1996)

11

First Lieutenant William Thomas Fitzsimons

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center was named in honor and memory of First Lieutenant William Thomas Fitzsimons, Medical Officers' Reserve Corps, the First American officer to die as a result of enemy action in World War I.

Born April 18, 1889, in Burlington, Kansas, young Fitzsimons attended Kansas City schools and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas at Lawrence in 1910. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1912 from the Kansas University Medical School.

When the U.S. entered the World War, the young doctor was called to active duty. Volunteering for overseas duty, he left Kansas City

June 14, 1917, and was one of the first American medical officers to arrive in Europe. He was assigned to U.S. Army Base Hospital No. 5, which was attached to the British Expeditionary Forces near Dannes- Camiers, France.

On the evening of September 4, 1917, Lt. Fitzsimons and a friend had just returned from dinner when the two agreed that the clear, cloudless night was just perfect for a bombing attack. Less than five minutes later, about 1 1 P.M.., an aerial bomb struck Fitzsimons' tent, killing him instantly. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.

He was buried the following afternoon with full military honors in the British cemetery at Etaples

along with three enlisted men who were killed in the bombing attack.

His body was later moved to the U.S. Cemetery at Bony-Aisne.

Less than a year later, the hospital which was to bear his name was established, and on July 1, 1920, the hospital became known as Fitzsimons General Hospital by direction of the War Department.

In 1955, PFC Albert T. Beinar was commissioned to paint a portrait of Lt. Fitzsimons. He had the honor of having his painting unveiled by Mamie Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight Eisenhower. Mrs. Eisenhower dedicated the painting as a tribute to the devotion and patrio- tism of all Medical Corps members.

12

Lt. Fitzsimons (standing center, behind Army officer) with Red Cross doctors in England.

Fitzsiir.ons Portrait Dedication: pictured from left to right: Col. Carroll Buck, Mrs. Buck, Brigadier General Omar Quade, Mrs. Quade, Mrs. Griffen, Mrs. Eisenhower, Maj. Gen. Martin Griffen (FGH commander)

13

History at a Glance

1500’s

1540

1700s.

1800

mid- 1 800s 1803

1804- 1820s 1806 1810

1820

1840

1858

1859

1860 1861

1862

1864-65

1867

1869

1870

Pawnees control South Platte Valley north of the Platte river

Jicarilla Apaches control land between South Platte and the Arkansas rivers

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s expedition gave Spain claim to the entire Great Plains

French traders violate Spanish claim and infiltrate area Comanche and Ute alliance drive Apaches southward

French acquisition of Louisiana Territory

Kiowa and Comanche share grounds south of the Arkansas River after being pressured southward by incoming Arapaho and Cheyenne

Sioux tribes used northeastern Colorado hunting grounds

United States acquires land in Louisiana Purchase

Trappers and traders spread information about the area

Zebulon Pike’s expedition of central Rockies to survey newly acquired land

Pike publishes his account of the expedition, land west of the Mississippi River was described as “sandy deserts”

Major Steven Harrimon Long expedition of South Platte River basin, the “Great American Desert”

Buffalo robes replace beaver pelts as main article of western fur trade

William Green Russell discovered gold at Dry Creek

Earliest attempt at irrigation by David Wall

Brantner Ditch in Adams County constructed

Congress established the Colorado Territory

The Treaty of Fort Wise offered Arapahoes and Cheyennes reservation land in eastern Colorado

Congress chartered the Union Pacific Railroad to construct the eastern link of the transcontinental railroad

Overland Trail closed due to Anglo/Native American conflicts

Two treaties signed at Medicine Lodge, Kansas attempted to established Anglo peace with the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Arapaho, and Cheyenne

Battle of Summit Springs ends Anglo/Native American conflict

Completion of Kansas-Pacific railway from Kansas City westward and the Denver Pacific railway connecting Cheyenne and Denver

14

1876

Colorado’s admission to statehood

Federal government transferred land, earlier reserved, to Colorado including section 36 which included the Fitzsimons area

1889

Donald Fletcher, Thomas S. Hayden and Samuel Marsten Perry platted the Aurora Subdivision

1891

Town of Fletcher (Aurora) incorporated

1893

Colfax Electric Railway connects Denver with Aurora

1895

Section 36 sold at public auction to numerous buyers

early 1900s.

Denver Civic and Commercial Association campaigns Denver area as ideal for tuberculosis hospital to officials in Washington

1901

Gutheil Park Subdivison became home to Gutheil Nursery

1902-1918

Buyers of Section 36 acquire land patents

1907

Town of Fletcher becomes Aurora

1917

U. S. entered World War I

Colonel George E. Bushnell sent to Colorado to inspect sites for recuperation camp

Feb. 1918

War Department recommended to Congress $500,000 be expended on construction of the Denver hospital

Apr. 1918

Ground broken for the new hospital, Army General Hospital No. 21

Oct. 13, 1918

Hospital opens

1919

Hospital grounds construction completed

1920

War Department redesignated the new facility Fitzsimons General Hospital in honor of 1st Lieutenant William T. Fitzsimons

1926

Fitzsimons radio station KEUP

1929

Chamber of Commerce and federal government sign 999 year lease at $1 .00/year and land reverts to Chamber of Commerce if abandoned by government

1933

Surgeon General R. U. Patterson sent radiogram stating Fitzsimons would be abandoned and all patients transferred

Congressman Lawrence Lewis led arguments to keep Fitzsimons open

Nov. 1934

Congress approved funds to keep Fitzsimons open

1935

Surgeon General Patterson again recommends closure Congressman Lewis countered closure proposal

War Department allocated funds for new construction and grounds improvement for Fitzsimons

Oct. 1936

President Roosevelt visits Fitzsimons and vows to maintain the hospital

1937

Full title to the land was implemented ordering transfer of the title from the Chamber of Commerce to the government of the United States

15

1938

$3.75 million approved for new hospital construction

Jan. 1939

Construction began on new hospital

Dec. 1941

Hospital dedicated by Congressman Lewis First patients from World War II arrive

1942

Prisoner of War camp for Italian, anti-Nazi Germans, few Japanese

1944

Women’s Army Corps members arrived

August 11, three members of the Japanese Navy prisoner patients attempted to commit suicide. Several weeks later they were shot to death in a prison ward riot.

1947

Prisoner of War camp razed

1948

Fitz was one of the first hospitals to use Streptomycin to treat tuberculosis

1950

Fitzsimons General Hospital renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital

Hospital unit from Fitzsimons stationed in Japan, 279th General Hospital, welcomed patients from the Korean front Pre-school and kindergarten opened

1952

Hospital 8th floor auditorium named for COL George E. Bushnell

1953

Fitzsimons was chosen to perform clinical research on dextran, which was considered a plasma substitute

Korean prisoners of war treated at Fitzsimons

First class of Advanced Medical Technicians graduate

Establishment of three departments; Medicine, Surgery, and Neuropsychiatry

1954

Microfilm books were flashed on the ceiling for patients who weren't able to use their hands Four Fitz. medical men went to China as consultants in the treatment of tuberculosis

1953-1961

Six temporary barracks and recreational buildings were leased to Adams-Arapahoe School District No. 28 to be used as a junior high school

1955

Facility was annexed to the city of Aurora

Hypothermia, as an anesthetic technique, was used in heart operations Nutrition lab tests irradiated foods New chapel opened Fitzsimons Credit Union opened

Radioisotopes used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease

late 50s

Fitz was known world-wide for treating systemic coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever), a disease caused by a fungus from the soil

1959

First class of Advanced Medical Specialists graduate

Fitz. doctor pioneers new surgical technique to repair an exstrophy of the bladder Telephone dialing goes to 5 digits at a cost of $150,000

Radiology service installed a revolutionary X-ray machine for cardiac examinations

1960

Fitzsimons Army Hospital renamed Fitzsimons General Hospital

Radiology service installed new machine which could process X-ray film in 7 minutes

1,057th TB patient received travel orders for duty

Fitz. blood bank aligns with the American Association of Blood Banks

16

1961

1963

1964

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

Hospital services were expanded to include neuropsychiatry, obstetrics, pediatrics, and radiology

Full preventive dental health program started

New Department of Hospital Clinics began

Three Fitzsimons doctors help with the man in space program

Fitzsimons assumes inpatient and outpatient care for Air Force members and families First Lowry long-term patients sent to Fitz. in phase-out of Lowry hospital

The new canteen on the ground floor of Building 500 opened.

Soldiers from Fitzsimons carried the 50 state flags in the May 12th Armed Forces Day parade at Lowry Air Force base. The theme was "Power For Peace".

Indian Health Service nurses train at Fitzsimons for the first time.

Fitzsimons soldiers were instrumental in forming a volunteer fire department in the Sable-Altura area east of the hospital

CBS News team filmed TV show of Fitzsimons, including a feature on Sgt. Bill Floyd who had been medically evacuated from Vietnam

Amputee ski program joined with Children's Hospital Inhalation therapy clinic opened as a subsection of the non-TB section of the Pulmonary Disease Service

Fitzsimons gears to accept Vietnam casualties TB control is computerized First Teaching Chiefs' Conference

First military and Denver area hospital to adopt the "unit dose" system for drug dispensing $99,000 malignant treatment machine installed which enabled patients to receive radiological therapy Cleft Palate Clinic established, the 4th such clinic at military hospitals

Ground breaking for the new home of the optical lab and medical maintenance school Symbol for "Operation Parent Lift" created by Pat Oliphant, who later became a nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist

Drug dependency program began for returning Vietnam veterans.

Ann Gilmore Dye, Miss Anne, was honored for 47 years of devoted service to Fitzsimons.

Former railroad right-of-way extending north of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center was conveyed to the City of Aurora for park purposes and land along the south entrance was conveyed to the Colorado Highway Department

First Army hospital to obtain an Argon Ion Laser Photocoagulator which was used in treating some eye problems

Deactivation of the 47th General Hospital which was a 1,000 bed unit for emergency preparedness

Hospital redesignated Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Fitzsimons set to care for liberated Vietnam returnees New Outpatient Clinic opened in Bldgs 408-409 First WACs in medical maintenance course Fitzsimons took over the Rocky Mt. Arsenal dispensary

129-man barracks were constructed, six temporary buildings disposed First WAC joined post MPs

Ann Dye Community Center dedication, formerly the Patient's Recreation Hall Nutrition Lab moved to Letterman Army Institute of Research Readiness Region VIII moved to Fitzsimons from the Rocky Mt. Arsenal

17

1975

1976

1977

1979

1980

1982

1983

1984

1985

1989

ber

early

1992

1993

1995

1996

Post Exchange and Auto Hobby Shops were completed New Post Exchange opened June 19, cost $1.3 million

Fitzsimons volunteers participated in Operation Baby Lift -500 infants and children were flown from Vietnam to Denver

Officers' Club Pub opened May 14

First open house for Army retirees-draws more than 700 participants FAMC barracks go coed

TB ward was closed

$3.75 million CT scanner delivered in March

Reserve Training Center was built Channel 9 Health Fair

$1.4 million McWethy USAR Center dedicated April 12

First Army medical center to have a full time civilian home nursing services coordinator

Shopping carts for the handicapped debut at the commissary Camp Ireland, located near Indian Hills, was a satellite of Fitzsimons Disabled horseback riders perform for Princess Anne

First pediatric patient put on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)

Blizzard in December stranded many workers

Animal Housing Facility was added

$195,000 Flow Cytometer acquired, laser beam aids cell research Two new barracks were erected

Linear accelerator facility was constructed as an addition to the main hospital building AIDS research began

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center removed from Base Closure studies

Operation Just Cause, 32 FAMC soldier medics deploy to Gorgas Army Hospital, Panama in Decem-

New Discharge Pharmacy opened aimed at improving therapeutic outcomes

1990's Hospital was placed back on closure studies Operation Desert Shield

FAMC soldiers deploy and the Fitzsimons staff mobilizes to assist families Nursing shortage

Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment acquired Prospects good to begin new hospital

Fisher House, Credit Union, Child Development Center, and Burger King were completed Hospital slated for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions Fitzsimons Army Medical Center inactivated June 8

18

The History of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

by R. Laurie Simmons, M.A.

(Editor's Note: The above photo is a laser reproduction of an original water color by Kimberly Beaulieu. She was commissioned to do the painting for the Department of Radiology while working as a radiology technologist

at Fitzsimons from 1994-1996.)

19

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, originally General Hospital No. 21, was erected on the plains east of Denver in the closing months of World War I. The hospital’s specific mission was to care for the growing number of veterans suffering from tuberculosis and respiratory diseases resulting from battlefield conditions during the war. The establishment of the hospital was viewed as a triumph for the local community, which had waged an intensive campaign to secure the facility. For the Army, the post represented the expansion of military services attendant to the war and the recognition of the beneficial effects of Colorado’s climate on those afflicted with tuberculosis. In composition, the hospital buildings embodied the latest medical philoso- phies regarding the treatment of the disease, as well as an overall archi- tectural style popular during the period, the Mission Revival style.

The history of the hospital reflects the development of military medicine nationwide, as the post was faced with reduced funding during the economic depression of the 1930s and an unprecedented period of expansion during World War II. The hospital played a significant role pioneering new forms of care and treatment for tuberculosis and in training specialists in the field. The installation served as a major center for general medical treatment during World War II, during which the built environment of the post expanded to include an enlisted technicians’ school, facilities for members of the Women’s Army Corps, and a prisoner of war camp. Following the war, the installation continued to provide expanded services, providing treatment for casualties of the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Exploration and Fur Trade 1700-1845

The earliest recorded European explorers in northeastern Colorado were the Spanish, whose expeditions reached the Great Plains in the

1540s. Motivated by the example of Cortez, as well as tales of “Cibola,” the legendary seven cities of gold, the Spanish organized numerous expedi- tions to explore the uncharted regions of the West. In 1540, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led an expedi- tion which traveled northward from Mexico into the Great Plains. Although Coronado never found cities of gold, his expedition became the basis for Spain’s claim to the entire Great Plains, including most of northeastern Colorado.

In the early 1700s, other Europeans, particularly the French, were reportedly violating Spanish claims to the area by trading with the Native Americans. In 1720, Pedro de Villasur led a military expedition into northeastern Colorado to discourage French infdtration. After Villasur and his party were killed by Pawnees, French activity in the region in- creased.

In 1803, northeastern Colorado, including the land which comprised Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (FAMC), became part of the United States through the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, that vast region drained by the Mississippi River.

The French had reacquired the Louisiana Territory from Spain in 1 800 through the Treaty of San lldefonso. Although the Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of

Newly constructed wards, 1919

the United States, the boundaries were vague. The southern boundary of the territory was disputed by Spain, a situation which led to some conflict with the United States. Finally, in 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty established the southern boundary of the Louisiana Territory at the Arkansas River.

In order to delineate the boundaries of the Louisiana Territory, as well as to determine what re- sources were to be found within the region, government-sponsored expeditions were soon sent forth to survey the newly-acquired land. Among the most important of these expeditions were Zebulon M. Pike’s explorations of the Central Rockies and Southwest. In 1806, Pike journeyed westward from Belle Fontaine near St. Louis. When Pike reached the Arkansas River, he sent some of his men southward to explore the Red River region while he continued westward into what is now northeastern Colorado. While looking for the headwaters of the South Platte River, Pike discovered the mountain peak that would later bear his name. Pike’s Peak. Pike’s party was eventually captured by Spanish troops who were patrolling the borderlands. In 1810, following his release. Pike published his account of the expedition. Pike’s report, which greatly advanced

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knowledge about the American Southwest, described the land west of the Mississippi River as being unsuitable for agriculture. Pike’s view of the Great Plains as “sandy deserts” influenced settler’s percep- tions of the region for many years to come.

Following Pike’s expedition, the next official government survey into northeastern Colorado was led by Major Stephen Harriman Long in 1820. Traveling westward along the South Platte River, the Long expedi- tion explored the area where the river flows from the mountains, near the future site of Denver. Accompanied by a team of scientists, Long supplied the first detailed account of the South Platte River basin. Like Pike, Long also contributed to the myth of the West as an uninhabitable area, the “Great American Desert.”

In the decades that followed, several more American explorers investigated northeastern Colorado. Chief among these were the explora- tions of John C. Fremont, who made five expeditions between 1 842 and 1 854. The widely-published reports of Fremont, who was popularly known as “The Great Pathfinder,” further increased American interest in the frontier. In 1843, during his second expedition, Fremont passed through present-day Adams County, where he visited an Arapaho village.

The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory also encouraged private citizens to explore the new land, particularly trappers and traders who followed waterways across the plains toward the mountains in search of beaver and other fur-bearing animals. A French Creole trader, Baptiste La Lande, arrived in northern Colorado in 1804. The following year, James Purcell and a small band of hunters also trapped in the Rocky Mountains west of the South Platte River basin. During the 1 820s, when beaver hats became fashionable in Eastern markets, there was an even greater influx of fur-trappers into the area. Among them were James Ohio Pattie, Andrew Sublette, and Louis Vasquez.

By 1834, Vasquez had established Fort Convenience at the mouth of Clear Creek in present-day Adams County. Other forts in the area included Fort Vasquez (No. 2), Fort Lancaster (later known as Fort Lupton), and Fort St. Vrain.

Although few trappers and traders became permanent settlers in northeastern Colorado, their travels spread information about the region, including reports of gold discoveries. In addition, their routes of travel into the mountains became established trails. By 1840, buffalo robes had replaced beaver pelts as the main article of western fur trade. Unlike beaver pelts, buffalo robes were too bulky to be carried by pack animals or boat. They had to be hauled by wagon, and this traffic brought the first wagon trains into northeastern Colorado.

The Colorado Gold Rush Early Trails, and Transportation: 1858-1870

In 1858, a party of Georgians led by William Green Russell discovered a small amount of gold at Dry Creek. The news of this discov- ery brought forth an influx of gold- panning prospectors, many of whom had also followed the California gold rush of 1849. In 1859, when three large lode claims were made in what would later become Gilpin, Clear Creek, and Boulder Counties, people from across the United States were lured to the region by the promise of gold. Many of these gold-seekers settled in the area permanently.

These new settlers brought with them a desire for organized government and, in 1861, Congress established the Colorado Territory. In the same year, the territorial legislature created seventeen counties, including Arapahoe County, from which Adams County would be created in 1902.

It has been estimated that as many as 100,000 gold seekers set out for Colorado in 1859. Although probably less than half of that

number reached the Pike’s Peak area, the influx of prospectors, merchants, and promoters quickly transformed the fledgling settlement of Denver into an important regional center.

The city also became a major destination point for emigrant and stage routes. At least nineteen emigrant guidebooks were published between 1858 and 1859, each of which advised prospective settlers on the best routes to Denver and the gold fields.

Westward-bound travelers could choose one of three major routes to Denver, all originating on the Missouri River between St. Joseph and Kansas City. The northern route was the South Platte Trail, which followed the old Oregon Trail westward along the Platte River. At Julesburg, Colorado, the trail branched along the South Platte River into Denver. The southern route to Denver followed the Santa Fe Trail along the Arkansas River, and then traveled northward along the historic Cherokee Trail to Cherry Creek.

The central route, the shortest to the gold fields, was the Smoky Hill Trail, which ran approximately one- and-a-quarter miles south of the present site of Fitzsimons. The Smoky Hill Trail was the most recent path created and, because it crossed arid plains, the most dangerous.

Water was scarce, and the trail often became several miles wide as travelers wandered in search of food. Numerous acts of starvation and cannibalism were reported along the trail, earning it the nickname “the Starvation Route”.

Beginning in Leavenworth, Kansas, the Smoky Hill Trail ran along the Kansas River, then fol- lowed the fork of the Smoky Hill River to Old Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. In Colorado, the Smoky Hill Trail divided into three branches. The routes of these trails varied, following high ground in wet weather and valley roads when it was dry. As such, the trails could wander over an area several miles wide. The Middle

21

Smoky Hill Trail, the oldest of the three branches, approximately parallels the route of today’s Smoky Hill Road. The Smoky Hill South intersected with the Cherokee Trail near the present site of Parker. The Smoky Hill North split off from the Middle Smoky Hill Trail and entered Denver from the east. The Smoky Hill North eventually replaced the Smoky Hill South, which last operated as a stage line in 1866. An unidentified early trail is mapped by Glenn R. Scott as passing through the northwestern corner of Fitzsimons from the east before connecting to the Smoky Hill North Trail. This trail may have been one of the variations of the main trail used during ex- tremes of weather.

The Smoky Hill North also served as the route of the Fort Morgan Cut-Off of the Overland Stage Line. The stage line, which followed the South Platte River Trail, forked at Fort Morgan, Colorado, and a branch of the line connected with the Smoky Hill North Trail leading into Denver. Known as the Fort Morgan Cut-Off, this branch of the Overland Stage Line traveled in a southwesterly direction across Adams County, following Bijou and Kiowa Creeks. At Living Springs, the cutoff divided into two forks, one leading to the Kiowa stage station, the other to the Box Elder station near Watkins. The Toll Gate Overland Stage station was located on the north side of Toll Gate Creek, approximately one mile southeast of Fitzsimons grounds

In 1 862, Congress chartered the Union Pacific Railroad to construct the eastern link of the transcontinen- tal railroad. Denver was severely disappointed when the planned route bypassed the city, favoring instead a northern path through Cheyenne.

The community realized that its viability rested on securing rail connections to the East, and promi- nent businessmen, such as William Evans initiated plans to promote and develop local railroad projects. In 1870, the Kansas Pacific building westward from Kansas City, and the

Denver Pacific, connecting the main tracks at Cheyenne to Denver, were both completed, ending the isolation of northeastern Colorado. The arrival of the railroads ushered in a period of prosperity and growth for the Denver area. The tracks of the Kansas Pacific (later the Union Pacific) ran approximately one mile north of Fitzsimons.

Native American Interaction: 1700-1869

By the mid- 1800s, several successive groups of Native Ameri- cans had utilized northeastern Colorado for hunting and camping.

By the 1500s, the Pawnees controlled much of the South Platte Valley north of the river, while the Jicarilla Apaches controlled the land between the South Platte and the Arkansas. During the early 1700s, incoming Comanches and their allies, the Utes, drove the Apaches south. The Utes were a mobile society of hunters who eventually occupied most of the western slope and controlled the mountain passes. During the 1800s, the Kiowa allied with the Comanches and shared their hunting grounds south of the Arkansas River after being pressured southward by incoming Arapaho and Cheyenne. One of the first reports of Arapahoes and Cheyennes on the eastern plains was offered by the Long expedition in 1820. From the early 1800s, most of eastern Colorado north of the Arkansas River was occupied by the Arapahoes and the Cheyennes. The Sioux also used northeastern Colo- rado as hunting grounds during the mid-1 800s.

Denver is situated where the high plains intersect the base of the mountains. This area was utilized as a hunting ground by several groups of Indians, but none had a strong hold on it. Since none of the tribes dominated in this strip of land, none offered as much resistance to Anglo settlements in this locality as in other parts of the state. When trapper

Rufus B. Sage traveled through the present site of Adams County in 1842, he encountered an encampment of Arapaho Indians who were on their way to the mountains to hunt game. Sage found that the Arapa- hoes “maintained terms of the strictest friendship. ..with the whites.” The Pike’s Peak gold rush, the immigrant trails, and the coming of the railroads had a profound effect on Colorado’s Native American popula- tions, including those who lived in what now comprises the greater Denver metropolitan area. As gold seekers and immigrants moved westward in increasing numbers, the Indian tribes of northern Colorado found their traditional way of life disintegrating. New trails and tracks disrupted the Indians’ territorial grounds, buffalo and other wildlife were killed or driven away, and new towns were established on land that, by treaty, belonged to Native Ameri- cans.

The 1 860s were a time of great conflict between Colorado’s Anglo and Native American populations, particularly on the plains. While the trappers and hunters had coexisted with the Native Americans, the prevailing sentiment of the new settlers was one of manifest destiny, that the Indians were doomed to vanish before the march of civiliza- tion. The Treaty of Fort Wise (1861), which offered the Arapahoes and Cheyennes a reservation in eastern Colorado, was followed by numerous clashes between the Indians and the military. During 1864 and 1865, Indian raids along the South Platte were so frequent that the overland trails were closed, and Denver was often cut off from communication with the East. In 1867, two treaties signed at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, attempted to establish peace with the Kiowas, Comanches, Apaches, Arapahoes, and Cheyennes. The Battle of Summit Springs in 1869 marked the last battle against the Plains Indians in Colorado.

High Plains Irrigation and

22

Farming to 1900,

Post 1900 Agriculture, and Residential Development to 1917

The earliest attempts at agricul- ture in what would become Colorado were started as subsistence activities at trading posts or by retired moun- tain men who became permanent settlers. The gold rush stimulated agricultural production as the growing populations of mining camps presented new markets to be exploited. In addition, the rush of people into the area encouraged the establishment of ranches along the trails to sell food to travelers and provide feed for the animals used in travel. Many veterans of the Califor- nia gold rush came to the area to supply provisions to the mining camps, acquiring wealth by offering goods and services rather than by extracting metal. In this manner, agriculture on the northeastern plains quickly changed from a subsistence to a commercial venture.

The earliest farmers settled along and near sources of water, which could provide moisture for crops. As these choice lands were taken up quickly, latecomers were forced to select less desirable acre- ages further from available water supplies. Most early farmers realized that successful operations on these dry lands, which received an average of twelve to sixteen inches of rain a year, would require the introduction of drought resistant crops or irriga- tion systems. One of the earliest attempts at growing irrigated vegetables in the region was made by David Wall, who dug a ditch to supply water to his farm near Golden in 1859. The Brantner Ditch in Adams County was constructed in 1860. In subsequent years, many individuals and small groups of farmers attempted to build and maintain irrigation systems to support agricultural endeavors.

These efforts were somewhat success- ful in providing water for small

0&*

operations, but it would take the expertise and capital of large compa- nies to construct the major water systems required for extensive irrigated farming of the plains.

The railroads also served as land promoters, selling their land grant acres in order to obtain the necessary money to continue their construction. The alternate sections of land granted the railroads by the federal government were sold to settlers at attractive rates. The railroads also encouraged settlement by offering discount fares for farmers and their supplies, and they con- structed branch lines which led to the agricultural regions of Colorado. The railroads promoted their services and lands through extensive advertising of the agricultural acreages available, and they became a major influence in the resulting settlement of the plains.

The Kansas Pacific Railroad, which merged with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1880, began a concerted effort to develop its land grants near Denver in 1879. Under the direction of Jay Gould, the railroad, which ran approximately one mile north of FAMC, endeavored to interest

developers in establishing an irriga- tion system on the lands, thereby making them more attractive to farmers. With capital supplied by the Platte Land Company, the Colorado Mortgage and Investment Company purchased lands from the Kansas Pacific Railroad and began develop- ing a canal. The Northern Colorado Irrigation Company, a subsidiary of the Colorado Mortgage and Invest- ment Company, built and managed the venture. The High Line Canal, which ran near the western edge of the site of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, began in Platte Canyon and ran over eighty miles through the eastern plains. Although the system advanced settlement in the area, the High Line Canal never lived up to the original plans of its owners and was plagued by design flaws, weak water rights, and dry weather. In 1915, the City of Denver bought the system for urban use.

The arrival of the railroads, the availability of inexpensive public lands through the homestead acts, the boosterism of the state’s Board of Immigration, the encouragement of land speculators, and the introduction of new technologies all led to the settlement of the farmlands of northeastern Colorado. In addition, a cycle of years with above average rainfall during the 1880s, and the popular belief that “rain follows the plow” led to a massive influx of farmers during the late 1880s and early 1890s. New towns sprang up in farming areas to service the sodbusters and older communities on the plains were revitalized by the surge of activity. A corresponding increase in the price of land resulted. Real estate entrepreneurs quickly established subdivisions in suburban areas and promoted the advantages of their developments. Soon, a network of roads and streetcar lines connected Denver’s city center with the new residential areas which were platted adjacent to major roads to the city.

Among the developers active during this period was Donald Fletcher, a Denver real estate

23

The new Post Exchange automobile Service Station was opened for business April 1929. The construction of the station began in December 1928 and was completed at a cost of $4195.00, all financing being done entirely by the Post Exchange. The station consists of three sections — grease room, filling station and oil storage room.

promoter, who was president of the group which founded Fairmount Cemetery and who had extensive landholdings on the plains east of the city. Fletcher, along with Thomas S. Hayden and Samuel Marston Perry platted the Aurora Subdivision in 1889 and acquired lands both north and south of Colfax Avenue, the main street running east from Denver. In 1891, the three men incorporated the Town of Fletcher (Aurora) and began selling lots on the property they had accumulated.

In order to spur development and provide access to and from Denver to the residents of the new town, Perry and some associates incorporated the Colfax Avenue Electric Railway, which began operating in 1893. In an effort to ensure water needed for future growth, Donald Fletcher sold his East Denver Water Company to the new town. Unfortunately, the company was unable to provide all of the water needed , and the town was forced to acquire supplemental supplies. The Panic of 1893 led to a downturn in construction and real estate prices, and the community was hard hit by the economic crisis. Donald Fletcher broke his ties to the development during this period.

The community’s salvation lay in its status as a service and supply center for the agricultural lands which surrounded it. The local farm economy began to recover in the late 1890s. The town of Fletcher, incorporated in 1903, changed its name to Aurora in 1907. World War I created a period of growth in agriculture which, in turn, brought even greater prosperity to Aurora. In addition. East Colfax Avenue increased in importance as a major thoroughfare and trolley transporta- tion increased in volume. As automobiles became more popular, Colfax Avenue became a major route into downtown Denver and the popularity of the area as a residential center increased. One of the first federal roads in the area, U.S. 40, entered Denver along Colfax Avenue,

thereby ensuring the importance of

the route.

Early Ownership and Development of the Site of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center: 1861-1917

Another early developer who established a subdivision on the plains east of Denver was Alfred H. Gutheil. Gutheil and associated investors conceived of a suburban community near the fledgling town of Fletcher. Although the residential development, Gutheil Park, was not a successful venture, the property was later to become significant as the site chosen by the government for U. S. Army General Hospital, No. 21.

"No. 21" later to become Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, in Adams County, Colorado, occupied all of Section 36, Township 3 South, Range 67 West, 6th Principal Meridian, except for approximately 45.2 acres in the northeast corner. Establishing the exterior lines of nearby townships in 1861, surveyor Joel E. Hendricks observed that Township 3 was “poor with the exception of Cole [sic] Creek Valley most of which is occupied by settlers and is first rate land.” William Ashley, who surveyed section lines

within the township in 1865, noted that Coal Creek provided abundant fresh water and reported indications of workable coal along its banks. He concluded that the township had a large amount of “2nd rate land which would be fit for cultivation with proper irrigation and is also well adapted to grazing purposes.” At the time of his survey he found settle- ment only in Sections 20 and 27.

Bureau of Land Management records indicate that Section 36 was reserved by the government and not opened to settlement. Upon Colorado’s admission to statehood in 1876, the federal government transferred the land to Colorado by a State Grant. The 1888 U.S.G.S. map of the Denver area shows no roads within the Section 36. However, roads along its western, southern, and northern boundaries were present. Tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad are shown in the section to the north, as well as other roads running parallel to the tracks. Tollgate Creek is depicted running from southeast to northwest through the eastern side of the section.

The Colorado program for disposing of public lands did not require homesteading of lands. The land was sold at public auction. Successful bidders were issued certificates of sale and could pay for

24

their land in semi-annual install- ments over 33 years. When fully paid, a patent was issued which served in lieu of a deed. Section 36 was sold by the state at public auction 5 December 1895. The section’s land was patented between 1902 and 1918, as buyers paid off their certificates.

By far the largest landholder in the section was C. E. Lovett, an investor, who paid $8,809.15 for 384.1 acres, which were patented in 1911. Lilia B. Gutheil (wife of Alfred H.) of Denver, held 85.415 acres (patented in 1913, 1914, and 1918) and the Gutheil Park Investment Company owned 20 acres (patented in 1913). George C. Manley, a Denver lawyer, held 20 acres patented in 1918 and M. E. Lovett owned 18.298 acres patented in 1914. The remaining owners of land in the section, patented between 1902 and 1918, held ten acres or less: W. D. Fiske of Gila, Arizona; Charles H. Hayden of Denver (Tremont Grocers); Emil Desserich of Denver (a collector with American Wringer Company); William Gibbs Bailey of Denver (a clerk with J. A. Farrell); and Carrie M. Humphreys, Elizabeth Goddard, and Lucile Goddard Hewitt of Denver. A forty foot wide strip on the western and southern sides of the section was excepted from the patents for road purposes. Julia Frances Richardson of Denver owned the 45.165 acres in the northeast comer not included when the Army post was

created in 1918.

The plat of the Gutheil Park subdivision, which was comprised of all of Section 36, was recorded 6 December 1 895 in what was then Arapahoe County. The subdivision was created by the Gutheil Park Investment Company, which was capitalized at $100,000. Alfred Henry Gutheil was president and general manager of the company.

Gutheil was bom in 1864, in Attenburg Thuringen, Germany. He came to the United States in 1880, living in Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, homesteading in Nebraska, and managing a stock ranch in Wyoming before settling in Denver in 1886. In 1888, Gutheil entered the real estate business and the following year, he bought and platted Gutheil Gardens, a subdivision on lands adjoining Gutheil Park on the east. Gutheil quickly disposed of his holdings in Gutheil Gardens to concentrate on Gutheil Park, where he established his residence. Gutheil served as Adams County judge from 1905- 1909. He operated a nursery known as “Gutheil Gardens” after selling his Gutheil Park land for the site of the Army recuperation camp in 1918. Gutheil died in 1955.

The Gutheil Park development was divided into 240 blocks of land, plus the 45.165 acre tract in the northeast comer. The plat shows existing Denver streets extending east-west through the subdivision.

East End Boulevard (now Peoria) formed the western boundary of the subdivision, while Gutheil Avenue was the eastern limit. Seven north- south streets were platted in the interior: Lovett Avenue; Center Avenue; Baker Avenue; School Land Boulevard; Cummings Avenue; Magnolia Avenue; and Tollgate Avenue. The grid-pattern of planned streets divided the subdivision into 60 street blocks. Tracts of five or ten acres were offered for sale. As an added inducement for investment, the developers promised each tract would be plowed up and irrigation ditches extended to the parcel upon sale. Another bonus included free fruit and shade trees given to buyers.

The investment company reported that in 1897, about thirteen miles of shade trees were planted in the subdivision, and fifty acres of orchards were established. Several houses were built during the same period, including that of Gutheil. These improvements provided activity for both the real estate developers and the nursery supply business Gutheil had established to offer plantings for local residents.

The Gutheil Park subdivision is

Judge Alfred Gutheil established a subdivision to the east of Denver which became the site for General Hospital No. 21.

25

shown on the W. C. Willits Farm map of 1 899 as a grid of streets. In reality, the interior streets of the development were probably never actually constructed, as the tract never flourished as a residential subdivision. At the time of its creation, it was relatively remote from business and commercial activity in central Denver. The western edge of Gutheil Park abutted the town limits of Fletcher, which was itself struggling. The Gutheil development was a mile east of the end of the trolley line from Denver at Galena and East Colfax. In 1899, the Denver Times reported that A. H. Gutheil and F. A. Joslin incorporated the Gutheil Park Railway Company with the intention of building a

streetcar line to provide access from the subdivision to the town of Fletcher. No evidence exists that the line was actually constructed.

In 1901, Gutheil Park became the home of another of the developer’s ventures, the Gutheil Nurseries. Gutheil lived in a large, two-story residence called “Park Lodge,” which served as the com- manding officer’s quarters at Fitzsimons until 1996. The nursery grounds were “situated on the open plains, an ideal location for produc- ing the best and hardiest Nursery Stock possible.” Irrigation water was required to make the plantings flourish on the dry plains, and the nursery had a supply from the High Line Canal and from the Antero

Reservoir. The West Branch of the High Line Canal crossed Colfax Avenue within two blocks of the nursery. Impressive brick and wrought iron entry gates stood at the southwest comer of the property at East Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street.

The nursery supplied homes in the Denver area with evergreens, deciduous trees, deciduous shrubs, roses, vines, hedges, ornamental grasses, herbaceous perennials, fruit trees, and vegetable roots. In a pamphlet about the nurseries, Gutheil wrote that “the evergreens are undoubtedly the most striking of our trees, even if planted singly, but are truly imposing in clumps or masses.” Roster’s Blue Spruce trees were imported from Europe in large numbers and sold by the nursery.

The nursery boasted that “we are strictly growers of hardy and superior Colorado Stock, chiefly Shade and Ornamental, and must not be confounded with Denver ’Jobbers’ and irresponsible agents, who by means of highly colored pictures, and other devices and misrepresentations, work upon the credulity and pocket books of unsuspecting people.” The nursery was a pioneer in using hydrocyanic acid gas as a pesticide. Transplanted and imported stock was fumigated and the stock was shipped to the Denver market. If carloads were purchased, the Sable branch of the Union Pacific was used to transport the plantings.

The nursery gardens and associated park were regarded as a showplace by local residents and attracted many visitors. The development’s pamphlet stated that “the Gutheil Park Nurseries are said to comprise the most beautiful grounds near Denver. We are continually adding new drives, lawns, and other attractive features of landscape gardening.”

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The Campaign for a Military Tuberculosis Hospital in Denver, 1917-1918

The United States entered World War I on 6 April 1917. By that date, the Allies, who had been involved in the monumental struggle since 1914, were desperate for manpower. Preparations for mobili- zation of America’s forces had begun months before America joined the fight and the unprecedented expan- sion of facilities and manpower accelerated. Shortly after the first American troops landed in Europe, civic and commercial leaders in the Denver area began a campaign to encourage the construction of a military post in their city.

The Denver Civic and Commer- cial Association, forerunner of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, led the campaign to acquire a military facility for the Denver area. Gover- nor Julius C. Gunther urged the group to visit Washington, D. C. to request the establishment of a training camp near Denver. Denver’s

geographic position in the interior of the country caused the War Depart- ment to ignore it when establishing cantonments and when calling for contracts for munitions and supplies. One official, however, suggested that “Denver was the finest place on earth for a recuperation hospital.”

Mobilization for the war required the expansion of medical facilities to provide care for many types of war-related casualties. Many soldiers returning from Europe in the early months of the war were found to be suffering from pulmonary diseases resulting from prolonged exposure in trenches, underground bunkers, and battlefields. The idea of attracting a military recuperation camp which would serve such casualties soon gained favor with Denver leaders. William G. Evans, a prominent member of the Civic and Commercial Association, suggested that if Denver could not obtain a cantonment, it might be more successful at attaining a recuperation camp for those suffering from pulmonary and respiratory ailments.

The climate of Colorado had

long been believed to be beneficial in the treatment of tuberculars. The cool, dry, air and large number of days per year with sunshine were regarded as advantageous for such patients and many homes were built with open sleeping porches. Histori- ans Stephen Leonard and Thomas Noel have opined that “one of Denver’s most viable industries during the depressed 1 890s was tending tuberculosis patients.” By the early twentieth century, several institutions for the treatment of the white plague had opened in Denver and hundreds of tuberculars had come to the city for treatment. The first facility, National Jewish Hospital was established in 1892 and opera- tional by 1 899. Other Denver area sanatoriums quickly came into existence, including the Jewish Consumptives Relief Society (1903), Agnes Memorial Sanatorium (1904), National Swedish Hospital (1908), Craig Hospital (1909) and Bethesda (1914).

Acquiring a military recupera- tion camp specializing in the treat- ment of tuberculars seemed a logical

I

m Nf ES RECUp£R47/o m

DENVER, COLORADO '‘V Q

(gontrifrator’s (gntifinilf

ft to Certify, That - J. IRTHM r

of inrora, of “Denver, Colorado

has contributed the sum of y£»0Q toward the purchase of 600 acres, more or less, in Section 36,

Township 3 South, Range 67 IV est, Adams County, Colorado; which said property is to be purchased by the citizens of Denver and deeded to The Denver Civic and Commercial Association, to be leased to the United States of America for an Army Recuperation Camp at an annual rental of one dollar per year.

The Denver Civic and Commercial Association is to be the sole owner of the said property and is charged with the management thereof; if the said United States of America discontinues said 'Recuperation Camp at any future time, and voluntarily relinquishes said lease, then the said property is to be sold in the manner, at the time or times, and at the discretion of said Association, as a whole, or in parcels, and the proceeds thereof, as received from time to time, divided ratably amongst the contributors toward the purchase of the same, their heirs or assigns, upon the surrender of this certificate.

f

27

step to Denver citizens, who wel- comed the economic benefits of treating the “one-lunged army.” In addition to its advantageous climate, local boosters believed that Denver’s labor supply, its railroad network, its pleasant residential neighborhoods, its business and industrial sectors, and its location between the East and West coasts made it a desirable site for a military hospital.

In 1906, the Navy affirmed Colorado’s beneficial climate when it established a tuberculosis hospital at Fort Lyons, later redesignating it the Navy Hospital at Las Animas. The Army had a western tuberculosis hospital at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, and the Public Health Service had a similar institution at Fort Stanton, New Mexico. The Army recognized the need for the enlargement of its facilities after the advent of World War I, but Fort Bayard’s limited water supply controlled its ability to expand. Therefore, the organization decided to build such hospitals in several locations around the country.

Believing the time was right to push for the creation of a tuberculosis hospital in Denver, the Civic and Commercial Association appointed William G. Evans, Cass E.

Herrington, and John C. Mitchell to present the group’s request to officials in Washington. In the capitol, Clark Hinton, secretary of the Denver and Colorado Manufacturers’ Association, pushed the effort. Cass Herrington reportedly “had more to do with obtaining the great institu- tion than any other one person” and his unfailing efforts in acquiring the hospital for Denver would win him the title “the father of Fitzsimons.” Herrington was a prominent attorney, who had served as county attorney for Arapahoe County and president of the Denver Bar Association. Herrington was also a member of the State Council of Defense, a group appointed by the governor following the country’s entry into World War I to mobilize the resources of the state.

William G. Evans, the son of territorial governor John Evans, has

also been lauded for his efforts toward obtaining the hospital. Evans had been president of the Denver Tramway Company, an investor in banks and railroads, and was one of the most powerful businessmen in Colorado. Reportedly, he used his influence to obtain a meeting with the Surgeon General in order to convince the Army that Denver was the best site for a new tuberculosis hospital. Present at the meeting was Colonel George E. Bushnell, who had spent two years in Colorado recover- ing from tuberculosis. Bushnell was a medical officer with the Surgeon General’s office and a recognized pioneer in the treatment of tuberculo- sis. The Denver group detailed the benefits of Colorado’s climate for those suffering from the disease, noting that it had “the right amount” of dryness and the “correct amount of ozone.” In addition, the price of food in Denver was shown to be favorable in comparison to other cities.

Herrington and the group also distributed a pamphlet which stated Denver’s case, with information on Denver-area climate, economy, and labor supply. The text of the pam- phlet was written by Frank D. Baldwin, adjutant general of the state. The author argued that “the establishment of such a sanatorium here in this altitude and in this unrivaled climate, to which such men might be invalided, would mean the restoration to the service of thousands of fine young men who otherwise must be lost, not only to the Army, but as useful factors in civil life.”

In response to requests from Colorado, Colonel Bushnell was sent to the state in November 1917, to inspect possible sites for a recupera- tion camp. The Army’s experience was that it was difficult and expen- sive to lease and remodel existing buildings for a tubercular hospital. It was hinted that the government was not interested in buying land for a hospital, but would prefer to rent a hospital site for a nominal fee. The committee representing the Civic and Commercial Association quickly

added several real estate agents to its membership and secured options on several locations for a recuperation camp.

Bushnell inspected several undeveloped sites during his visit.

The grounds of the A. H. Gutheil Nursery, located near Aurora, eight miles east of Denver, brought praise from the Colonel. Upon viewing the magnificent unobstructed vista of the mountains from the nursery grounds, Bushnell reportedly remarked, “What an effect that view would have on our poor boys!” The campaign to win Bushnell’ s approval was not limited to inspection tours, but also included a dinner in his honor hosted by Herrington. For the occasion, several of the doctors who had treated the Colonel during his convalescence in Denver were present.

Finally, Bushnell expressed approval of the Gutheil Nursery site as the proper location for a recupera- tion camp. His opinion was sup- ported by the Construction Division of the Army. The Gutheil Nursery grounds were selected because the acreage met several of the require- ments for the location of a military medical post. The location near a major city insured an available labor supply, but enough distance from the city to maintain a quiet atmosphere needed by invalids. Two major roads, Colfax Avenue and Montview Boulevard provided necessary access to the grounds. Bushnell was also reportedly impressed by the water available from Denver and the ease of constructing a sewage system on the site. In addition, an uncomplicated rail connection could be made to the Union Pacific Sable Junction track- age, about a mile from the post.

The size of the site, 594.84 acres, was also significant, being large enough to accommodate the low density type of medical complex desired for treatment of tuberculars.

At that time, hospitals for tuberculars featured buildings with long rectan- gular floor plans of low height. Wide spacing between buildings insured a maximum of sunshine and fresh air.

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Col. George Bushnell inspected various Colorado sites in early 1918 and finally decided that the new hospital would be built near Denver, rather than in the mountains.

The grounds were also extensive enough to encompass future construc- tion if more buildings were deemed necessary.

The nursery was on nearly level, well-drained, basically undeveloped lands, which had a “splendid view of the neighboring mountains and surrounding country.” At that time, the land was described as a “jump- ing-off place, traversed by a winding country road and dotted by lonesome cottonwoods.” One account stated the acreage was “mostly unbroken prairie sod except the southwest comer, which had been developed with the Gutheil Nurseries.” There was also some farm land in the north half of the section with a considerable area in apple orchards and some alfalfa fields.

In February 1918, the War Department recommended to Con- gress that $500,000 be expended on construction of the Denver hospital. Plans for a one-thousand bed hospital were completed in Washington. A subcommittee of the Civic and Commercial Association quickly endeavored to procure the necessary deeds for the Gutheil tract, and found that the owner was ready to sell. The Civic and Commercial Association was notified that the hospital would be constructed if it could immediately secure the land. The group now began a frantic fundraising campaign in Denver and its suburbs to purchase the Gutheil Nursery for the recupera- tion camp. The prescient William Evans exhorted his fellow citizens to purchase subscriptions, stating that “this hospital is a bigger thing than we realize. It is a bigger thing and will be far more vast a project than the government authorities them- selves dream. It means that this will not be a transient thing. It will become a permanent institution of the government.”

Within four days, $150,000 had been raised. More than 1,500 contributors from Denver and Aurora bought stock certificates which enabled the purchase of the Gutheil property, at a cost of approximately $140,000. The City and County of Denver contributed $10,000 from its general revenues to the fund and the then small town of Aurora donated one dollar for each of its citizens.

According to the certificates, the Civic and Commercial Association became the sole owner of the land, which it would lease to the United States at the rate of one dollar per year. If the government abandoned the land, the property could be sold at the discretion of the Association and the proceeds would be divided among those who bought stock certificates during the fundraising. In 191 8, the possibility of abandonment was considered “so remote that it is hardly worthy of discussion.”

Creation of General Hospital No. 21, 1918-1919

Ground was broken in April 1918 and, in May, construction began on forty-eight buildings at the site then designated as Army General Hospital No. 21. General hospitals of the Army were created to service both general and special needs of patients. Such hospitals were designed for the treatment of all injuries and diseases, and especially for the care of patients from abroad. General hospitals received patients who suffered from severe or obscure illnesses from station hospitals and were maintained with better facilities for treatment of serious or complicated cases than field hospitals. General hospitals were staffed with specially qualified personnel to treat complex cases and were designed to instruct and train junior medical officers. Such hospitals were under the exclusive

29

Lt. Col. William P. Harlow, a native Coloradoan, was Fitzsimons' first commanding officer. Elizabeth D. Reid served as the first head nurse of "U.S. Army Hospital No.

21."

Lt. Col William P. Harlow, a native Coloradoan, was Fitzsimons’ first commanding officer. Elizabeth D. Reid served as the first head nurse of "U.S. Army Hospital No. 21".

control of the Surgeon General and were governed by regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War.

The first commander of General Hospital No. 21 was Lieutenant Colonel William P. Harlow, a Boulder native. Harlow, whose term of service began on 27 August 1918, had been Dean of the University of Colorado Medical School before the war. During the war, he was a member of the Army Medical Reserve Corps and had been Chief of Medicine at Army General Hospital No. 8 in Otisville, New York. He also served as head of the Hospital Division in the Office of the Surgeon General. The first Chief of Medicine at the hospital was Major William H. Bergtold, a Denver tuberculosis specialist. Both men were temporary officers.

Construction of the hospital facilities was completed under the supervision of Constructing Quarter- master Major W. J. Cameron and Assistant Quartermaster Captain F. T. Wood. C. S. Lambie Company was the general contractor. Lambie was a Pennsylvania native, who had worked as a civil engineer and contracting builder in Denver since 1911. Other contractors included Seerie and Vamum and Allison Stocker. To- gether, the three companies were said to make up the three largest contract- ing firms in Denver. Denver archi- tect T. Robert Wieger served as Chief Engineer. Table 2 lists the historic buildings constructed on the post and identifies their original functions.

A major task involved in constructing the post was the installa- tion of plumbing and heating for the facility. Chris Irving Plumbing and Heating Company undertook that portion of the project. Other local contractors which worked on the project included the Hendrie-Bolthoff Company and the Elaterite Roofing Company.

The buildings to be erected at the hospital were based upon stan- dard architectural designs for hospital structures developed by the

Quartermaster Corps and the Con- struction Division in consultation with the Surgeon General’s Office.

On 10 April 1918, the Construction Division, formerly a part of the Quartermaster Corps, was given responsibility for preparing plans and specifications for all military con- struction projects. The standard building plans included five classes of buildings: general administration buildings; care and treatment buildings such as wards; special care and treatment buildings, such as surgical, laboratory, and physical reconstruction buildings; food, housing, and supply buildings; and utility and physical operations buildings such as power house, shop, laundry, garage, and fire station buildings. The style of the buildings was the standard one adopted by the Army during that era for posts in the southwestern region, the Mission Revival style.

Among the original forty-eight buildings constructed on the post were an administration building, two- story officers’ tuberculosis wards, officers’ quarters, a nurses infirmary, an operating pavilion, garage, an officers’ recreation building, a post

exchange, a central infirmary for three hundred patients, two-story tuberculosis wards, an isolation ward, one surgical ward, two-story hospital corps barracks, a laboratory, store- houses, a guardhouse, a laundry, surgical ward, a shop building, a general mess and kitchen, an officer patients’ mess and kitchen, an officers’ mess and kitchen attendants’ dormitory, a nurses’ mess and kitchen and attendants’ dormitory, a hospital corps mess, a pumphouse, a power house, a Red Cross headquar- ters, a nurses’ recreation quarters, a chapel, an incinerator, and a fire station. The hospital also utilized several buildings already on the site, including stables and the Gutheil residence, which was remodeled and served as the commanding officer’s quarters.

At the center of the entire post was the Red Cross building, a cross- shaped building with entrances at each of its four wings. The Red Cross building was surrounded by a landscaped quadrangle area much like one found on a typical college campus, with pathways to the other activity areas. Also in a centralized location were the infirmary building,

30

surgical ward, operating pavilion, mess hall, post exchange, fire station, laundry, and chapel. The installation was essentially a symmetrical development around the buildings erected at the center of the grounds. Flanking the central area on the west and at intervals of two hundred feet were the semi-infirmary tuberculosis wards and the officers' and nurses’ wards. On the east, with the same proportioned spacing, were more semi-infirmaries, the open air wards,

and personnel housing. The north- east quadrant held the power house and store houses, as well as the school shops of the Education Department.

The first building completed was a temporary office to be utilized by the construction personnel. That building was finished in four days and served as headquarters for those supervising building on the post. Construction then began on the main administration building for the post.

During the course of construc- tion, a medical officer attached to the Surgeon General’s Office, Colonel Earl H. Bruns, who would later serve as chief of the medical service and temporary commanding officer, visited the hospital site and spoke to local citizens about the future of the post. Bruns, echoing the sentiments expressed earlier by William Evans, remarked that “few people in this locality appreciate the magnitude of

work which will be performed at the hospital, or the benefit to the commu- nity from its location here.” Presag- ing the challenges which the commu- nity would face in the years to come, Bruns urged the citizens to “continue your interest in this hospital, for I want to see it grow. It will be the largest hospital of its kind in the world, and when all units are built that are to be built, it will be the finest in the world.”

Bruns also spoke of the new

— v

vision of the hospital, which would treat the medical problems of its patients and educate them in useful trades. He noted, “we are going a step farther than ever before gone in hospitals.” Reflecting the spirit of

the Progressive movement, Bruns asserted that “we will try to give a complete functional recovery till the patient is able to take up an honest employment, to become a man of home, of loyalty and with ambition to succeed, instead of a beggar without a trade, full of bitterness for his lot and a shame to himself.”

The first group of forty-eight stucco and hollow tile buildings was dedicated on 13 October 1918, although the hospital was not officially completed until 1919.

Work was handicapped by the shortage of all kinds of labor result- ing from the war. One medical officer later commented that ...the speed with which the site of this hospital was secured and the con- struction work carried through was truly remarkable. ..Many hitches occurred in the building of other Army tuberculosis hospitals so that they were not ready when required, and three other tuberculosis hospitals had to be quickly put in operation by means of taking over sanatoria and hospitals already in operation and converting them rapidly for Army use. General Hospital Number 21. ..was ready when needed and in less than no time was filled up with patients.

The first patient to arrive at the hospital was Clair W. Martin, a private from New Haven, Connecti-

Victims of WWI gas attacks and respiratory illnesses were the early patients

in the first ward.

31

cut. At the time of his admission, several of the buildings were still in the process of being completed and furnished. Martin reached the hospital on the morning of October 17, “much to the surprise of the commanding officers.” On the afternoon of the same day, five soldiers from Fort Des Moines reached the post, and soon thereafter, twenty men from Vancouver Bar- racks, Washington, arrived. The men reached the hospital via the Union Pacific railroad tracks.

Before the first forty-eight buildings were dedicated, it became apparent that more facilities would be needed to serve the mounting flow of casualties from the front. Surgeon General Gorgas remarked that the expansion of the hospital would make it “the largest and finest of its kind in the world.” Accordingly, another unit of twenty-five buildings was begun in October 1918 and were completed by April of the following year. The second group of buildings included sixteen open air wards, three officers’ wards, nurses quarters, a barracks, and a storehouse. The first group of buildings cost $1,750,000 and the second $1,285,000.

A third group of buildings erected during wartime included a school building and two curative shops for physical reconstruction work.

At the time of their construction, the hospital buildings were described as “modern, open-air style con- struction.” The buildings were of hollow terra cotta tile and stucco construction, with frame roofs covered with four-ply tar and gravel or “Elaterite” roofing.

The more elaborately designed buildings reflected the Mission

Revival style influence, apparent primarily in the employment of smooth stuccoed walls, minimal exterior ornamentation, and decora- tive, shaped parapets placed on entry bays and gable ends. Other details were influenced by function and economy, including the expansive porches, ridge ventilation, and the standard six-over-six light, double- hung windows and paneled and glazed doors. Buildings had rein- forced concrete foundations and no basements.

Interiors reflected the pragmatic mission of the post. Walls and ceilings were covered with asbestos plaster board and two coats of wall plaster. Floors were generally of maple, sometimes pine. The interior woodwork was constructed of white pine and covered with two coats of white paint. Toilet, utility, and bath rooms had concrete floors.

Infirmary buildings housed the more seriously ill patients and those

confined to bed. Hospital planners originally allocated about one-third of the total number of beds on the post to nonambulant patients housed in the infirmary. As the war drew to a close, however, about two-thirds of

the patients needed the services of the infirmary. During the early 1 920s, several of the open-air wards were converted to infirmaries to serve these patients.

The length of the main infir- mary was 816 feet and its width only thirty-three feet. These dimensions garnered the building the designation “Upper and Lower Center West and East.” The plan of the building allowed for perfect ventilation and maximum sunshine, two factors considered essential for the treatment of tuberculars. Although the building was heated, windows on the two story building were arranged so that the entire front could be opened to the air, while rear windows allowed the passage of air through the building. Open porches were placed all along the southern elevation of the infir- mary so that patients’ beds could be wheeled out into the air. The center of the building housed offices, kitchen, and toilets, with patient wards in wings flanking the central area.

To increase exposure to the sun, two-story fresh air wards (standard plan K-107) were gener- ously spaced, faced south, and were staggered. The ambulatory fresh air wards had southern walls open to the air and were unheated, although each had a glass-enclosed steam- heated lounge. The open side of the ward was fitted with curtains which could be raised and lowered in an attempt to control climatic exposure. The central portion of the building contained the day room, lockers for clothing, a dressing room, and toilet facilities. Semi-infirmary wards (standard plan K-108) represented a compromise between the infirmary

U.S. General Hospital No. 21, Aurora, Colorado. The hospital was dedicated Oct. 13, 1918.

32

and ambulatory ward, being moder- ately heated and less open in front. It was soon found that snow, high winds, and rain came through the open windows despite the curtains and they were enclosed.

Although, in theory, the wide spacing between buildings seemed reasonable, in reality, it made the hospital difficult to administer and expensive to operate. In addition, patients were exposed to the extremes of weather when leaving their wards for mess or treatment. The post attempted to solve this problem by constructing a number of covered passageways between buildings. The difficulty of caring for patients in such dispersed facilities would be noted by future hospital planners.

Facing the main gate to the west was the social nucleus of the post, the Red Cross Building. The building was described by contemporaries as “literally a glass house permeated by sunshine and fresh air.” A central glass lantern tower rose above the building as a focal point for the quadrangle. Among other features, the interior of the building had an elevated stage for entertainment and large open fireplaces. The Red Cross supplied many forms of entertain- ment for patients, including movies, vaudeville, and concerts. The Red Cross building was the site of programs for ambulant patients, while those unable to leave their beds had programs brought to their wards. Much of the material provided for

entertainment was donated by local service organizations.

The long-term hospitalization required of many tubercular patients required that provision be made for activities which would help occupy them during their stay. The medical department believed that maintaining a healthy mental attitude was an important factor in the progress of treatment of tuberculosis. Plans for an educational program at the facility were formulated by its creators, who believed it was a significant compo- nent of the hospital’s mission. Thus, the Education Department, estab- lished in June 1919, was an impor- tant part of the program for recover- ing patients. The hospital regulations specified that regulated work could be offered to those with sufficient health to pursue such tasks.

Facilities of the educational service included four buildings: a two-story schoolhouse with formal

classrooms; two curative shops; and one shop building. All of these buildings are still standing. Rela- tively few buildings of this type were erected in the country during World War I, as most mobilization construc- tion was considered of temporary duration.

The vocational training curricu- lum was originally planned by Captain W. H. Lawrence. About forty courses ranging from elemen- tary to graduate level and from semi- skilled to skilled labor were offered to patients. Semi-ambulant and ambulant patients were encouraged to take academic, vocational, and commercial classes, according to their own preferences. Generally, those patients who were ambulant were encouraged to take educational courses, while those confined to the ward worked on simple crafts. The program was coordinated so that patients could continue schoolwork elsewhere after leaving the hospital without loss of credits. Plans were also made to develop a portion of the grounds around the hospital into an educational farm, which would provide agricultural training on a large scale.

The entire hospital was heated from a central steam plant, which was coal fired. Coal was transported via the railroad spur from Sable directly to the post power house. In cold weather, the hospital required three carloads of coal per day. Steam lines ran through concrete tunnels, the concrete roofs

33

Peoria St. 1919, outside Fitzsimons' West Gate Tough sledding!

became the post’s original sidewalks. During the winter, shoveling snow on the sidewalks was not a problem as the heat transmitted through the tunnels caused the snow to melt as it fell. Electric lighting and power was purchased from the Public Service Company of Colorado. The electric distribution system for the post was completed in May 1919.

The hospital also had its own two-story brick ice house and refrigeration plant. Ice wagons used the post mules to deliver their cargo. The walls, floor, and ceilings of the refrigeration plant were insulated with cork. Here, much of the farm’s produce was frozen to be served during mess at a later date.

All of the young trees remaining in the old Gutheil Nurseries at the time the site was acquired were transplanted to spots around the post for landscaping. The 1918 map of the post indicates that the nursery stock was originally located in the southwest corner of the post, in the area of the former Gutheil residence and the duck pond. The semi-arid climate in which the hospital was located required that the trees be watered frequently once they were transplanted. For this task, the mules pulled a water wagon around the grounds. Dust was an early problem until grass and trees were well established. The lack of adequate water for maintaining trees and lawns would be a problem for many years.

During the early months of operation of the hospital, the staff encountered many difficulties attendant to the start up of a new institution, problems further exacer- bated by lack of funds to obtain adequate equipment and supplies.

One local historian has noted that “economy of operation was the standard creed of the post from the earliest days.” Many of the materials used to maintain the installation were surplus or salvaged. Guy R. Martin, the first superintendent of the Utilities Section, which served as a full-service maintenance department,

reportedly kept the hospital in operation by obtaining materials from other camps being closed. Martin was a one-armed veteran who devoted himself to developing the hospital. Martin acquired surplus machinery for the laundry, many tools for general maintenance, and an old tractor from Camp Funston, Kansas. When snowfall caused roads to become impassible, only the second-hand tractor was able to move about.

Included in the early equipment of the Utilities Section was a World War I Fiberty truck with solid rubber, smooth tires and no windshield. The Fiberty truck provided a vital link to the city, making daily trips to Denver carrying mail, milk and other supplies. Mules and wagons were used for many of the transportation needs on the post. In addition, the hospital also possessed a 1918 model “Jimmy” ambulance salvaged from the war era. The ambulance was used to transport patients from the wards to a clinic or x-ray station.

The first lawn mower on the post golf course was built from a World War I motorcycle, with three twenty-four inch mowers replacing the cycle’s front wheel. In his annual report for 1920, the commanding officer stated that motor transportation equipment was the area which had given the

hospital the greatest trouble, due to lack of replacement parts and deterioration of equipment.

Road connections between the hospital and Denver were a persistent problem during the early years.

When the hospital opened, only the main entrance road, which ran through the former nursery and entered the post at the southwest comer, existed on the hospital grounds. The main road was gravel surfaced and became muddy during periods of precipitation. The condition of roads to the hospital grounds became a critical issue during the first year of the hospital’s operation. The post began receiving patients in October 1918, and in December, a record-breaking forty- five inches of snow fell. Access to and from the hospital quickly became impossible. The Utilities Section worked industriously to improve road conditions within the grounds, installing concrete roads and cinder roadways. In 1919, Fitzsimons Bus and Taxi Company began operating from Fitzsimons to downtown Denver via East Colfax and East Seventeenth Avenue. During the following decade, work continued to improve roads, with the most frequently used streets being concrete-surfaced, and the auxiliary roads graded and covered with gravel and cinders.

34

Although the availability of water was one of the factors consid- ered in the selection of the site, inadequate supplies became an immediate problem for the installa- tion. Water mains extended from Denver to the post provided sufficient water for drinking purposes. Water pressure was augmented by the installation of a booster pump. Distribution of water was through a 75,000 gallon pressure storage tank and tower. However, there was not enough volume for irrigation of the grounds to insure survival of trees, lawns, and other plantings, especially during summer months. To augment the supply received from Denver, the post was forced to dig wells for additional water. Emergency water storage was provided by a concrete reservoir holding 1,200,000 gallons.

On Armistice Day, 1 1 Novem- ber 1918, the capacity of General Hospital No. 21 was reported at 380 beds. New construction underway was fifty percent complete and would add 736 beds. Morale at the post was affected after the war when the “emergency men,” those called to service to replace the personnel sent overseas, were retained in service against their wishes. Although the dismissal of the emergency men led to shortages in personnel, it was generally conceded that their depar- ture improved the atmosphere of the hospital. In 1920, a majority of

Starting in 1919, the Fitzsimons Bus and Taxi Company transported people from the City of Denver. Montview and Colfax were the main throughways.

personnel were judged to be efficient, but reflecting “extreme youth and lack of training.” In addition, quite a few of the personnel assigned to the Medical Department were assigned there because they were unfit for combat. These men were also generally unable to perform their duties in the Medical Department. The arrival of a number of experi- enced men from the general hospital at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, added to the stability of the staff.

As a general hospital, the facility was also a teaching unit for medical staff. In the beginning, the training of medical officers was a necessity, as many assigned to the facility had limited experience with the treatment of tuberculosis. Fre- quent turnover resulting from the

discharge of emergency officers insured the continuance of the training programs. In addition, patient/nurses were trained in laboratory techniques with the idea that, upon their return to civilian life, they would have additional employ- able skills.

As the number of casualties returning from the war dwindled, fears that the Army would abandon Hospital No. 21 increased, and local civic leaders began a concerted campaign to keep the installation open. This was the beginning of a continual effort to keep the facility operating in the face of plans to abandon the site and transfer its services elsewhere. The older hospital at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, was respected for its healthful climate and its successful treatment of tuberculars. Many felt that the senior institution should be retained after demobilization.

During the early years, there were times when some of the staff at Hospital No. 21 were unsure whether it should be made permanent. After battling the problem of poor access roads and lack of water for landscap- ing, Colonel Henry Page, commander from March to September 1920, stated, “I have advocated the aban- donment of this institution because of the endless expense of its care and upkeep. No trees can live in Colo- rado without irrigation. All roads turn into a sea of mud after the first

The Fitzsimon's mules got through the snow in the storm of April 1919.

35

rain or snow. If the proposed reduction [in maintenance funds and personnel] takes place, this place will again be a wilderness within a year.”

However, the Surgeon General’s Office, and particularly Colonel Roger Brooke, who was in charge of hospitalization, believed that Denver was the best site for a permanent Army tuberculosis hospital. Denver’s economic advantages were a primary factor in this assertion. The hospital’s location “near a large healthfy] city, where the families of patients could live and the patients themselves find employment when discharged as arrested cases” was regarded as a significant argument for its continued operation.

Redesignation and Further Development of the Hospital, 1920-1929

A War Department directive dated 26 June 1920 redesignated the facility Fitzsimons General Hospital. The post was renamed in honor of William Thomas Fitzsimons, the first Army officer of the United States to die in World War I. Fitzsimons was

1st. Lt. Earl W. Mann came to General Hospital No. 21, after he was injured by mustard gas in France in 1918. In 1938, he was elected to the Colorado State Legislature. He served six nonconsecu- tive terms.

The first x-ray laboratory seemed crude, but even with their limited equipment they were able to diagnose patient ills.

THE DENVER POST

AUGUST 11. 1929

()n T Executing: the Fitzsimons General hospital lease in the Denver ohamber of comi

Uttctl Mile Saturday. Left to right, Congressman WiUiam R. Eaton, Sen. Lawrence C. PhipF 8®nd*> Presid«nt Denver chamber of commerce; Col. O. E. Aleshire, Fitzsimons General hospital, and A. K. Barnes.

» I Minor and Routine Activities TEN LEADING ACTIVITIES

1928 • 1929 192S • !929

U.S. SIGNS 999-YEAR LEASE FOR FITZSIMONS HOSPITAL PROPERTY

tte for a government can*' tonment According to Ca»* E. Hcr-j rington. chairman of the chamber] commJtleo which approved the loa»<v the late J K. Mullen was the )Ddi->( virtual most responsible for establish- 1

t of t

. Mullen i

i be

Mr. Herring Tsnf that the

Agreement Ends Long Controversy— Government May Increase Investment in Denver— Mullen's Work in Establishing Institution Is Praised.

plained. "But he i

nl hospital — biggest institution of its;,, wng guaranteed almost in perpetuity to I * when the United States government!,.

36

bom in Burlington, Kansas in 1889. After attending medical school, he volunteered with the First Relief Corps of the American Red Cross and served as a volunteer in England and Belgium during 1914-1915. When the United States entered the war, he volunteered for duty and was one of the first five medical officers sent overseas. On 4 September 1918, Fitzsimons was killed during an aerial bombardment on a field hospital in Dannes Camiers, France.

Local citizens believed that the future of Fitzsimons could be assured if the post was identified officially as

a permanent facility. Nearby commu- nities had benefited from the jobs available at the hospital and its purchases of supplies had also helped the local economy. In April, 1921, the commanding officer noted that the relations between the hospital and local community were “most cordial.” He added that civic groups consid- ered the post “a part of Denver and the community and have helped in every possible way in the operation of the hospital.”

After the war, the Chamber of Commerce began a move to turn ownership of the hospital site to the

government. The government was not interested in receiving title to the land at that point. The transfer of title was hampered by the fact that owners of the land were the dozens of original subscribers to the fund to purchase the site, not all of whom could be reached for approval. In 1926, a ninety-nine year lease at the rate of one dollar per year was suggested by the government.

Finally, in 1929, the Chamber and the government negotiated a 999 year lease at the rate of one dollar per year, stipulating that the government would maintain the grounds and, if the government abandoned Fitzsimons, that the land would revert to the Chamber of Commerce.

In September 1920, William H. Moncrief assumed command of Fitzsimons. Moncrief was the first commander to stay for a prolonged period, serving until August 1923. Buildings constructed during 1920 included several fire equipment houses, maintenance shops, storage buildings, and garages. The follow- ing year, construction included several new officers’ and non- commissioned officers’ quarters, stables, an irrigation and well pump houses, wagon and hay sheds, and a Quartermaster store house. During 1922, construction was minimal, including a baseball field, stable, well, dry cleaning plant, and machine shop. During the early 1920s, maintenance, rather than new construction, was given priority for funding on military posts.

By the 1920s, Fitzsimons was described as the largest active military hospital in the world and the largest tuberculosis hospital in the United States. In 1920, of 3,442 admissions to the hospital, 2,132 were treated for tuberculosis. The hospital had established an impres- sive reputation in the treatment of tuberculosis and in the field of research regarding the disease.

Colonel Earl H. Bruns, chief of the Medical Service, introduced heliotherapy to Fitzsimons. Bruns, who would serve as commanding

DENVER

Published Weekly by the Denver Chamber of Commerce

lol 19 Thursday, October 13, 1927 No. 25

Transfer of Title to Fitzsimons Site Of Future Significance to Denver

Another step of significance to Continued Operation and |H‘n*tion camp so long ns the Gov

^ . j eminent holds it, and will also make

Assured the institution eligible for appro- Action priations for improvements under a

new governmental policy.

- For $10 the Government, secures

A deed has 1hk*h executed l»v the the 160-aci-e tract for which the peo-

. Iminher transferring to the Govern- When this is accepted by the War |,|t, Gf Denver subscribed $150,000 ineiit the title to the hospital land department it will assure eontinu- thru the Chambers predecessor, the with all water and ditch rights, a nee of the Imspital as an army recti- (Continued qb rage 4 >

Executing the deed transferring tin- t It !»• of the Fitzsimons Army General Hospital site from the Chamber of Commerce to the Federal Government, lx* ft to rl«hi — Cans K. Herrington, “father" of the hospital and chairman of the committee that prepared the <! *'<!, who will deliver it to the proper officials: Manager George E. Coi Hatton of the Chamber; Presi- dent Fred Farrar of the Chamber signing the deed; and Attorney A. K. Barnes, member of the committee that drafted th.< Instrument. Attorney Wilbur F. Denlous. third member of the special committee that prepared the deed, was

Denver in connection with r itx- * .

. , . , , . Improvement

unions Army General hospital has r

►een taken by the Chamber of Coin- By CtiaUIlber

37

View of portion of main infirmary building, showing porches where patients received out-of-door fresh air treatment for tuberculosis.

officer during 1931, had himself contracted tuberculosis and spent time at the hospital at Fort Bayard, New Mexico. Recovering after a year of hospitalization, Bruns became part of the staff of that institution. After World War I, he was sent to Germany to study European methods of treating tuberculosis. Bruns was assigned to Fitzsimons in 1921 as chief of the medical staff, a position he filled for five years. In 1928, he was sent to Austria and Switzerland to study new methods of treating tuberculosis, particularly heliotherapy. Following this trip, he was reassigned to Fitzsimons.

Bruns was regarded by contem- poraries as a pioneer in the field of treating tuberculosis, who “probably did more to further the treatment of tuberculosis with his then new treatment techniques for tuberculosis of pneumotherapy and heliotherapy than any other physician in the United States.” Bruns was also considered an influential advocate of surgical treatment for tuberculosis and he conducted important research on the influence of climate on the disease.

Heliotherapy was one of the major forms of treatment instituted at Fitzsimons and its use increased during the 1920s, when a number of “helio platforms” were constructed on

the wards. To facilitate heliotherapy, open platforms protected from the wind were built, where patients were exposed to the direct rays of the sun. Patients undergoing heliotherapy lived entirely out of doors during the summer months in order to benefit from the sun and the clear western air. When sunlight was unavailable, the patients were exposed to alpine and carbon-arc lamps. Fitzsimons was the first hospital in the United States to utilize heliotherapy for tuberculosis of the joint. In time, doctors found that this type of sun treatment only helped in cases where lungs were not affected.

Other ingredients of tubercular treatment at Fitzsimons during the decade included artificial pneumothorax, graduated exercise, rest, symptomatic measures, and special diet. The Surgical Depart- ment of the hospital increased in importance as surgical measures involved in the treatment of pulmo- nary tuberculosis advanced.

In the 1920s, Fitzsimons continued its instruction for medical staff of the post and also trained medical personnel from other institutions. In 1923, a five week course in tuberculosis was given to physicians of the Veterans’ Bureau. By 1925, interns were being trained at the hospital in one year courses. Expansion of hospital services during the 1920s included neuropsychiatry, physiotherapy, and cardiovascular sections.

The hospital affiliated with nurses’ training programs in Denver, including those of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Mercy Hospital. Senior students were sent to training programs at Fitzsimons, and a large number of the affiliated students entered the Army Nurse Corps. The majority of the nursing staff at Fitzsimons during the i920s was employed from the local population. There was rapid turnover among reserve nurses on the post. In 1926,

The hospital's first operating room was in an operating pavilion set apart from the main infirmary building. If the procedures were not major, two operations were often conducted simultaneously in the same room.

38

Active and reserve nurses cared for the early patients

the commanding officer reported that many of the Army nurses were assigned to Fitzsimons “because they are below par physically, and in some cases tuberculosis suspects. Some of them are able to do only light duty and others none at all for some time.”

In 1920 and again in 1921, hospital personnel were called upon to perform services outside their normal range of duties, which demonstrated the post’s interdepen- dence with the surrounding commu- nities. During the Denver Tramway strike in August and September 1920, members of the Medical Department were organized and equipped as a company of infantry. Although the group was not called upon for service, it was held in readiness for strike duty until the crisis was over.

A disastrous flood which struck the city of Pueblo, Colorado, on 3 June 1 92 1 also affected the staff of the hospital. An emergency field hospital of 240 bed capacity was organized by the post. The hospital went to Pueblo and treated infectious and contagious diseases in a refugee camp for two weeks following the flood.

Landscaping Projects

The administrators of the hospital believed that the creation of a pleasant landscape for the institu- tion would add to its perception as a restorative spot, but availability of water for maintaining landscape planting continued to be a problem.

In 1921, William Moncrief reported that a large part of the reservation had been seeded with forage crops, both as part of the functioning farm program and in an effort to control dust on the site. In 1921, several thousand young trees were planted and funds were allocated for workers to care for them during the dry season. In 1925, 1,564 trees were planted on the grounds, but, due to shortages of water, seventy percent died. The attention to landscaping

began to pay off as the hospital acquired the reputation of “being a very pleasant post on which to serve.”

Colonel Paul Hutton, com- mander from 1923 to 1929, led the post through a period of stability. Several buildings were constructed during the first year of Hutton’s command, reflecting increased funding nationwide for Quartermas- ter Corps projects. During 1923, a bachelor officers’ quarters, mess, and kitchen (later the officers’ club), a nurses’ quarters, an oil house, and a Quartermaster filling station were completed. In 1924, the Quartermas- ter Corps planned a ten year program to replace temporary buildings, to modernize the water, heating, and sewage systems for its facilities, and to add garages and warehouses. Construction at Fitzsimons in 1924 included a garage, a heliotherapy ward, and a bath house. In 1928, a farm implement building was erected, and in 1929, a post exchange filling station and a garage were completed. Other established buildings were converted to new uses and some extant buildings were remodeled or improved during the 1920s.

During Colonel Hutton’s administration, the post’s greenhouse received much attention as part of a

new emphasis on landscaping adopted by the Army. Commanders were instructed to start nurseries and promote the planting of trees and shrubs. The Fitzsimons greenhouse was built in 1923 and greatly enlarged during the next two years, largely using salvaged materials. Hutton encouraged the greenhouse to grow tropical fruits and plants from distant locations such as South and Central America, the West Indies, and Hawaii. Among the exotic plants housed in the greenhouse in its early years were an avocado tree, banana trees, lemon, papaya, orange, persimmon, pomegranate, fig and lime trees. When the trees matured and bore fruit, it was distributed to the wards. In addition, the green- house nurtured native varieties of pine, cedar and spruce trees to be planted throughout the hospital grounds. Through the courtesy of the Forest Service, in 1926, two hundred evergreen trees were taken from Pike National Forest and planted at the hospital. The landscaping program proceeded apace, with several thousand trees being planted during the 1920s. Many of these trees are still standing, providing shade and beauty to the grounds of the hospital.

39

Section utilized salvaged pipe for the line.

Other popular recreation facilities on the post included a baseball diamond, tennis courts, a handball court, and rifle range. Baseball was a popular sport during the 1920s, and in 1924, the post baseball team was second in the

The hospital’s distance from Denver necessitated that it provide recreational opportunities for personnel on the grounds. Several recreational facilities were con- structed to meet the demand for leisure activities. About 1920, a golf course was set out on the natural vegetation of the site, which included cactus and yucca. The nine hole course had greens of oiled sand, a few bunkers, sand traps, and numerous prairie dog holes. Golfers soon began a campaign to have the course sodded, especially the putting greens. When the golf course received its grass, another problem arose; finding water to keep the sod alive. The Utilities Section solved the dilemma by recycling the post’s waste water to irrigate the course. A small reservoir was built on the highest point inside the grounds. A pump house was built below the sprinkler filter plant with a basin to hold the water before it escaped into Toll Gate Creek. An electric pump forced the water up the hill to the reservoir and it was then piped by gravity to the golf course. With its usual ingenuity, the Utilities

Radio for Fitz - In the 1920s. Fitzsimons had its own radio station, KEUP. The station broadcast music and hospital news throughout the installation, and was popular among Aurora residents who lived near the hospital.

First tee of the 18-hole golf course opposite the Officers Club.

Denver City Baseball League. The ubiquitous Utility Section was responsible for the construction of the tennis courts and baseball diamond.

In addition to outdoor recre- ation, the entertainment provided by movies, and programs offered by the Red Cross during the 1920s, two dances were held each month for enlisted men and civilians on duty.

By 1926, the post had its own radio station, KEUP, operated by the educational department. The station broadcast weekly evening concerts and features, as well as sporting events. The radio station operator also received messages in Morse Code from Washington for the post commander. Patients who were well enough could pass the time working on projects offered by the Occupa- tional Therapy Department. A group of young women, known as “recon- struction aids,” taught crafts to the patients, including leather work, clay modeling, and basket weaving. A carpentry shop was also available for patient projects. In addition, the post had a large lending library and patients unable to visit the library were offered books at their bedside.

Patients at Fitzsimons Hospital

Recreation

40

were also able to take advantage of their stay in Colorado to visit the mountains. A small auxiliary camp was operated by the hospital in an area known today as Indian Hills. Named “Camp Ireland” after Surgeon General Merritt Ireland, the property consisted of a large, old cabin and adjacent mountain land. The Utilities Section renovated the cabin and converted it into a mess hall and day room. Patients at Fitzsimons who were well enough to move about could spend one or two weeks at the mountain camp, which had a nurse, corpsmen, and a doctor on the premises.

The Search for Permanence,

1930-1938

By the 1930s, many of the build- ings at Fitzsimons General Hospital, which were origi- nally designed as temporary or semi- permanent struc- tures, were begin- ning to rapidly deteriorate and the costs of maintaining the physical facilities were increasing yearly. Colonel Carroll D. Buck, commander of the hospital from 1931 to 1940, was to see the institution through troubled years when closure of the facility appeared imminent. During the decade, annual reports to the Surgeon General noted that most of the buildings on the reservation were of a semi-permanent nature and had been constructed during 1918-1919. In his report for 1931, Buck stated that “it will be necessary to constantly increase the funds for regular maintenance and in the near future to make larger allotments for the replacement of crumbling piers and rotting floor joists.” In addition,

Buck noted that although the power

plant had been converted from coal to gas consumption, the steam heating system was old and reaching the point where extensive major replace- ments were necessary. The question of whether to commit funds for major improvements or abandon the facility would dominate the coming years.

The economic depression of the 1930s had a profound impact on construction activities at Fitzsimons General Hospital, especially during the first half of the decade. In 1930, the hospital built irrigation wells, a gas meter house, and a farm building. In 1931, a building for x-ray film

storage was added to post facilities.

In 1933, Army housing construction programs stopped and even mainte- nance funds decreased. No further building was authorized at Fitzsimons until 1935.

The continued operation of Fitzsimons became an imperative for local residents during the Great Depression, when widespread economic dislocation was felt throughout the state. Throughout the thirties, the Denver Chamber of Commerce devoted considerable time and energy towards promoting Denver as the “Little Capital of the United States,” an effort sometimes called the Second Capital Program.

41

Denver hoped to benefit from the trend to expand federal bureaucracies in various locations throughout the United States, and community leaders made frequent trips to Washington, D.C., to lobby for expansion of existing facilities and acquisition of new federal installations in the area. However, other municipalities were also pressing for retention and expansion of their military facilities at a time when the Army was asked to make significant cutbacks in its operations.

The installation payroll and purchases of local supplies had pumped millions of dollars into local

economies during the 1920s. Thus, alarm spread when Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs of social and economic reform drained money from military expenditures. After taking office in

1932, President Roosevelt required the Army to identify unneeded or underutilized posts which could be closed, sold, or converted to other uses. One of the first operations to be identified in this process was Fitzsimons General Hospital.

The hospital’s annual report for 1932 stated that the institution had a total of 5,164 admissions, indicating that its services were still in demand. During the early 1930s, as the numbers of active military patients decreased, many of the patients being treated at the hospital were Veteran’s Bureau beneficiaries. In 1933, the Veterans’ Bureau began to question the economy of sending its patients to

In 1919 recovering patients were busy with crafts.

Fitzsimons for treatment. Because the veterans now made up the largest group of admissions, the transfer of those patients threatened continued existence of the post. In addition, as projected operating funds diminished, the post began to discharge a number of its Army reserve nurses and civilian employees in compliance with anticipated reductions. Early in 1933, rumors spread about Army plans to permanently close the hospital.

Local

citizens were shocked to learn that the rumors were all too true in April 1933, when the Surgeon General sent a radiogram to the post stating that Fitzsimons would be abandoned and all patients transferred by the end of June.

Colonel Buck, was instructed to transfer equip- ment and begin determining which patients could be sent elsewhere.

Although local officials refused to believe that the Army would actually close the hospital in such a precipitous manner, they were hard pressed to explain the orders in any other light. Colonel Buck stated, “everything is up in the air and we are preparing for the worst.”

Civic and commercial leaders, the staff of Fitzsimons led by Colonel Buck, and Colorado’s Congressional delegation rallied together in a frantic attempt to save the installa- tion. The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News began editorial campaigns to marshal support. The Post was credited with being the first organization to alert Colorado’s Congressional delegation

to closure plans. The delegation quickly began to call upon key officials in Washington, stressing reasons for keeping the hospital open.

Congressman Lawrence Lewis, a freshman representative, led Colorado’s Congressional delegation in Washington in the fight to keep Fitzsimons open. Lewis was born in St. Louis in 1879 and moved to Pueblo, Colorado, in 1890. He received a bachelor’s degree from

Harvard College and returned to Colorado to pursue work in business and journalism in Pueblo and Denver. In 1909, Lewis received a law degree from Harvard and began working as an attorney in Denver. Lewis, a Democrat, was elected to the House of Representatives from the First District in Denver in 1933. The Congressman died while in office on 9 December 1943.

Immediately after the closure decision for Fitzsimons became known, Congressman Lewis made arrangements to call on Surgeon General R. U. Patterson in an attempt to convince him to alter his plans for the hospital. Mayor George D.

Begole of Denver sent a letter of protest directly to the Secretary of War. Local businessmen formed a committee which planned to send a delegation to Washington challeng- ing the action. Members of the committee included prominent local business leaders such as Adolph Zang, president of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, William V. Hodges, Rufus G. Gentry, Clarence Adams, and John P. Barnett. In May, the delegation, accompanied by Congress- man Lewis, and Senators Alva B.

Adams and Edward Costigan, called upon Budget

Director Lewis Douglas. They emphasized the low cost per patient day of running the hospital and the adverse effect a different climate would have on patients.

Edward T. Taylor, Congressman from the western slope, used his senior position in the House of Representatives to postpone the decision on closing the installation until further studies could be com- pleted, thereby giving the Colorado delegation time to prevent such an outcome. The two Denver newspa- pers pointed out that Fitzsimons had a lower operating expense per patient day ($4.05 per patient) than any other Army hospital. Sensing a conspiracy, Denver journalists also detailed a “plot” by Texas and Arkansas Congressmen to benefit hospitals in their states by pushing the closure of Fitzsimons.

The Surgeon General’s annual

Col. Carroll DeForest Buck (1 August 1931 to 30 June 1940)

42

Dedication ceremony of the Red Cross building

report for 1933 remarked about Fitzsimons:

With few exceptions, all of the buildings at this general hospital are of the semi-permanent type. ..They were erected during the years 1918 and 1919. ..Over this period of years, deterioration has gradually proceeded and is more pronounced in floors, subfloors, and joists. Necessary general maintenance needs must be maintained from year to year, and a gradual increase in maintenance costs keeping pace with the age of the buildings is inescapable.

Clearly, the state of disrepair of the buildings at Fitzsimons could be used as an argument for its closure or for its improvement. As was the case at several of the existing Army general hospitals, deterioration and lack of funding had affected the hospital facilities dramatically. The shortage of funds available for improvements meant that a political scramble for the necessary money would continue. The reduced number of admissions to Fitzsimons for the 1933 fiscal year, 2,834, reflected the uncertain status of the institution.

Lawrence Lewis was able to win the support of General Douglas MacArthur, then Army Chief of Staff, for keeping Fitzsimons active.

MacArthur was an influential spokesman for military needs, whose support of Fitzsimons was an indisputable factor in its favor. General MacArthur assured Lewis that he would not sanction any curtailment of operations at Fitzsimons and that he would bring all possible pressure on Frank T. Hines, head of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, not to transfer veterans to other hospitals.

MacArthur further stated, “I have visited the hospital and Denver and am thoroughly familiar with the advantages of its splendid surround- ings.”

Those persons most directly affected by the closure plans, the patients at Fitzsimons, were reported by local newspapers to be conducting their own protest. Some patients declared that they would not consent to be moved. The Denver Post reported somewhat dramatically that “the turmoil into which the hospital patients already have been thrown by the proposal to abandon Fitzsimons is said to have done irreparable dam- age.”

On 3 June 1933, the Congres- sional Record published Congress- man Lewis’s arguments for the retention of the 1,832-bed hospital.

Among the reasons Lewis presented for keeping Fitzsimons open were: the economy of its operation; the government’s current investment of four million dollars at the facility; the success of treating tuberculosis there; and the hospital’s role in military preparedness. In addition, Lewis cited human considerations, such as the problems involved in moving patients; the low-cost of living in Denver; the availability of rail connections for families to visit the city; and employment opportunities for veterans there.

In June, the ever-optimistic Lewis announced that he would ask for a substantial portion of public works construction funds to be used for improvements at Fitzsimons. Further, the congressman would request that the status of the hospital be changed from semi-permanent to permanent. Lewis was determined to press the argument that the facilities should not be abandoned, but rather, brought up to date with current medical practice. His requests appeared more promising in August, when the Federal Hospitalization Board adopted a resolution to use Fitzsimons for tubercular patients of all classes.

The period of uncertainty

43

extended into the following year, although the number of admissions at the hospital began to rise steadily. In February, the Denver Post learned that a secret inspection of Fitzsimons had been made by Public Health Service physicians to determine whether the institution could be converted to a psychiatric hospital for Native Americans. The visit was viewed as an indication that the fight

Fitzsimons' appropriations and in the pay of personnel. When the First National Bank of Aurora closed, the hospital’s recreation fund was “frozen.” The Red Cross was forced to discontinue many of its recre- ational activities, and all occupa- tional aides were discharged.

The beginning of 1935 saw another attempt to abandon Fitzsimons initiated. In February,

goes on.” Patterson further suggested that the Army no longer needed the hospital in Denver, but that the Veteran’s Administration might be interested in its operation. The Surgeon General’s action was described by the Denver Post as “continuation of his persistent campaign to get rid of the hospital.” Lawrence Lewis quickly countered the Surgeon General’s

May 1936 Graduation of the original Gray Ladies. The organization was started in October 1935.

to keep the Army at Fitzsimons was not yet over.

Finally, in March 1934, Con- gress approved funds to keep the hospital open. Congressman Lewis succeeded in having maintenance funds for Fitzsimons included in an Army supply bill despite the opposi- tion of southern Democratic leaders. In addition, the Surgeon General’s office rescinded its previous order prohibiting further expenditures for the post. Despite this victory, the hospital, like the rest of the country, was struggling. Cuts were made in

Surgeon General Patterson went before a War Department subcommit- tee to urge the transfer of the hospital’s functions to another agency, preferably the Veteran’s Administration. Patterson advocated removal of the hospital’s patients to Beaumont Hospital in Texas. The Surgeon General based his arguments for closure on the fact that “the buildings are not modern. ..They have to be repaired all the time. So the upkeep is great and is continuing to be so, and it will increase as time

proposal with his own request to keep the post operating. He asserted that Patterson’s views were not shared by his superiors in the Army. In addition, Lewis again noted that the cost per patient day at Fitzsimons was lower than most other Army hospitals, including the one in Texas. This was an effective means of negating the Surgeon General’s statements about the expense of operating the hospital near Denver.

Lewis emerged victorious in this campaign as the House Appropria- tions Committee voted to include the

44

usual budget item for Fitzsimons in the Army supply bill a few days later. Fortuitously, Charles H. Reynolds, the Army Surgeon General who soon replaced Patterson, and Frank T. Hines, Veterans Administration director, supported maintaining operations at Fitzsimons. The appropriation of funds signalled a turning point in the battle to main- tain the hospital.

relief, work relief, and increased employment by providing useful projects. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) organized the projects. Of the $282,000 allocated for projects at the hospital, $1 18,500 was to be spent on rehabilitation of sewer, water, and electrical systems; $98,950 for rehabilitation of hospital and miscellaneous structures; $39,750 for roads, walks, drainages, and grounds; $22,000 for new

leaders were ecstatic over the news of the new appropriations for the hospital. J. Harry Custance, presi- dent of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, asserted that the city had finally won its long fight to keep Fitzsimons open. Sensing that the time was right to press for further improvements which would secure the post’s future, Lewis seized the opportunity to ask for a two-and-a- half million dollar allocation to build

■Uotherapy ward. Summer and winter these men live ou1 Two hours every morning the sun heals sick bodies. 1 the patents are not victims of pulmonary' tuberculosis lous diseases which involve organs other than the lungs, ffecUng bones, joints, glands and internal organs, arc in this great outdoor clinic by nature's own remedy, sun- Rarely is any form of surgery practiced on these cases

Heliotherapy Ward

Improvement and Expansion: 1935-1938

In June 1935, Lewis announced that the War Department had agreed to ask for an immediate allocation from work relief funds for improve- ments at Fitzsimons, including funds for new construction and extensive ground improvements. These funds were to come from monies allocated as part of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act which funded

garages; and $3,000 for demolition of old buildings. By October, several hundred men were busy on WPA projects at the hospital, with Colonel Buck directing the improvement work. During 1935 and 1936, seven garages were built, as well as a gardener’s implement shed, and a new incinerator building.

Lewis believed the new expendi- tures represented a commitment to retain the facility which had been threatened for so long with abandon- ment. Local civic and business

45

a new hospital building in the middle of the hospital grounds. In August, Surgeon General Reynolds arrived in Denver for an inspection trip and was reported to be considering the proposal.

The timing of this request coincided with two important factors. First, in response to the deteriorating condition of world affairs, the size of the Army was increasing dramati- cally. Second, the Denver area was considered a likely location for the construction of a new Army Air

Corps technical school. The school, which was to be established at Lowry Field in 1937 insured that, for the first time, Denver was regarded as an Army center and the fitting site for a large, permanent, military hospital.

In order to make Fitzsimons a viable, permanent institution, the most pressing problem was in securing adequate, up-to-date facilities for medical and surgical patients.

Lewis continued to press for the construction of a modern, perma- nent hospital building. In January 1936,

Veterans Admin- istrator Frank T.

Hines came out in support of the idea, promising that his agency would guarantee to use a minimum of 250 beds in the new building. In July 1936,

Congressman Lewis’s request for funds for a new main building was approved.

In October,

Surgeon General Reynolds ordered preparation of plans for a new main building. Reynolds made a visit to Fitzsimons to discuss the project and Colonel Buck personally took charge of the initial preparation of the hospital building plans. The plan- ners determined that the new building would differ from Fitzsimons’ original structures by following the more recent practice of concentrating wards in tall buildings under a single roof. This was in marked contrast to the earlier procedure of building a number of low, widely spaced buildings, as represented by Fitzsimons’ original layout.

On 12 October 1936, President Roosevelt planned a visit to Denver, and at Congressman Lewis’s urging, he stopped briefly at Fitzsimons. Roosevelt was impressed by the facilities and the enthusiasm of the staff and local residents. The president made a short speech which was broadcast to patient rooms via the hospital network. Roosevelt

stated, “four years ago, when I first visited Denver, there was some talk of abandoning the hospital. I fell in love with it then, and it is still here. I am quite impressed with the beauty and value of this hospital and it will remain here as long as I am president of the United States.” Upon hearing these words Lawrence Lewis threw his hat into the air.

Although optimistic, backers of the hospital realized that the only way to avoid continual attempts to abandon the facility would be to have it designated as a permanent site. In order to accomplish this, full title to the land had to pass from the Chamber of Commerce to the

government of the United States.

The Chamber approved a resolution assuring the government of its acquiescence with this action and coordinated the transfer of title process. In March 1936, condemna- tion proceedings to secure full title to the land were initiated by the government. In October 1937, the final process of turning over the land to the govern- ment was implemented by court decree ordering transfer of the title to the United States. Three commis- sioners were appointed by the U.S. District Court to appraise the property and determine the reversionary interest of the certificate holders.

In 1937, Congress approved a large appropriation for Fitzsimons, part of an increased spending package for a number of posts. Colonel Buck was busy putting the finishing touches on his plans for a new permanent hospital building. The structure, which was to be the first major permanent building on the post, would be equipped with modem surgical and medical facilities. In his report for the year 1938, the Surgeon General stated that the new main building would be “the largest single hospital structure ever built by the Army.”

Congress approved $3.75 million for the new main building, with three million dollars coming from Public Works Administration funds, and the rest from money

President Franklin D. Roosevelt demonstrates his support for Fitzsimons with an election year visit.

46

reserved by the Federal Board of Hospitalization. L. M. Leisenring of the Construction Division of the Quartermaster General’s Office, was designated supervising architect for the building. Leisenring was a civilian who had been working with the Quartermasters since World War I. In 1940, he would become supervising architect of the Engineer- ing Branch of the Construction Division. Five draftsmen were put to work to complete drawings of the structure, which were to be presented to the President for approval.

By 1938, the treatment of tuberculosis was still considered a primary mission of Fitzsimons, but it was equipped to treat any other medical problem of its patients.

Wards were provided for the treat- ment of tuberculosis, nerve shock and mental affliction, cancer, and heart diseases. Each ward was headed by a medical officer who specialized in the study of the disease treated. The hospital included a surgical section for both tubercular and general cases; an ear, eye, nose, and throat depart- ment; a dental clinic; an x-ray department; a laboratory; and a therapy section. The professional medical library on the post housed two thousand volumes.

The hospital’s facilities

resembled a small city in terms of the variety of its services and buildings. In addition to the buildings con- structed in 191 8-1919, the post had been expanded to include additional residential buildings, recreational facilities, storage structures, and improved landscaping. Practically everything needed by patients and staff for daily life was available. Included on the post were paved streets and sidewalks, a police force, a fire department, stores, restaurants, a power plant, a chapel, a nine-hole golf course, and tennis courts. These elements were in addition to the medical facilities and administrative

offices. The Post Exchange housed a department store, a butcher shop, a grocery store, barber and beauty shops, a tailor shop, and a restaurant. A branch of the Denver post office was established at the hospital. At the same time, the greenhouse, stables, and farm continued to reflect the pastoral nature of the hospital setting.

By mid-December 1938, preparations were well underway for construction of the new main building, which would make Fitzsimons the biggest general Army hospital in the country, with 2,252 beds. Major Carl H. Jabelonsky, Quartermaster in charge, supervised construction, with Lieutenant Harold M. Martin serving as assistant construction Quartermaster. P. L.

Rice acted as chief engineer, and F.

K. Thompson was superintendent. The Rocky Mountain News reported that the Assistant Secretary of War, Louis Johnson, would be in Denver to personally supervise the initial work on the building. Thirteen bids for the construction were sent to Washing- ton, from which the Chicago firm of Great Lakes Construction Company was selected, with a low bid of $2,985,505. Construction began in January 1939, excavation having been accomplished during the previous year on the former site of the administration building.

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Mobilization and Entrance into World War II: 1939-1941

Construction at Fitzsimons during the late 1930s provided much needed jobs for local residents, but international events soon overshad- owed economic problems. In September, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and President Roosevelt proclaimed a “limited national emergency.” The War Department began to examine all areas of military preparedness. For the first time in several years, the Army undertook extensive projects to renovate its existing medical facilities and bring them in line with modem medical operations. In 1939, facilities at Fitzsimons underwent much needed repair and upgrading, including installation of street lighting; improvement of the post water distribution system; reconstruction of the electric substation; renovation of officers and nurses quarters; installa- tion of an emergency lighting unit; and reconstruction of a building for warehouse purposes.

By June 1940, the advancing German armies had overrun Den- mark, Norway, Belgium, the Nether- lands, and France. The air assault on

buildings were to accommodate soldiers to be trained at the hospital as part of a proposed special medical training school. One of eight similar schools in the country, the technician’s school would train enlisted men in medical laboratory, x- ray, and clinical work for base hospitals, military posts, or field hospitals. Chiefs of various sections of the hospital would serve as supervisory staff for the school’s faculty. The temporary buildings of the school area were to include barracks, wards, school buildings, recreation buildings, headquarters, warehouses, and a mess hall. The first barracks built were to accommo- date sixty-three men and were identical to structures being built at the same time at Lowry Field. The mess hall was designed to hold five hundred men at a time.

The Construction Division of the Quartermaster Corps had devel- oped a series of architectural plans for standardized buildings to be used for mobilization. The drawings for hospitals had been prepared in 1935 and consisted of plans for forty-nine buildings, including: administrative offices, clinics, wards, mess halls, personnel quarters, service buildings, and hospitals. The buildings in- cluded in these drawings were of a standard size, required small num-

tion.

In October 1940, money was appropriated to complete a railroad spur connecting Fitzsimons, Lowry, and Lowry’s auxiliary field, Buckley Field, as part of a WPA project. At the same time, plans were announced for construction of twenty-five temporary buildings to be erected on the east side of Fitzsimons. The

war raged in Europe, Congress approved the Selective Training and Service Act in September 1940, the first peacetime conscription in the nation’s history. The government appropriated vast sums of money for a military buildup, including almost 175 million dollars for new construc-

Britain began in August, and an invasion seemed imminent. As the

48

bers of skilled workmen to construct, and were low in cost. The design of temporary buildings emphasized speed of construction, conservation of materials, and assembly-line building techniques.

In April 1941, the first con- scripts arrived for training at the Technician’s School. Plans for the school expanded rapidly as world events pushed the country closer to war. Originally, three hundred men were to report to the school each month, with about 750 undertaking training at one time. The trainees were housed in twenty-five 63-man temporary barracks. The standard barracks were 29.5 feet wide by 80 feet long and two stories in height. The buildings were of wood platform construction and covered with drop wood siding. Windows were double hung, with panes divided into six or eight lights. Continuous eaves, called “aqua medias,” capped all windows. Roofs were wood framed and covered with prepared roofing material.

From September 1940 to December 1941, the number of normal beds in general Army hospitals increased by more than threefold. In October 1941, the total population of Fitzsimons was approximately 3,300, of which approximately 1,200 were patients in the hospital. During that year,

$109,350 in WPA funds was allo- cated, employing ninety-six men for eight months, constructing a firehouse, motor repair shop, pipe warehouse, and general warehouse. Most of the buildings were of frame construction, with cement floors.

The hospital water system was also updated. Another project during 1 94 1 constructed seven new tempo- rary barracks buildings, two to be used for additional nurses working in the new main building, and one for recreation.

Main Hospital Building

Construction on the new main

building took over two years to complete and, when finished, it was regarded as “the last word in Army hospitals.” On 3 December 1941, the hospital building was dedicated by Congressman Lewis and five hundred other dignitaries representing the Army, civic groups, government, and business. The building’s construction was considered as a personal triumph for Lewis. The congressman pre- sented the building to Major General James C. Magee, Surgeon General of the Army, who had been a close friend of the late William T. Fitzsimons. Magee stated that “the Army is exceedingly proud of this new structure.” Colonel Frederick S. Wright, commanding officer, served as host for the dedication.

The new building, with 290,000 square feet of space, was reportedly the largest structure in Colorado. Its 610 beds gave Fitzsimons a total capacity of 2,252 beds, making it the largest general Army hospital in the country. The building’s dimensions were 554 feet in length, 250 feet in width, and 152 feet in height above the ground. The facility was de- scribed as “modem architecture, with extra large window space through- out.” The Rocky Mountain News reported that the hospital had 1,800 rooms and 1,900 windows.

The new building was com- posed of a concrete framework and

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facebrick of seven blended colors.

The design included setback, terraced bays to provide maximum light and air, and nine heliotherapy decks. A central tower rose ten stories, and the center portion of the structure was eight stories, with wings ranging from five to seven stories. The base of the building was constructed of Texas sandstone. An impressive porte cochere constructed of Colorado Yule marble distinguished the main entrance of the building. Etched into the walls of the porte cochere were inscriptions in Latin and English reflecting the mission of the hospital, such as, “Welfare, virtue and strength of body from science, courage, and the fine arts.” The walls inside the entrance were composed of panels of Colorado Travertine stone and the paving and curbs under the structure were made of granite.

The style of the new building was in marked contrast to the original design of the post’s facilities. Not only was the building of greater height and massing, its Art Moderne or Modernistic style contrasted to the earlier, Mission Revival influenced buildings. The major facade was on axis with central entrance parkway from the south, serving as an anchor for the entire facility. Polychromatic

effects were achieved through the use of the different colored brick and several varieties of stone on exterior walls. Verticality was emphasized by the columnar effect of windows, which had rusticated, darker brick between them and colored spandrels of green-black crystalline rock which was sand rubbed to produce a mottled surface. Other elements of the style included the setbacks of varying height, flat roof, and bas-relief sculpture near the top of setbacks and above the entrance, and metal grilles and railings. The top of the central bay was trimmed with a wide band of stone. Flanking the central, land- scaped parkway were two large parking areas, and in front of the central tower, a 125-foot flag pole was erected.

White veined Colorado marble was employed in creating massive columns decorating the lobby, in lobby flooring, and in stairways leading to the first floor. Colorado Yule, travertine, and golden Nebo marble were all utilized in the lobby of the building. Streamlined, modern, metal and glass fixtures also decorated the lobby. Aluminum detailing provided a Moderne look for the interior as employed in balustrades, waiting area railings,

mail and lock boxes, and elaborate elevator entrances. Among the new systems incorporated into the hospital’s design were a modem doctor paging system and observation galleries looking onto the main operating rooms. Outlets carried oxygen directly from a basement vault to patient rooms. Two dining rooms could accommodate 450 people, while a clinical auditorium in the building had seats for 150. Upper floors were installed with rubber composition floors and special ceilings to deaden noise. Water closets, bath, and shower rooms featured marble walls. Rooms on the south side of the building opened onto an enclosed porch. A therapeu- tic gym for patient treatment was also within the massive structure.

With the completion of the permanent hospital building the continued operation of Fitzsimons appeared to be finally assured. However, excitement over the opening of the new building was tempered by the gravity of events on the international scene. Those at the dedication agreed with General Magee that “after the national emergency, this huge building will stand as a lasting and enduring building.”

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Four days later, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought America’s entrance into World War II. The first patients from the war were admitted to the new hospital building on 17 December and it became filled quickly thereafter. During World War II, military hospitals expanded at a record rate, providing more than twice as many hospital beds in the United States as during World War I. A number of problems resulting from rapid mobilization would surface, includ- ing labor shortages, lack of adequate housing near hospitals, and inad-

equate transportation to hospitals. Civilians took over jobs traditionally held by enlisted men, in positions such as medical technicians, order- lies, clerks, and cooks. In addition, a new military unit, the Women’s Army Corps, filled a critical need for noncombat services resulting from the war.

Wartime Activities and Expansion: 1942-1945

In 1942, Brigadier General Omar H. Quade assumed leadership of the post. Quade, who served as

commanding officer until 1948, led Fitzsimons during a period of unprecedented expansion of military medical facilities throughout the country. During the height of the war, as many as five thousand patients at a time were at Fitzsimons. In September 1942, there were only fifteen general hospitals in operation, but by January of the following year there were thirty-one. In the midst of the war, speed of construction and conservation of building materials became key elements in design and simple construction plans became the rule.

Colonel Quade reported that in 1942, Fitzsimons had experienced the greatest growth in its history. During the year, one-and-a-half million dollars were allocated for additional buildings, including four wards and a building for nursing staff facilities. The new facilities were of semi- permanent brick construction, similar in design to the original wards. Denver architect Burnham Hoyt was selected as architect and engineer for the buildings. Other buildings completed included four additional wards, two permanent detachment barracks, a bachelor officers’ build- ing, and additional warehouse facilities. Existing utilities were also extended on the post.

A new, permanent, post chapel, designed to conform with the

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The Post Theater

architectural style and construction materials of the existing buildings, was dedicated on 17 December 1942. The chapel had brick walls, plastered on the exterior, and paneled walls with a natural finish on the interior. The building was specially designed with accommodations for wheelchairs at the rear of the chapel, seating for four hundred persons, and a choir loft.

By 1942, a second technician’s school with a capacity of one thousand students had been added to the operations of the post.

The school occupied fifty-nine temporary buildings and was gradu- ating over one thousand men each month. The school at Fitzsimons was said to be the largest institution of its kind in the world. Included in the school buildings were barracks, laboratories, classrooms, a mess hall, and a recreation center. The build- ings were built following a single standard plan which provided uniformity of exterior design, but allowed for modification of interiors for special purposes. The completion of the technicians’ school in the northeast corner of the post was one of the major accomplishments of 1942.

In addition to its operations at

Fitzsimons, the govern- ment also expanded operations at Lowry Field and estab- lished new camps, posts, training schools, and military hospitals throughout the state. In 1942, the

Army announced the creation of a new Army Air Force technical training school to be located at Buckley Field. Among the other

installations in the state were the Peterson Air field near Colorado Springs; La Junta Army Air Field; Camp Hale, which was located near Leadville;

Pueblo Army Air Base; Camp Carson near Colorado Springs, which was the largest military camp in the state; Fort Logan; the Naval Convales- cent Hospital

which was established in the Hotel Colorado at Glenwood Springs; and Fort Lyons Veterans Administration Hospital.

Continued expansion at Fitzsimons was reflected in the dedication of a new theater building. Actress Dorothy Lamour helped inaugurate the 1,035 seat theater in August 1943. Entertainment for patients had long been a concern for the staff, and original facilities had grown outdated. The theater was built by the U.S. Army District Engineers under the direction of Carl H. Jabelonsky. The theater was designed with many special facilities for the hospital’s patients while at the same time coping with the scarcities of building materials resulting from the war. Thus, the theater seats were constructed with a minimum of metal needed for the war effort. The seats were extra large and wide space was left between rows of seating. In addition, some seats were equipped with special hearing aids. A large open space in the middle of the audito- rium was designed to provide access for wheelchairs. The theater space housed a full-size screen, orchestra pit, and large stage.

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Murals depicting scenes from Colorado history were painted on the interior walls by Private Philip Henselman. On the exterior, the theater reflected the Art Modeme or Modernistic style of the Main Building, with its rectilinear orna- ment, geometrical curves, flat planes, a varied roof line, and aluminum detailing on the doors and windows.

During the war, Fitzsimons, like the rest of the country, was asked to operate as much as possible on a self- sufficient basis. The hospital created its own victory garden on its farm, where it produced and preserved vegetables. In 1943, over seven thousand ears of corn and three hundred bushels of beans were grown, in addition to beets, carrots, lettuce, peas, tomatoes, and turnips. Under the direction of Captain E. W. Eckert, much of the food was quick frozen rather than canned.

The hospital’s authorized bed capacity in 1945 was 3,417. Special- ties in 1945 were general medicine, tuberculosis, general and orthopedic surgery, thoracic surgery, deep x-ray therapy, and psychiatry. Fitzsimons continued to play a vital role in the treatment of tuberculosis during wartime, and the infection rate in the military actually dropped below that of the civilian population following the war.

Old and New hospitals in 1941

Prisoner of War Camp

A prisoner of war camp was established on the post during wartime. In 1942, plans were made for the operation of such camps. The Geneva Convention required that medical care for prisoners of war be equal to that of American troops. When the American forces began capturing large numbers of German and Italian prisoners, those requiring a higher type of care than could be provided for at station hospitals were sent to general hospitals. Fitzsimons was designated the hospital for

treatment of tuberculars.

The Fitzsimons camp was on the southeast comer of the grounds and was composed of standard Theater of Operations style buildings, including prisoner barracks, a mess hall, guard barracks, a recreation area and a lavatory/bath house. Theater of Operations buildings were of the lightest possible frame construction to conserve resources. Exteriors of such buildings were finished with heavy treated paper or fiberboard. Plumbing was centered in separate lavatory buildings and heat came from stoves rather than a central heating plant. The prisoner stockade was surrounded by barbed wire and

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had three watch towers on its perimeter. The prisoner of war camp was razed in 1947.

The camp housed Italian prisoners, a few anti-Nazi German

prisoners, and a few Japanese. Although little information concern- ing the camp was released to local newspapers, in 1944 headlines carried news of an incident involving three Japanese Navy prisoners. The prisoners in question had been captured in the South Pacific and had spent several months at Fitzsimons receiving treatment for tuberculosis before they were sent to a camp in Wisconsin. In October, the Japanese prisoners died when they were shot by a guard at the hospital. It was reported that the prisoners deliber- ately started a riot and attacked the guard, forcing him to shoot them as a means of committing suicide. The trio had previously attempted to commit hara-kiri by cutting them- selves with a sharp knife. Report- edly, they were the only Japanese prisoners at the hospital at that date.

Women’s Army Corps

In 1944, a new group of enlisted personnel arrived at Fitzsimons, members of the Women’s Army

Corps. The Corps dated to 1942, when Congress established the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps

(WAAC) in order to supply desper- ately needed manpower for noncom- bat positions. In 1943, The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) was established, granting enlisted women full military status. The WAC volunteers pro- vided the Army with workers in positions requiring civilian skills, such as mechanics, weather observ- ers, carpenters, photographers, intelligence analysts, and heavy equipment operators.

Although the Surgeon General was initially slow to requisition WACs, personnel shortages at the Army’s medical facilities by mid- 1944 led the Medical Department to request that 50,000 WACs be assigned to care and treatment installations around the world. In the spring of 1944, the Female Medical Technicians Campaign was initiated to attract women into the Corps for medical service. Only highly qualified workers or those who scored highly on intelligence tests were accepted into the program.

In 1945, a severe shortage of nurses led to further requests for WACs to serve in medical facilities.

In January, a “General Hospital Campaign” was launched to recruit WACs for medical installations. As part of the campaign, Fitzsimons General Hospital received a giant

|6aANNIVERSA

In 1958 the Women's Army Corps celebrated their 16th anniversary with cake and coffee in the Bruns Room.

WACs were ambulance drivers in World War II.

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bell, which toured Denver, tolling every eighty seconds to mark the return of another American battle casualty needing care.

By the end of the war, over half of the students at the enlisted technicians schools around the country were WACs. Eventually twenty percent of all WACs, or approximately 20,000 volunteers, were involved in the medical field, making the Medical Department the largest employer of the group. As members of the medical staff, WACs served as clerks, social workers, physical therapists, laboratory technicians, x-ray technicians, dental hygienists, pharmacists, optometrists, and medical and surgical technicians.

In order to receive a contingent of WACs, a post commander had to demonstrate considerable need, as the women were only assigned in detachments of fifty or more. In addition, suitable housing had to be provided for the women, including separate barracks at least fifty yards from the nearest men’s housing and separate toilet facilities in offices. At Fitzsimons, WAC facilities completed in 1944 included a recreation and administration building, a mess hall, and six barracks. The buildings were situated northwest of the administra- tive center of the post.

Historians Diane Wasch and Perry Busch have noted that the Women’s Army Corps received “separate but better” facilities than male personnel. Among the features added to the women’s quarters were

inside toilets with partitions and doors, subdivided showers with shower curtains, bathtubs, window curtains, laundry tubs and ironing boards, storage space for luggage, and fire stairs rather than ladders. WAC quarters were provided with two dayrooms, one for social dates and one for lounging. Often, a beauty parlor was included in part of the dayroom.

The mess hall was often the center of community life for a WAC unit. Historian Mattie Treadwell noted that the unit mess “invariably tended to take on something of the function of the kitchen in pioneer

homes— a center for family life, visiting, and entertainment. To decorate their mess, WACs often added colored paint, potted plants, and curtains salvaged or paid for at their own expense.

End of World War II and After: 1945-Present

The end of World War II led to new fears that Fitzsimons would be threatened with closure. Demobiliza- tion occurred at such a rapid rate that “hospital resources built up over a period of more than five years were liquidated in little over a year.” By December 1946, only fourteen general hospitals were still in operation around the country. The number of patients arriving began to dwindle, and many patients were transferred to Veterans Administra- tion Hospitals.

During the war, the local economy had continued to benefit greatly from the expansion of nearby military establishments. As World War II ended, there was a sense of apprehension about cutbacks in

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operations at all the local installa- tions. Once again, citizen groups began a campaign to keep the facilities at Fitzsimons open. They stressed that large numbers of sick and wounded soldiers returning from the war required long-term care which the hospital could provide. In fact, the tensions of the Cold War period ensured that the country would continue its global commit- ments. In 1948, the government approved plans to build a new two hundred unit housing project for enlisted and officer families at Fitzsimons under the Title VIII Wherry Housing Plan. The project was expected to provide only half of the housing needed on the post.

In July 1950, the installation was redesignated Fitzsimons Army Hospital. The facility was annexed to the City of Aurora in August 1955. Aurora enjoyed a period of unprecedented growth in the years following the end of World War II. During this time, the Denver metropolitan area became one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, largely the result of the trend towards suburbanization. As the

Permanent Officers Quarters (1949)

Denver area expanded, much of this growth moved out onto the eastern plains of Aurora. Despite a housing shortage, civic leaders had success- fully promoted Aurora as a residen- tial suburb in the immediate post-war years. Many of the city’s new residents were veterans who had been stationed in Colorado and had found it a desirable place to live.

In the early 1950s, Aurora began annexing the many newly-

platted residential subdivisions which had sprung up around the city’s southern and eastern borders. At the same time, the city began annexing large tracts of undeveloped land, laying the foundation for future commercial development. Aurora’s boom years continued well into the 1970s and 1980s. The population grew from approximately 75,000 people in 1970, to over 150,000 in 1980, to 222,103 in 1990. Much of

"Soldiers in White" broadcast at KVOD Radio in 1945. This group includes Elizabeth Baylinson, (far left) who also served as a Red Cross volunteer at Fitzsimons until 1996.

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expanded to include neuropsychiatry, obstetrics, pediatrics, radiology, and dental clinics. In 1963, the U.S. Army Medical Equipment and Optical School was transferred to the installation. In March 1973, the hospital was redesignated Fitzsimons Army Medical Center; one of eight such institutions in the country.

In 1972, the post disposed of two parcels of land. The former railroad right-of-way extending north of FAMC was conveyed to the City of Aurora for park purposes and land along the south entrance was con- veyed to the Colorado Highway Department for a highway right-of-

,, way. In 1974, a 129-man barracks

Maternity care for servicemember s wives was introduced in World War II . , , , , .

was constructed on the post, and an

additional six temporary buildings

were disposed of. The following

year, the Post Exchange and the Auto

Hobby Shop were completed. In

1980, a Reserve Training Center was

built, and three years later, an

Animal Housing Facility was added.

This 1954 photo shows students learning the correct adjustment of the delivery table stirrups in the Clinical Technician Course, Forerunner to the 91 B and 91 C schools

Aurora’s post-war development continued to be a result of the area’s military establishments, which had long been a critical factor of the city’s economy.

Following World War II, the built environment of the post changed, as a number of temporary buildings were declared surplus and disposed of or put to new uses. From 1953 to 1961, the hospital leased six temporary barracks and recreation buildings to Adams-Arapahoe School District No. 28 for use as a junior

high school. Between 1959 and 1961, thirty-seven temporary build- ings were disposed of as surplus.

During both the Korean and Vietnam wars, Fitzsimons continued to serve the medical needs of the military. In 1959, expansion of facilities resulted in the construction of four new permanent buildings to house female officers. On 1 January

1960, the post was renamed Fitzsimons General Hospital. In

1961, services at the installation were

Fitzsimons surgeons performed open heart surgery as early as the mid 1950s.

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In 1984, two new barracks were erected. The following year, a linear accelerator facility was constructed as an addition to the main hospital building. Four temporary buildings were tom down between 1987 and 1989.

In 1989, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center was removed from Base Closure studies, only to be placed back on closure studies early in the 1990s. The hospital was slated for closure with the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions of 1995. When closed in June 1996, the hospital consisted of 342 buildings on 576.51 acres of land. The installation had several missions, including the provision of general hospital support for Army and Air Force hospitals in surrounding states; operation of a facility for fabrication and repair of optical eye wear ; provision of general educational development services for military personnel in several states; utilization as a

major medical training center; service as regional coordinator of medical activity within the region; provision of veterinary services; and provision of dental care and treatment to eligible personnel. Several tenant activities which received adminis- trative and logistical support from FAMC

were also located on the post. Fitzsimons Army Medical Center functioned as one of the largest employers in Aurora and had fulfilled its founders’ dreams of playing a vital role in the progress and prosperity of the community. □

While recovering from tuberculosis at Fitzsimons, Corp. Ramon L. Gray received an Army Commendation for his heroic acts as a Korean Prisoner of War.

Sgt. Ernest E. Contrearas, right, was Denver's first repatriated prisoner of war in Operation Little Switch and was a patient at Fitzsimons. Brig. Gen. Paul Robinson, the commander, is shown along with Anthony Contrearas, the patient's father.

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Operation Homecoming 1973, when American military who had been prisoners of war in Southeast Asia- some for as long as 8 years- were returned to the U.S. Fitzsimons treated 15 returning POWs released by Vietcong and North Vietnamese early in the year.

The 1 960s saw an increase in patient load as the Vietnam combat casualties returned from battle and continued through the seventies.

Lt. Sharon Lane worked in the Recovery Room at Fitzsimons before being sent to Vietnam. She was killed by enemy fire in 1969.

Aeromedical evacuation by helicopter was first utilized by the "Dustoff ' pilots in Vietnam. Fitzsimons patients from a 14-state region came in through Buckley Air National Guard Base on C-9 Nightingales.

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Rehabilitation Programs

Specialist 4 Robert Wicht was the first Army amputee to wear the Veterans Administration developed Electronic Elbow System.

In 1967 World War II double amputee Ewing Mays visited Vietnam amputees at Fitzsimons

Starting about 1967, Fitzsimons General Hospital initiated several physical and psychologi- cal rehabilitation programs for amputee patients. A ski program, initiated by Col. Paul Brown, allowed patients to build strength and confidence while on Colorado ski slopes. Mary Woolverton, a medical social worker at Fitzsimons, utilized her own horses to bring horseback riding into the rehab program. Other programs included water skiing, scuba diving, hunting and fishing.

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Remembering the 60s and 70s

The Name Game: The hospital lived through five name changes since its opening in October 1918. At the beginning, it was U.S. Army General Hospital No. 2 1 . On July 1 , 1 920, "No. 2 1 " became Fitzsimons General Hospital in honor of the first American officer killed by enemy action in World War I, 1st Lt. William Thomas Fitzsimons. In 1950 the name was changed to Fitzsimons Army Hospital. That name changed with the decade. January 1, 1960 the hospital was redesignated Fitzsimons General Hospital. The hospital took its fourth name, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center March 1, 1973. The facility became U.S. Army Garrison Fitzsimons with the closure in June 1 996.

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World Class Health Organization

Fitzsimons started a pediatric intensive care unit for increased monitoring of premature babies.

Pediatric care was an important benefit for soldiers families.

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Medical Records Department

Pharmeceuticals were dispensed from an automated prescription system starting from the early 1980s.

Ocular microsurgery began in the seventies.

Preventive Medicine specialist prepares a water sample in the Environmental health Section.

The United States Army Medical Equipment and Optical School has trained Army, Navy and allied forces service members in the repair and maintenance of medical equipment since 1963 as a tenant of FAMC.

Flight

Litter bearers load a patient on the for Life helicopter for transport to an area hospital.

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Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

2001

After careful economic studies in the late 1980s, it was decided that it would be necessary to build a new hospital. The President and Con- gress agreed to authorize $390,000,000 to construct the replacement hospital and appropri- ated $57,400,000 for projects in the 1 992 fiscal year. The building plan from Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston was to serve as the template for the new structure.

The projected opening date was the year 2001 . The replacement hospital was designed for 450 beds with I I wards and was to be three

times larger in gross square feet than the old hospital. The facility was planned to have 2,888 parking slots, a two-car drive-up pneumatic tube pharmacy service, 32 different elevators, a conveyer system for the movement of small items (such as records, supplies, pharmacy items, and pathology specimens), and possibly Automatic Guided Vehicles to deliver supplies to patient units. The replacement hospital was going to be built 800 feet (about two and a half football fields) from the old facility. The old hospital was not going to be torn down but was to be converted to administrative offices.

However, two events in 1995 dramatically changed the course of health care delivery for the Fitzsimons community. The Depart- ment of Defense initiated a contract for health care of military dependents called TriCare. This would place health care delivery into the hands of civilian physicians and replace direct military involvement. The Base Realignment and Closure decisions determined that Fitzsimons was to be closed. These two decisions would close the chapter on Army medicine at Fitzsimons forever.

64

Mass Casualty Exercises

This 1985 mass casualty (MASCAL) exercise was held at Buckley Air National Guard Base.

April 1964 MASCAL exercise "Ever Ready" tested the ability to handle "hundreds of simulated casualties caused by the crash of a transport plane into a barracks".

Over the years, Fitzsimons participated in numerous mass casualty exercises. In the 80s, the Civilian and Military Contingency Hospital System (CMCHS) provided opportunities for FAMC medical personnel to participate with area civilian hospitals in exercises to measure the capability to respond to medical disasters.

Later, FAMC served as the local coordinator for the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). The NDMS mission ended in 1996.

65

Deployments

Fitzsimons personnel were among the earliest to deploy to Panama during Operation Just Cause in 1 989. In Operations Desert Shield and Storm, hundreds of soldier medics from Fitzsimons deployed to southwest Asia while others remained behind to care for the incoming casualties.

\

V

Representative Pat Schroeder talks to PFC Travis Dennis, of the "Big Red One" (1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas) while Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Commander Brig. General Thomas E. Bowen looks on. Dennis, who was wounded in a friendly fire accident during Operation Desert Storm, was a patient at Fitzsimons in

March 1991.

Farewell for Deployment

In support of the troops who were deployed in support Operations Desert Shield and Storm, the hospital was draped in yellow ribbons.

Gulf War parade July 4, 1991

66

Fitz hosted World Youth Day ’93

^ wW'"’ \ ~ m

ft MARIS? 1BKS

Over 550 World Youth Day '93 participants took up residence at "tent city" just south of Post Exchange August 1 1- 16, 1993.

World Youth Day is an annual pilgrimage of young people, ages 13 through 39, sponsored by Vatican City in the interest of world peace.

Most of the participants hosted by Fitzsimons were from the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.

General purpose tents and cots were furnished by DoD installations as away as Tobyhanna, Pa. and Ogden, Utah. The tents began going up July 1 6 and the entire project was completed by August 9.

67

Modern Construction 1990-1996

The Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher House, opened in 1993, was used to provide a supportive group home environment for patients' families during illness.

Community Club ground breaking October 1993, grand opening happened in late 1994.

Fitzsimons new power plant was completed in October, 1996

Fitzsimons Credit Union opened May 17, 1993.

68

The End of an Era

June 1996 marked the end of the Graduate Medical Education program which has its roots in the early days of Fitzsimons. This was the last class which included 26 interns, 46 residents and five fellows.

The water tower was torn down in 1995.

Retired Air Force Major Norris Cowan had one of the last surgical procedures at Fitzsimons.

Fitzsimons was one of the largest employers in Aurora for many years and numerous service members elected to retire here after serving at the post.

Two years on the heels of the Lowry Air Force Base Closure, the Aurora community felt abandoned by its government leaders. In February 1995 with news of the impending closure of Fitzsimons, the local

residents, businesses and politi- cians rallied to save its landmark military post.

Senate hearings were conducted and the Base Reuse and Closure Commission visited the 77-year old facility. Commu- nity support was strong, but the budgetary constraints of the Defense Department dictated a hard decision. Fitzsimons was to close.

Over the years , the history of Fitzsimons has been written and rewrit- ten, the dates are recorded, the buildings are photographed and the events are summarized in countless reports. But, the real history lies in the names behind the people who lived here, worked here, were born here, and in some cases died here. Their names may be forgotten, but their memories will live forever.

69

June 7, 1996

The Final Fitzsimons Gala

Presentations were made

Fitzsimons commanders posed for one last photo

„ . . . A final toast to Fitzsimons Army Medical Center

Receiving line

70

Mr

June 8, 1996

The Inactivation Ceremony

U.S Army Garrison- Fitzsimons banner replaced the medical center banners.

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center flags are flown for the last time.

Lt. General Alcide M. Lanoue, the Army Surgeon General, addressed the last graduate medical education class.

Brigadier General John S. Parker gave his final comments about closing the medical center.

71

History of The Stethoscope

Post newspaper weaves historic tale

By Helen Littlejohn

The history of the Public Affairs Office and the post newspaper are inextricably intertwined. The office was originally known as the Public Information Office and was responsible for disseminating infonnation externally to the general public as well as internally to the military and civilian workers and their families of the post. Special VIP visitors and events were coordinated in the office and as late as 1960 the officer in charge also had duties as postal officer, assistant adjutant, assistant security, intelligence and cryptographic officer. The role of historian for the post was later assumed as the tremen- dous amount of historical documentation and property accumulated. The post newspaper “The Stethoscope” was first published in April, 1943 in mimeograph form and was changed in September of that year to offset printing. It was printed by A.B. Hirschfeld Press, a Denver printing company that held the contract for most of the years through the early 1990s

But the presence of a command information tool goes back as far as Nov. 27, 1918 with publication of “The Hospital News Letter,” published at U.S.A.

General Hospital No. 21 . A front page article read, “The Committee on Publication of this little ‘News Letter’ is

Department of the Army FITZSIMONS GENERAL HOSPITAL Denver 8, Colorado

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

CHRISTMAS ha:, arrived uruhi It is hoped that through the fog of misunderstanding and distrust of the present day world, we eon pause this day and s«-o the stead- fast light of the first Christmas, which has endured two thousand years and will endure two thousand more, plus The mission of FiLzsimons is one of help and care of the sick. Let as carry it out faithfully

May you one and ul), sick and well, have u gracious, friendly, and pleasant YULETIOE

E. H ROBERTS.

Brigadier General. MC. USA

CC OK's New Stethoscope

being printed A.

Hinurhfeld Press, is under Information and Education Tice, headed by 1»* Lt. P HoUwfck, MAC Ralnsford Winslow is managing editor. The Stethoscope was fi

SO LONG STETHOSCOPE— The to the FGH paper after print Left lo right, Jin Its! las. He mediral supply officer in ch« (.foe) Gallegos. Bob v aaghr

it shop staff ware goodbye I for more than three year*. lleganeK. MaJ. V. I. MaLon. Nancy Potter, and Al.rico i on furlough when picture

Frank

a n(e,' Cary MoAre! Moorw mode s upe- -iption while they

medical in chare Soplemo

5R COOPERATES

(Chick) Calve, will « coordination with ihi Other member* c.f staff are Harry G lacobucr.i. and Pf< Oliuiaon. •

. custodian and recorder of the Alsrico (Joe) Gallegoii I* the utn three year* service a* plate

KFG TO BE

DEDICATED

THURSDAY

program in the post theater, Brig. (ten. Omar H. Quads, com- manding officer of FGH, an- nounced thi* week.

Gen. Quade, Col. L. E. Could, executive officer, and Capt. J, R. Hanliwty, post adjutant, will keynote the proceedings and of- ficially inaugurate the new $125,000 station.

DENVER RADIO STARS Highlighting the dedication program will be entertainment provided by radio star* from all Denver radio statUnm, which arc KOA. KI.Z, KEEL, KVOD, and KMYR.

uddlUon, n special half program has been ' —

General Quade Approves Bigger Printing Budget

Authorization lo print the Stethoscope in Denver was ap-

S roved last Saturday by ling.

en. Oinar H. Qosde, command- ing officer of FGH, at a special meeting of the central Post Fund Council.

Print Shop Staff Says Farewell to Stethoscope

With more thou three and a half years of service to tho Stethoscope, the print shop staff say "so tong,-' The job of printing the FGH paper started Sept. 3, 1948, just Stelhoiicojw stopped ~

1 j>ho

tually a

by trade: however, ho ho* been; pfc. Hob Vaughan, fre 10 I able to accept hi* other rrspon- j Springfield, III., is the man th 1 m'blllUi's without complaints. gets the paper ready for pru ; Mias Helen Biegooek Is «n- Ing, cutting Die stock Into hu Other veteran with almost three j Jrrda of different size*. Bob i (year* of tlie staff. She 1* the I fCa»Ua«e< n nn n

tfSrre, Chaplain*' am, u. vod. A. M. Hender- PC; MaJ. V I Matson, MAC, who is custodian and re- corder for the coundl; Maj. J. H. Kuilcrt, MC; M»| C, E. All- ard, AC; Capt. A E. McKinster. SC; and 1st Lt. P. M. Yonlack. WAC.

Dime Drive Hits $634

“The March of Dimes drier at FGH ha* been successful,

iUled 1st IX R. C. Reed, chatr- -nan fur the campaign, Thaw-

^fo dale, WUT4 Iraa^been^- agointl polio. Thla includes $22S

FCH Sergeant Heavyweight Champ-* «

submitting you their first copy, and as to whether future copies of this letter will be issued is largely dependent upon the employees engaged in the construction of this hospital. We feel that with the number of employees that are engaged on this work, sufficient news items and articles of interest may be contributed to make this publication ‘a habit,’ and we hope that each and every one of you will make suggestions and let us have copy for future numbers.” Signed, Major W. J. Cameron, Alex. Simpson, Jr., Capt. F. T. Wood, W. J. McCandless, all of the Publication Committee.

The next publication to debut was the ‘Tenshun, 21 ! in 1919. Each issue had a section devoted to the various elements on post; “Pajamas and Slippers” for patients; “Hobnails and Canvas for the enlisted soldiers; “Putts and Bars” for the officers and “Caps and Cushion Heels” for the nurses. Each column detailed the comings and goings, trials and tribulations, of the corps, done mostly with a humorous touch. To wit: (Patients) Schwenker, Malally and Harris will be eligible for free memberships in this (Suicide) Club if they keep their beds out on the porch. They were almost blown off the other night, and in the daytime it is necessary for them to put rocks on the beds to keep the sheets down. In a racier vein, reporters noted that “She can have none of my jelly

72

The

Fitxsimom General Hospital

Stethoscope ^

C jofclen nniver5a.ru ~3iiue

chedule of Anniversary Activities, Pages 7-10

hospital at Tripler and carried until the paper ceased publication in 1988.

Oddly, one of the most significant events in our history has no record in the office, the grand opening of the “new” hospital, Dec. 3, 1941. Could it be that the furor of Pearl Harbor in WW II precluded the preservation of so monumental an event?

“The Stethoscope” first edition was published Oct. 1, 1943. MSgt. Fred Mitchell was the first editor and directed the paper for its first five years. He returned as a civilian in 1966 and worked as the chief of the Employment and Services Section. According to an article in the Oct. 30, 1969 edition, early issues of the mimeographed paper carried articles about the War Bond Drives, Maj. Chu’s predictions about the defeat of the Japanese and dedication of the post theater.

In July 1951, The Stethoscope took on a new dimension with a live radio broadcast, “Stethoscope On the Air”, which aired every Friday at 1230 hours on the Fitzsimons radio station KFG. The radio station had a predecessor in the 1920s, AA-3 radio telegraph, which later changed to KEUP. The radio station was used for instruction purposes in the Educational and Rehabilitation Section. Its operator was Joe Turre, who later set up the early police radio in Denver. Later that year the popular column “Roving Reporter” debuted, designed to stay on the pulse of soldiers’ opinions about military life. Each week, the 2,000 copies hit the street on Friday mornings.

roll,” is Pvt. Horton’s favorite expression.” It’s uncertain just when publication of ‘Tenshun, 21 ! stopped, but in a March, 1920 edition, a lengthy poem decried the need for contributions; “solve the problem of the cash and we’ll make old ‘Tenshun permanent— otherwise ‘twill surely crash.”

In a Fitzsimons scrapbook from 1929, the first copy of “The Fitzsimons Pill-Roller”, printed by mimeo- graph, and published without expense to the United States Government, noted that the publication was a ‘new recruit’ with a purpose of promoting good feelings and to acquaint the ‘pill-rollers’ of the events of not only our post, but the events which pertain to Army life in general. ..an early reference to what we now call command information. The term ‘pill-roller was a nickname for medics. The paper cost fifteen cents a month or five cents a copy, which was used to produce and expand the paper. Readers were encouraged to submit news items or jokes.

A news report told of the 37th Annual convention of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, held at Fitzsimons with foreign representatives from Great Britain, Italy, China, Mexico and Spain.

The name “Pill-Roller” was short-lived, and then Commander Col. Paul S. Hutton recommended that the name be changed to something more suitable. The new name was the Caducean, starting Nov. 1, 1929. Interest- ingly, the name Caducean was later adopted by the Army

Regional states number lucky 13

73

the large tabloid in 1 9 1 8 at 11 " x 1 6"; 8 1/2" x 1 1 in the 40s, 50s and 60s, then to another tabloid 11" x 14" until 1989. The advent of desktop publishing brought the final change in size and since 1990 the paper has again been 8 1/2" x 11".

All of the young military (and later civilian) staff writers through the years told the stories of the people who lived and worked here, always with the mission of keeping soldiers informed. The newspaper stories are now bound together in hardback maroon, the color of the Army Medical Department, to serve as the collective memory of all who passed through the gates. To those who’ll someday leaf through the yellowed pages, know that we were here; what we did mattered and we com- pleted our mission faithfully, consistently and with great honor.

The post newspaper served to inform its readers of events at Fitzsimons and became an indispensable historical document.

The focal issues during the 60s and 70s were the casualties from the Vietnam war. Their stories and triumphs were told in numerous articles. Coverage of the amputee ski program , POWs, Operations Baby Lift and Parent Lift prevailed. The 80s and 90s issues covered the “new” Army and the tremendous advances in medical technology and ended up with coverage of another war, this time in the Persian Gulf. As soldiers deployed and families waited. The Stethoscope was there to document their histories.

Finally, when the last threat of closure became reality, the congressional hearings and public outrage over the closure made front page news. The gala dinner, final GME graduation and inactivation ceremony, to com- memorate the closure of the 78-year history of the medical center never made the post newspaper; there no longer was a paper due to staff departures. Formal publication of “The Stethoscope” stopped just before the closure of the medical center in the spring of 1996 and later that year a new final publication was born, “The Garriscope” in honor of the new mission of the installation, now a garrison.

Over the years, the frequency varied from weekly to biweekly and in some leaner times even monthly.

While the first issue in 1918 came out on a Wednesday, in the 40s it was published on Saturdays, in later years on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The size of the paper has varied through the years as well, starting with

The Stethoscope

Vol. 52 No. 2 Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colo. January 24, 1996

Purchases made by Thrift Shop patrons allow the Thrift Shop and the Officers' Wives Club to donate money to various FAMC events, including merit scholarships.

Thrift Shop, OWC to award scholarships

Applications for the Thrift Shop Officers’ Wives Club merit scholarship will be available Feb 1 at the Thrift Shop and metro area high school guidance counselor offices.

More than S 10,000 in scholarship money was awarded last year Money for these scholarships is generated by Thrift Shop sales, fund raisers for the Officers' Wives Club and an award from USPA/IRA insurance company

To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria;

• Have a valid military ID;

• Be a family member of active duty assigned to a facility in the metro area or retired military, sponsor must live in the metro area,

• A minimum 2.75 grade point average; and

* Be a graduating high school senior or full time college undergraduate/graduate or vocational student.

The deadline to submit your application is April 12. For more information or questions concerning the scholarship, call Dotti Wilson at 388-5597. □

The Thrift Shop is open for business from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Consignments are taken on these days from 9 a.m. to noon, or 50 consignors, whichever comes first. The Thrift Shop is also open for busi- ness on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

74

THE HOSPITAL NEWS LETTER

■ f

PUBLISHED AT U. S. A. C'SNERAL HOSPITAL No. 21

Our First Birthday

The Committee on Publication of this little “NewB Letter" is submitting you their first copy, and as Jo whether future copies of this letter will be Issued is largely dependent upon the employees en- gaged in the construction of this hospital.

We feel that with the number of em- ployees that are engaged on this work, sufficient news items and articles of in- terest may be contributed to make this publication "a ^abit.” and we hope that each and every one of you will make suggestions and kfit us have copy for fu- ture numbers.

MAJOR W. J. CAMERON. ALEX. SIMPSON. JR.,

CAPT. F. T. WOOD.

W. J. McCAXDLESS,

Publication Committee.

The Organization of the Construction Division of

»t._ r\ —

uit, V » at JL/Cpdt iiitciA;

What Their Results Were In One Instance

By F. T. Wood ("apt. Engineers. U.S.A, In May. 1917. the Cantonment Division was established and October 5, 1917. the Secretary of War directed that all build- ing and construction In the present emergency be executed by this division.

On February 19. 1918, the Cantonment Division was directed to report to the office of the Chief of Staff, and on March 13. 1918, was made the Construction Division of the Army.

Under date of April 10, 1918. it was ordered that all plans, specifications and estimates for construction work be pre- pared by or under t It© supervision of the Construction Division upon general re- quirements given in advance by the Bu- reau Involved, and further, that ail engi- neering services ami services of con- tractors in connection therewith, were to be obtained by the Construction Division

The Construction Division is operated under seven (7» heads, vl*.:

• a) Building Division.

<b> Engineering Division. tc> Contracts Division, t cl t Procurements Division, tet Administrative Division, if i Accounting Division. tg» Maintenance and Repair Division. Upon the declaration of war April 6th. 1917. the immediate need of accommoda- tions for a large army was seen and the Construction Division undertook the task of constructing sixteen National Army cantonments, costing Train eight to twelve million dollars each, sixteen large National Guard camps, numerous General Hospitals, large Motor Corps Repair Shops. Coast Vrtillery Posts. Coast Defenses. Interior Posts. Ordnance Depots Warehouse-. Quartermaster De- pot-, Lighters. Terminals. Proving Plants.

lion Fields

Ho

Chemical Plant a. large and. In fact, all of the >-ary to the successful

to Denver the writer otto of "he large Na- onments and was there uc of construction until ind was broken on July

President Proclaims November 28 as Thanksgiving Day

(By Associated Press)

Washington, Nov. 17. — President Wil- son in a proclamation today designated Thursd; \ Nov, 28, as Thanksgiving day and said this year the American people have special and moving cause to be grateful and rejoice. Complete victory, be said, has brought not only peace, but the confident promise of a new day m well, in which "justice shall replace fore© and jealous intrigue among the nations.” The proclamation follows:

By the President of the United States of America A PROCLAMATION

the autumn of the year in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for His many blessings and mercies to us as a nation. This year we have special and moving cause to be grateful and to re- joice.

God has in His good pleasure given us peace, it has not come as a mere cessa- tion of arms, a mere relief from the strain and tragedy of war. It has come as a great triumph of right. Complete victory has brought us not peace alone, but the confident promise of a new day as well. In which justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the na- tions. Our gallant armies have partici- pated in a triumph which is not marred or stained by another purpose of selfish aggression. In a righteous cause they have won immortal glory and have nobly served their nation in serving mankind.

God has indeed been gracious. We have cause for such rejoicing as revives and strengthens In us all the best tra- ditions of our national history. A new day shines about us. in which our hearts take new courage and look forward with new hope to new and greater duties.

While we render thanks for these things, let us not forgot to seek the di- vine guidance in the performance of those duties, and divine mercy and for- giveness for all errors of act or purpose, and pray that in all that we do we shall strengthen the ties of friendship and mu- tual respect upon which we must assist to build the new structure of peace and good-will among the nations.

Wherefore, 1, Woodrow Wilson, presi- dent of the United States of America, do hereby designate Thursday, the 28th day of November next, as a day of thanksgiv- ing and prayer, and invite the people throughout the land to cease upon that •lay from their ordinary occupations and in their several homes and places of wor- ship to render thanks to God, the rnler of nations.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused th«> seal of the United State* to be affixed

Ikrae in the District of Columbia this I fith day of November. In the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the independence of the United States of America, the one hun- dred and forty-third.

WOODROW WILSON.

Base Hospital Rises

in Colorado Prairie

TO HAVE BEDS FOR THREE THOUSAND MEN j

Twenty-one of Seventy-eight Permanent Buildings Ready to Receive invalided Soldiers from Overseas

(Bpcchd ('orutopon timer of Tig Sew York Evening

Denver, Colo., Oct, 15. — General Hos- pital No, 21. equipped to receive 3,000 soldiers invalided home from overseas, la rapidly nearing completion on the out* skirt* of Denver. Twenty -one of its sev- enty-eight buildings are now ready, and temporary boilers have been Installed, so that there will be ample beat for the com- fort of the wounded,

The story of this Immense hospital plant is only another of the long list of constructive American achievements dur-

to fight as quickly, as safely and as ef- fectively as possible, the Government is looking ahead of their home-coming and their rest and recuperation from battle's horrors. A number of these .recuperation camps are being erected In various sec- tions of the country, but the Denver hos- pital is so Jar the only permanent struc- ture.

Only last April a group of men, armed with blue-prints and official authority, ar- rived at the chosen site, about seven miles to the east of Denver, a clear stretch of wind-swept prairie, grass-cov- ered and unmolested, overshadowed by the towering Rockies, On May 1 the first spadeful of soil was turned, but it was June before enough materials could be assembled and a real atari made, for the prairie provided air and sunshine only. Brick and stone, plaster and lath, water, gas and electricity were required, and all had to be brought to the camp.

All this vast piece of construction has been accomplished in a little more than four months, and Major W. J. Cameron, constructing quartermaster, confidently predicts the completion of the entire sev- enty-eight buildings by January 1. unless the Government shall redouble its present orders. As originally planned, there were to be forty-eight buildings, and provision for 1,000 soldiers. That sooner or later room will be made for 5,000 is what the authorities anticipate.

In this hospital everything is designed for the speedy nursing back to health and useful citizenship of the men who have risked their lives in their country's serv- ice. Modern medical ami surgical equip- ment is being Installed, and some of the heat medical authorities of the country have been detailed to the work. Major W. P. Harlow of Boulder. Colo., is the commanding officer.

Besides the care from doctors and nurses which the patients will receive, trade schools are inclnded in this Gov- ernment health town, for a man who is busy is always a healthier and happier man than he who is idle. The armless or legless soldier will not only be pro \1ded with an artificial substitute, but will be taught to me it either at his old trade or a new one. Many v orations arc open to the wounded man for self- respecting maintenance — fanning, garden- ing, chicken-raising, photograph retouch- ing are among the .-implex and most readily axailalde. and these and other

The main Infirmary is nearly OOO'fect long, but only 34 feet wide, "a schemK^of construction which prevails throughout the camp. There are no courts or inside rooms in this hospital; every room Is an outside one, with many windows and oil the air and sunshine an ill man s lungs can absorb. When the patients are strong enough to be out of bed, there are min parlors and porches, and a long covered board-walk for invalid chairs. Walking through this building, the visitor sees ahead vista after vista of wards appar- ently telescoping one into another, so great is its length. Every", bet here is

.

The walls are the color of sunshine, warm and soothing to the eye, and the furnish- ings and woodwork are white or light gray- A runway from the infirmary leads to the operating or X-ray rooms and also to the general mesa.

The tubercular wards are isolated from the main infirmary and are so constructed that even a patient confined to his bed may practically live out of doors One side of the building is screened and equipped with canvas, which can be ma- nipulated from the bed. All these wards have provision for partial or entire pri- vacy In special cases. It Is estimated that 80 per cent of the men in service are in danger of contracting this disease through exposure and unusual living con- ditions, or because of a tendency to tu- berculosis which exposure will develop. This hospital Is a part of extensive Gov- ernment preparations to combat and stop its ravages among wounded soldiers.

In addition to the hospital quarters, there la a fully equipped inoculation lab- oratory, called by the men an "animal house;" an operating pavilion, X-ray rooms and surgical wards, arid such maintenance features a« a laundry, store- house, and so forth. Five messes are pro- vided. a large general mess which can accommodate 800 at one time, and four smaller ones for nurses and officers. In charge of the culinary arrangements is a former steward of the Vanderbilt Hotel. New- York. Lieut. Rene Luelen Brier re. who for three years has fought under French colors. The kitchens with their ranges, refrigerators and utensils, are fully equipped for the refreshment of the small city of soldiers anti attendants that the hospital will eventually shelter.

A Red Cross building with its symbol in stone over the door stand- midway among all these extensive quarters tor sick soldiers. This will serve as a recre- ation center for soldiers and nurse* Many nurse* have already arrived and are occupying the quarters provided f«»r them. Major Cameron estimates that one-third as many more attendant/ a- there are patients will be requir' d S chape) is being built, a large wri m 'mi <*) ra- tion building, and there are. «*! course, officer#* quarters, the latter now nearing completion. A nursery os ; hou.-and# of trees and shrubs now await- planting "ii the finished grounds.

Shortage at labor has not pa -.J Gen- eral Hospital So. 21 by in its advance throughout the country, but. the work

75

COL HENRY FACE Mi mm

STATES POLICIES

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C AFT JAMES P. HAMMER.

SaeiUpy Corp#. U. S. A | Qur v*r-y cap-ahifr adjatant whom >

were afraid we were going to ld««.

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Orthh I’w'klnw, Ofctetewm City, Ok Is

NEW APPOINTMENTS MADE

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. hi. r ..f ;.u dm mwJRttU *mliw uud will la- rotKvrowsl with »ho|r ojwnKinu.

Major Uuythoml \V HIIjw, MetUrn! j i '••r|w »• flu* .'t.vutlT.' ttWr+r ntul will -M-riio iHiiiij of the prnhliuns that might ho hrawplvf te-fotv tho ‘olumd.

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A iiH«mt*> hwrnl ••••aateitfic ,.r ihoj tnoralo *»ff|om- dlw'lpllnitr) officer. 1 ■w’tdvr ohiii.h.lt. dlmtor <*f tho Hod1

CAPT. SAMUEL J. HARRIS.

Sanitary Carp*. U. S. A.

Who will act n u*.»um to ttw c mantling officer.

OPFICERS ANO MEN 60 ON TACMBO SERVICE

*

76

The Departments

Administrative Directories

Directorate of Contracting Directorate of Information Management Directorate of Logistics

Housekeeping Services Directorate of Nutrition Care Directorate of Personnel and Community Activities Directorate of Plans, Training, and Security Directorate of Public Works (Engineering and Housing) Directorate of Resource Management Managed Care

Optical Fabrication Laboratory Patient Services Division Provost Marshal

Directorate of Contracting

The Directorate of Contracting provides contracting sup- port to Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and all other or- ganizations, assigned or attached. Area support and direct support of other organizations is outlined in the installation service support agreements. Contracting support is defined as the planning, directing, and supervising of purchasing and contracting for supplies, services, and construction to provide customer needs items/services in a timely manner at a fair and reasonable price. This Directorate’s statement of purpose is, “To furnish our customers with effective and efficient customer support.”

The Directorate is composed of Director, Major Earle Smith II, and three divisions with one supervisor for each division: Chief, Purchasing Division, Charlene Bailey; Chief, Contracting Division, Emily Mathis; and Chief, Con- tracting Administration Division, Cornelius Brown. This Directorate is presently administering over 132 large (over $25,000) contracts totaling more than 28 million dollars. Last fiscal year, 57 large contracts were awarded, totaling more than $10 million. The Purchasing Division had over 15,258 purchasing actions (less than $25,000) totalling more than $15 million last fiscal year.

Directorate of Information Management

The Directorate of Information Management (DOIM) provided a variety of services in support of the medical cen- ter, facility operations, and tenant units. The DOIM cre- ated and directed

-local strategic planning for computer automation projects

- automation security

- supported visual information

- communications infrastructure and connectivity

- publications and printing

- full service Army Mail Room

- processed Privacy and Freedom of Information Act documents and materials

All activities within the DOIM were interrelated and strived to enhance methods of sharing information within and between the Medical Center, the Central Health Ser- vices Support Area, the DoD Region 8 Lead Agency and the AMEDD (Army Medical Department).

Significant achievements include:

- creation of a comprehensive hospital information system which supported 1,200 health care providers in two states (Fitzsimons Hospital Information System - FITZ- HIS)

- a facility-wide Local Area Network with Internet connectivity supporting 1,400 users.

- continuous support and maintenance of a 4,200 telephone and data line system.

- production of more than 450,000 illustration and photography products yearly.

- administrative service support to over 450 files sta- tions requiring 1,600 publications and forms

- year around processing of over 6,000 pieces of mail a month and maintenance of 1,200 individual mail boxes.

The leadership and technical contributions achieved by the DOIM military and civilian employees, throughout the history of the directorate, is directly related to the progres- sive and supportive posture of the FAMC command staff. Our gratitude goes to them for their vision and support.

Directorate of Logistics

F LOGI

NTENANCE DIV

BLDG 212

The mission of this department is to provide logistics support for Fitzsimons Army Medical Center and the installation of Fitzsimons which en- compasses the following: provision of supplies and services; maintenance and management of materiel; movement of materiel and personnel; and logistical planning and resource management.

The major accomplishments of this departments have been in trans- portation by providing movement of household goods for authorized person- nel throughout 26 counties in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska; in equipment acquisition programs by programming and funding for all new equipment to support the medical center, installa- tion, several clinics, and four medical activities; and providing medical sup- ply support to over 100 activities.

Maintenance Division

Headquarters Administrative Division

HI

Supply personnel

8 3

Nome Street warehouse personnel

Transportation personnel

Housekeeping Services

Housekeeping services at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center was contracted out to private contractors under the auspices of the Small Business Administration's Section 8(a) program, a small business set aside for minorities. Beginning in July 1981, the housekeeping contract was awarded to NCT Services Inc., a janitorial company headquar- tered in Kansas City, MO. NCT Services performed this contract until April 15, 1991. The contract was subsequently awarded to Leon's Janitorial Service, and a short time later, to Martec. Beginning April 1, 1994, LMS Chemical/dba Pacific Environmental Services was awarded the contract, and has performed the housekeeping services to date. With the exception of a two year hiatus, all management personnel of Pacific Environment Services have remained at Fitzsimons since 1981 . Moreover, approximately thirty percent of the original employees who began with the NCT Services contractor in 1981 worked in housekeeping thirteen years or longer, a remarkable record given the usual short- term tenure for employees in the housekeeping industry in general.

FAMC was among the first military hospitals to contract out Aseptic Management Services (housekeeping) and was a radical departure from the concept of wage-grade or military personnel performing nontechnical tasks. Prior to any service being contracted out such as hospital housekeeping, food services, lawn maintenance, etc., a cost comparison was compiled by an independent auditing agency to ascertain the cost effectiveness of contracting out. For the most part, contracting out of military hospital housekeeping has proven to be very cost effective when compared to the government's cost of performing those same services.

Management personnel who have been at Fitzsimons have been in a position to monitor the Fitzsimons' metamorphosis at close range. They have witnessed all the construction and remodeling the facility has undergone, always being the first one at the scene to provide construction cleanup and subsequent routine cleaning. Housekeeping has been greatly impacted by the gradual closure of the facility, having seen employee counts drop from a high of 130 to its present count of 30 employees (in December 1996). This will continue to drop until final closure.

While it is easy to overlook a housekeeping department in a large regional medical center , no one can deny its importance in a health care environment. From between-case-cleaning in an operating room to cleaning a public rest room, the housekeeping department has performed a vital and necessary service to the patients and staff at he Fitzsimons facility.

8 4

Directorate of Personnel and Community Activities

The Directorate of Personnel and Community Activities (DPCA) is a multi-faceted organization with five separate and distinct divisions under its charge (Community and Family Activities, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Control and Prevention Office, Mili- tary Personnel Division, Civilian Per- sonnel Office, Equal Opportunity Of- fice). The DPCA’ s mission is to main- tain force readiness through military and civilian personnel support, com- munity and family activities and sup- port services, including morale, wel- fare, and recreation (MWR), educa- tion services, and oversight responsi- bility for alcohol and drug abuse pre- vention and control programs that reach all components of America’s Army Family. These activities cover a broad spectrum of programs and ser- vices. They extend from the manage- ment of civilian and military person- nel to issues related to family pro- grams including child and youth ser- vices, child abuse or neglect, and spouse abuse, exceptional family member programs, and relocation and transition assistance. The focus of these programs is to improve and en- hance quality of life.

The Community and Family Ac- tivities division has diverse responsi- bilities. Its mission is to provide a myriad of support services to soldiers and their families including morale, welfare, and recreation facilities, golf course, family entertainment center, outdoor recreation, international tours and recreation office, a community club, child care services in both the child development center and a home care provider program, youth service's activities, community services through Army Community Service, a gymnasium, and a pool.

Administrative Group

Bowling Lanes

The Family Entertainment Center (bowling center) maintains a recre- ational service for soldiers and family members. The bowling center is a 20 lane activity with automated scoring machines, a pro shop, game room, and small dining area.

The Fitzsimons Golf course was one of the first private golf courses in the military until 1985. Its original mis- sion was to provide a form of physical rehabilitation for wounded soldiers, and as a recreational activity for active duty soldiers. MG John F. Bohlender was responsible for the present design and layout of the course and the club house. The golf course has undergone significant renovations over the years, installing irrigation systems for the course, building a new facility to house golf carts, a semi-private game room, and a first rate pro-shop.

Community and Family Activities opened the 2.5 million dollar, state of the art Child Development Center in March of 1994. This center contains the most modern and innovative child safety features available today, includ- ing a video monitoring system, raised electrical outlets, and safety cabinets. This facility meets or exceeds all fed- eral child care standards. Its mission is to provide child care services for ac- tive duty soldiers and civilians assigned to or employed at Fitzsimons. Enroll- ment at the child development center has grown over the past two years to a peak of 185 children. In 1994, Com- munity and Family Activities also opened their supplemental program which includes a home care provider program that has grown from four pro- viders to the present number of 16. Both programs give soldiers and civil- tions for their child care needs.

Child Development Services

Child Development Services

8 6

Community and Family Ac- tivities opened the Fitzsimons Commu- nity Club in May of 1995. This facil- ity pro-vides community activities, ca- tering functions, and a place for patrons to relax and enjoy the array of activi- ties. The club provides entertainment and dining pleasure for the entire mili- tary community. It is one of only a few facilities in the Army ; combining Officer, NCO, Enlisted, and retiree ac- tivities under one, modem, state-of- the-art building.

The Outdoor Recreation Department is made up of a rental and retail store, travel camp, a recreational vehicle stor- age lot, a post park, and the Lowry Campground at Dillon. Its mission is to provide quality outdoor recreation experiences to the entire military com- munity. This highly energetic organi- zation took over the Dillon Camp- ground from the Air Force in 1994, and provides wonderful camping opportu- nities, the FAMC Travel Camp on the northern end of the installation, and has developed a ski reservation program that increased the speed of equipment checkout during the winter season.

The FAMC swimming pool provides a variety of swimming activities to pa- trons in a safe and clean environment. The swimming pool staff are great sup- porters of the medical center. They implemented water arthritis therapy and physical therapy aerobic classes along with programs designed to aid not only in rehabilitation, but to help the physically and mentally challenged. The pool provides not only an excel- lent physical fitness activity but also significant recreational pleasure.

The FAMC gymnasium provides for force readiness through physical fitness activities. These activities include free weights, aerobic machines, intramural sport activities, basketball, and racquet- ball. The post gymnasium has hosted and conducted the Commander’s Cup Competition every year since 1982, providing esprit-de-corps and sound morale through healthy sports compe- tition.

Community Club

ITRJOutdoor Recreation

Army Community Ser\>ices

8 7

International Tours and Recreation (ITR) opened in 1987. The ITR staff has worked diligently and closely with many organizations including ski re- sorts, restaurants, lodging facilities, and theme parks to provide patrons with a myriad of recreational and en- tertainment opportunities at discounted prices. ITR’s largest expansion of ser- vice has been procuring tickets to con- certs and sporting events throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Patrons can purchase discount tickets to the Rockies, Broncos, Avalanche, and Nug- gets games, receiving great seats at sig- nificant discounts. The ITR office had more than one million dollars in sales last year.

Army Community Service (ACS) is the installation's primary resource for developing, coordinating, and deliver- ing soldier and family social support services, contributing to overall morale. ACS develops and implements educa- tional programs, focusing on preven- tion, enhancing soldier and family wellness. ACS assists the commander in increasing readiness and retention by helping meet the needs of the mod- ern day soldiers and their family mem- bers through teaching life management skills, assisting them in becoming more self reliant. Army Community Service brought the Family Employment As- sistance Program forward and joined with the Civilian Personnel Office and the Education Center to form a new Hu- man Resource Development Center (HRDC), playing a major role in job assistance, training, and education.

Youth Center

School Age Group

8 8

Military Personnel Division (MPD)

The Youth Services Center provides both quality educational and sport pro- grams to all children. Activities in- clude intramural sports (soccer, basket- ball, and softball), teen counseling, ski trips, teen talk forums, computers, rec- reational pool tables, video games, and areas for after-school studying.

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Control and Prevention Office (ADAPCP) is a key Commander’s pro- gram in maintaining force readiness. Its mission is to maintain the health of the force by providing prevention and control training and education, chemi- cal abuse testing, and treatment ser- vices to all eligible personnel. Since its opening in the seventies, ADAPCP has provided support to over 150,000 people. ADAPCP has achieved a zero percent rejection rate for chemical test- ing for the last two years.

The Military Personnel Division (MPD).plays a fundamental role in ev- ery soldier’s career. MILPO, as it’s fondly known, is tasked with provid- ing all personnel support to the soldier. This includes records maintenance, Officer and Non-Commissioned Officer Evaluation Reports System, personnel actions, strength management, main- taining the accuracy of the personnel data base, casualty and retirement ser- vices, awards, and PCS instructions. By providing quality, timely personnel assistance, the MILPO staff supports each soldier throughout his/her career, documenting successes, giving profes- sional advice, and assisting soldiers on the path to their individual, profes- sional goals.

Civilian Personnel Office

Alcohol and Drug Prevention Abuse Control Office (ADAPCP)

8 9

The MILPO assists Commanders in maintaining soldier readiness posture by playing a key part in mobilization exercises including helping soldiers with personal affairs. Behind each suc- cessful soldier is a quality military per- sonnel division.

The civilian counterpart to the Mili- tary Personnel Division is the Civilian Personnel Office (CPO). The CPO provides the same assistance to each of our civilian employees. They maintain the employee records, assist them in getting jobs, advise employees on ci- vilian personnel policy, work manage- ment and employee relations, process awards, conduct training, and provide technical services to the work force. The Civilian Personnel Office performs a vital role in maintaining a consistent, well educated, and dedicated civilian work force, providing the Army with operations continuity. Without this continuity, the Army would be unable to project its forces throughout the world.

In December 1994, the Director of Personnel and Community Activities opened an innovative new concept or- ganization, our Human Resources and Development Center (HRDC). Com- bining elements from the Civilian Per- sonnel Office, Army Community Ser- vice, and the Education Center, the HRDC is on the cutting edge of pro- viding employment assistance, job training, and skills enhancement pro- grams to the active duty, family mem- bers, and to our civilian employees. The combination of services available to our patrons provides every opportu- nity for advancement, skills enhancing, job retraining, and new employment.

Human Resources and Development Center (HRDC)

9 0

Financial Management Services Division

Directorate of Plans, Training and Security

The Directorate of Plans, Training and Security is known as the “Nerve Center” for Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (FAMC). The mission and gen- eral functions of the Directorate are to provide administration for allied stu- dents and visitors; prepare emergency preparedness and mobilization plans; conduct military training and ceremo- nies; control classified materials; co- ordinate the reserve component pro- gram; provide staff supervision to the Expert Field Medical Badge Commit- tee; coordinate the installation Security Management Program; schedule and coordinate military air transportation

for military and DoD civilians; serve as the ammunition Class V coordina- tor; coordinate conferences; supervise and control the world-wide military command and control system; partici- pate in Joint Chief of Staff and Depart- ment of Army exercises; and serve as the Federal Coordinating Center for the National Disaster Medical System.

The Directorate originally was com- prised of the following divisions under the office of the director: Plans, Op- erations and Mobilization; Security; Education and Training; Reserve Com- ponent Support; Audio Visual; Skill Qualification Testing; Allied Liaison

Support, and Conference Coordinator.

FAMC has hosted conferences throughout the history of the installa- tion. In 1982 - 1985, FAMC refur- bished its conference center and in 1996 the Office of The Surgeon Gen- eral designated FAMC as host for the Post Medical Graduate Training Pro- gram Conference site. Additionally, FAMC served as host for the Col. John R. Sperandio Plans, Operations and Intelligence Conference. The po- sition of a full time conference coor- dinator was established which en- hanced the quality of conferences held on and off the installation.

In 1993, the directorate was reconfigured in the following manner:

A) Office of the Director: Conference Coordinator; Regional Mobilization Coordinator; and International Military Student Office.

B) Training Division: Ammunition; Basic Life Support; and Skill Qualifi- cation Testing.

C) Plans, Operations and Mobilization Division.

D) Security Division.

E) Reserve Component Support Divi- sion.

FAMC's original mobilization bed expansion mission was 6,000 beds; 3,000 beds to be from existing facili- ties and 3,000 to be constructed on the installation. In January 1992, the then U.S. Army Health Services Command realigned the bed requirements for all military treatment facilities (MTFs) and FAMC's requirement was reduced to 1,770 beds. In 1993, MEDCOM re- duced FAMC's Mobilization bed re- quirements to a total of 520 beds in building 500. FAMC has performed consistently as a power projection plat- form.

In December 1989, FAMC deployed 32 personnel to Panama in support of Operation "Just Cause." During Op- erations "Desert Shield/Storm," August 1990 - January 1991, FAMC deployed 199 officers and enlisted personnel as backfills to other MTFs and to Saudi Arabia. Four hundred forty-four re- servists were activated to backfill FAMC's staff. The Reservists were members of the 5502nd U.S. Army Hospital (USAH), Aurora, CO; 6252nd USAH, Ventura, CA; 6253rd USAH, Santa Rosa, CA; 5503rd USAH, Co- lumbia, MO; Individual Mobilization Augmentees, and Individual Ready Re- serve.

FAMC provided an excellent train- ing base for assigned Individual Mobi- lization Augmentees (IMA) and the local Reserve Community. The origi- nal IMA program had 63 authoriza- tions. During the peak of the program, over 600 authorizations were estab- lished with 300 positions filled. In 1 995 - 1 996 with the downsizing of the forces, FAMC's authorization de- creased to 36 authorized positions.

FAMC provided training opportunities for members of the Army, Air National Guard, Air Force, Navy and Marines in a myriad of skills, e.g., medical, lo- gistics, military police, biomedical re- pair, engineering, etc.

In December 1993, HSC redesig- nated boundaries within its command, and designed FAMC, Central Health Service Support Area (CHSSA) as a subordinate command. The CHSSA commanded and controlled the follow- ing MTFs: Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, CO; Evans Army Com- munity Hospital, Fort Carson, CO; Munson Army Community Hospital, Fort Leavenworth, KS; General Leonard Wood Army Community Hos- pital, Fort Leonard Wood, MO; and Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, KS.

On 1 October 1995, it was an- nounced that FAMC was on the Base Realignment and Closure List, and the Central Health Service Support Area Mission was transferred to the South Central Health Service Support Area (Great Plains Health Service Support Area). The Security Division of Di- rectorate of Planning Training Mobili- zation and Security was transferred

from the Provost Marshal’s office on 16 Jan 84, as the Security and Intelli- gence Division. The Security and In- telligence Division was responsible for the Personnel, Information, and Auto- mation Security programs as well as the Security Education programs. Throughout the years, the Division ensured that all military and civilian personnel who required a security clearance were properly cleared and briefed for handling classified materi- als. Intelligence functions included monthly briefings on subversion and espionage directed against the Army, as well as anti-terrorist groups and travel security. It coordinated intelli- gence and threat information with Army Military Intelligence and federal, state, and local law enforcement orga- nizations.

DOD MILITARY

MEDICAL

ION VIII

DOD Military Medical Region VIII

9 3

Fitzsimons Health Services Region

Directorate of Public Works

Operations and Maintenance Bldg. 409

The organization now known as the Directorate of Public Works was first called the Utilities Section and was established at Fitzsimons in 1918. In October 1918, the Utilities Section be- gan operation of the power plant and the fire station. The Utilities Section served as a full service maintenance department. One of their early chal- lenges was keeping the unpaved roads open following snow and rain. Dur- ing the decade from 1920 to 1930, they constructed concrete roads and cinder roadways.

Beginning in 1923, they op- erated a greenhouse. The greenhouse grew tropical fruits such as avocados, bananas, lemons, papaya, oranges, limes and figs. When the fruit ripened,

they were distributed to patients. In addition, the greenhouse was used to nurture native varieties of pine, cedar, and spruce trees to be planted through- out the hospital grounds. The Utilities Section planted several thousand trees during the period from 1920 through 1930. Mules pulling water wagons were used to irrigate the trees. In later years the greenhouse was used to grow flowers for patients. Easter Lilies and Christmas poinsettias were grown and distributed to staff and patients. The greenhouse ceased full time operation in 1992.

Around 1920, a golf course was constructed. To irrigate the grass, the Utilities Section constructed a res- ervoir at the highest point of the in-

stallation, near the Bowling Alley, and utilized salvaged pipe to pump treated effluent from the wastewater treatment plant into the reservoir. From the res- ervoir, the water was gravity-fed throughout the golf course. In 1922, the Utilities Section constructed the Baseball field at its present location. Following completion of the existing hospital, Bldg. 500, additional staff was added to the Utilities Section to main- tain the largest building in the state of Colorado. During the war, the Utili- ties Section was called upon to plow fields for gardens. In 1943, the gar- dens produced over three thousand bushels of corn and three hundred bushels of beans. By 1946, the Utili- ties Section had been renamed the Post

Engineer Division. The Post Engineers oversaw construction of permanent fa- cilities to house female soldiers, and, in the sixties, oversaw the construction of permanent barracks in the 300 area and family housing units in the 700 and 800 areas. In 1974, the Post Engineer Division became the Facilities Engi- neer Division and, in 1977, the name was changed to the Directorate of Fa- cilities Engineers. In 1983, the engi- neers were assigned responsibility for management of the 288 family hous- ing units, 202 Transient Billeting Units, and 56 Bachelor Officer Units. To reflect the addition of the housing management mission, the name was changed in 1984 to the Directorate of Engineering and Housing, (DEH).

During the eighties, an envi- ronmental engineer was added to the staff to ensure compliance with new en- vironmental laws and regulations. During the 80s and early 90s several million dollars were used to initiate re- cycling programs, abate asbestos, and manage hazardous wastes. Also during this period, construction and repair projects were executed to improve elec- trical and fire safety code compliance in the main hospital building and up- grade the heating and air conditioning systems and interior finishes. Utility distribution systems, the wastewater treatment plant, roads, and parking lots were also upgraded through the instal- lation.

In the early 1990s, the DEH focused on reviewing plans for con- struction of a new hospital, reviewing the design and construction of a new power plant and facilities engineer compound, and designing and con- structing a Burger King and child de- velopment center. In 1993, the name was changed to the Directorate of Pub- lic Works. The current focus of the di- rectorate is providing quality facilities, housing, and fire protection, as well as environmental and engineering ser- vices directed toward viable reutilization of FAMC real property.

9 5

Fire Department Personnel

Directorate of Resource Management

The Directorate of Resource Management has two divi- sions: Program and Budget, and Management with a total staff of 15 civilians and two military.

The Program and Budget Division is charged with de- veloping the budget program for the upcoming year and monitoring the spending of monies during the current year, by tracking dollar execution according to the plan and funds control. The current annual budget for Fitzsimons Army Medical Center is 125 million dollars. This division main- tains support and funds control for approximately 50 activi-

ties. Thousands of financial documents are processed to ensure FAMC is spending its money appropriately.

The Management Division provides assistance with a variety of studies to determine the cost and appropriateness or functionality, before an item is purchased or a change is initiated. This division also provides support through the Table of Distribution Allowance (TDA) documentation of- fice and the Medical Expense and Personnel Reporting Sys- tem (MEPRS).

Managed Care Division

J

The Managed Care Division at Fitzsimons evolved over the past six years as the Department of Defense in- troduced to the Military Health Services System (MHSS) the various profes- sional service programs such as the Military-Civilian Health Services Part- nership Program, the Alternate Use of CHAMPUS Funds (Recapture) Pro- gram, Gateway to Care, and the TRI- CARE Program.

What has grown to be known as the Managed Care Division (MCD) began in 1990 as a staff of four, assigned to the Military-Civilian Health Systems Branch, Directorate of Patient Admin- istration. The initial staff members were Mr. Chuck Terry, Ms. Lynn Head, Ms. Vickie Atchley, and Mrs. Geraldine Cooper. The Coordinated Care Divi- sion (CCD) was established in 1992 in

support of the DoD Coordinated Care Program. In 1993, the Department of Defense (DoD) replaced the Coordi- nated Care Program with the DoD Managed Care Program which brought the current name to the Division. Dur- ing 1994, the Managed Care Division was instrumental in the development of the Adult Primary Care Clinic at FAMC. This year also brought the Central Health Systems Service Area (CHSSA) regional responsibilities to the MCD, as well as the early regional development of the TRICARE Pro- gram.

Through continued growth and re- organization during 1994 and 1995, the Managed Care Division staff was divided. The DoD, Region 8, Lead Agent Office was created from this di- vision. The remaining MCD staff com-

bined with the staff from the Clinical Support Division (CSD) and Pre-Ad- missions Office to continue on as the Managed Care Division and Patient Services Division. The sections as- signed to MCD were the Office of the Chief, Patient Representative Office, and the Medical Library.

The Statement of Purpose for the Managed Care Division was to provide quality administrative support to all clinical areas and close coordination support to all administrative areas in a timely manner, while continuously im- proving support/performance which would help FAMC to achieve its mis- sion.

Patient Representative Office assists active duty soldiers, retirees and their family members with health related concerns. We are a two person office and have had as many as six volunteers to serve a 500 bed hospital and 90 clinics and subclinics. Often we have had over 500 contacts a month from the beneficiaries that Fitzsimons services.

9 8

Medical Library

Optical Fabrication Laboratory

In 1963, the mission of producing military eyewear transferred from the discontinued U.S. Army Medical Optical Activity (USAMOA) in St. Louis, Missouri, to the newly established Medical Optical Activities Branch, Supply and Services Division, Fitzsimons General Hospital, Aurora, Colorado. This optical activity (lab) was initially housed in Bldg. 610 which previously had been an old hospital ward and in great disrepair. Much effort was made to make it structurally sound, but the weight and vibrations of the equipment eliminated the building as a permanent location. On August 6, 1971, Bldg. 628 was dedicated by the Army Surgeon General as the Charles W. Carter Building and made the new home for the Optical Fabrication Laboratory, a division level element of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. From Nov. 1992

through May 1995, the building underwent a major renovation project involving heat, AC, ventilation, plumbing and electrical systems. And in spite of the dust, frequent lack of heat and hot water, noise, power interruptions, and complete relocation of both major production divisions into temporary trailers and a smaller area of the south part of the building, the staff still ensured that the mission was accomplished.

Over the years, this organization facilitated visual readiness and improved visual performance of Department of Defense (DoD) personnel assigned west of the Mississippi River, throughout the Pacific and the Far East, with the timely manufacture of high quality prescription spectacles and other optical devices. Additionally, the OFL

provided frequent technical assistance and doctrinal guidance to military eye clinics and optical units that it supported. Frequently, the OFL was involved in DoD test and evaluation studies on optical devices and equipment to determine the suitability for military application. And last, but certainly not least, the OFL provided the Army’s only “on the job” training base for the 42E MOS, Optical Laboratory Specialist. Not only did the OFL make “glasses” but it “made” combat ready opticians!

With the base closure of Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, the OFL was directed by DoD Health Affairs to transfer mission, equipment, all military personnel, and six civilian opticians to other Army and Navy optical labs incrementally during fiscal year 97.

During the 33 years the OFL was located in Aurora, Colorado, its personnel distinguished themselves during peace and war. During the Vietnam War, the OFL production surged to approximately one half million optical devices per year. This same level was reached again in 1991 during Operation Desert Shield/Storm of the Gulf War. Beginning in 1992, the OFL management began developing a pollution prevention program seeking to minimize or eliminate hazardous waste generation. That same year, new non-toxic material and process changes were implemented, personnel training was conducted, and a significant equipment acquisition program was initiated. By

early 1996, with the support of employees who devoted countless hours and energy to researching new technology, attending professional continuing education conferences, conducting equipment trials, and performing economic and technical feasibility studies, all hazardous waste generation was eliminated. The OFL was leading the industry in pollution prevention for large-scale eyeglass manufacturing facilities and was recognized at the Joint Service Pollution Prevention Conference in San Antonio, Texas in August 1996.

During the years the OFL was in Aurora, Colorado, annual production ranged from approximately 260,000 to 520,000 pairs of optical devices.

Personnel strength varied from approximately 70 to 110.

The 14 officers-in-charge of the lab during this period were:

LTC Ernest M. Fulford 1963-1966 LTC Thomas Plemon 1966-1968 LTC Milton Braveman 1968-1969 LTC Richard Jellerson 1969-1971 LTC Gene M. Bourland 1971-1972 LTC Harrell Bigham 1972-1973 MAJ Garrett W. Barron 1973-1976 LTC James A. Dolbier 1976-1979 LTC Gene M. Finklestein 1979-1981 LTC Charles O. Jorden 1981-1984 LTC John F. Pyle 1984-1986 LTC Lawrence Hampton 1986-1988 LTC Donald Dunphy 1988-1992 LTC Ronald D. Fancher 1992-1997

Directorate of Nutrition Care

MISSION: The Nutrition Care Directorate consists of two Divisions - Clinical Dietetics and Food Service. The mission of the Clinical Dietetics Division is to pro- vide meals as ordered by physicians to inpatients, and to provide nutri- tion education to FAMC beneficiar- ies. The mission of the Food Ser- vice Division is to provide quality food to patients, staff, students and visitors on the Installation. Each Division has two additional missions - training and research. The Nutrit- ion Care Directorate routinely devel- ops and conducts training for civil- ian students, military students and reservists. Both divisions also con- duct research projects which con- tribute to their professional fields.

Recent statistics: During FY95, we served more than 530,000 meals to patients, staff and visitors.

Major accomplishments/innovations: In 1 982, Fitzsimons was the first AMEDD food service facility to become a contracted food service operation. Fourteen years later, we remain the only AMEDD food service facility with a full food service contract.

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Patient Services Division

Patient Administration

Patient Services Division (PSD) began as the Pre-Admission Service. An Army Nurse Corps officer proposed a pilot project in 1992 to begin pre-ad- mission services (PAS). PAS was de- signed to facilitate the admission pro- cess for patients, physicians and ward/ clinic personnel. The pilot project was blessed by the Chief Department of Nursing, Chief Department of Surgery and Chief Surgical Nursing Service. Based on that pilot project and on the work of the Utilization Management Process Action Team, Pre-Admission Service was created and developed in March, 1993. From that grew the con- cept of Patient Services Division as the single point of entry for all patients within the region. The mission of PSD

was to increase patient and Health Care Provider (HCP) satisfaction, increase efficiency, consolidate nursing and Pa- tient Administration Division (PAD) functions (Admission and Discharge (A&D) and Aeromed-Evacuation (A/ E offices)), decrease inappropriate ad- missions, decrease cost, and improve discharge planning. The early major functions within PSD were to assess pre-admission patients and same day surgery patients, pre-certify for third party collections and the development of regional care coordinators to man- age regional referrals by making ap- pointments and billeting arrangements. Patient census in PAS grew from 1 10 to a high of 509 patients per month. Regional referrals were between 300-

500 per month. Inpatient third party collections grew to almost $3 million in FY 1995 and already almost $2 mil- lion in FY 1996. Although consolida- tion with some Managed Care functions did. The Health Benefits Advisors (HBA's) and Central Appointment Sys- tem (CAS) became part of PSD in 1995. Faced with downsizing and BRAC, another mission of PSD was to educate our beneficiaries about CHAMPUS and Medicare. The Health Benefits Advi- sor Office presented over 12 major briefings to 8,000 beneficiaries educat- ing them about civilian care. They also have done innumerable individual briefings to groups throughout the com- munity. The development of Nurse Care Managers as HBA's/Health Care

101

finders was most successful with a Psy- chiatric Nurse Case Manager follow- ing active duty patients in the commu- nity. A new automated telephone man- agement system was installed with the supervisor of CAS as the POC for ser- vices using this system. In 1996 the mission continues to provide all of the above services and to educate our staff and patients about TRICARE. With the loss of staff , consolidation with other departments such as Managed Care added to the PSD mission to work administratively towards closure.

Pre-Admissions Service

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Patient Services Division

102

Health Benefits Advisors

103

Provost Marshal

The mission of the Provost Mar- shal is to provide law enforcement, se- curity and investigative support to all activities on Fitzsimons Army Medi- cal Center and has the motto of the Military Police Corps "Assist, Protect, Defend" to guide the effort.

The initial contact or perception for most personnel is that of the Police Officer. These law enforcement offi- cials are the cornerstone of any police department and interact with the pub- lic every day. Their duties include: traffic control, parking violations, re- port writing, radar operations, area se- curity, arresting offenders, public rela- tions, foot and motorized patrolling and quarters checks while others are on vacation.

Another area of the Provost Mar- shal Office is the physical security branch which includes the inspection section, vehicle registration and secu- rity identification section. The inspec- tion section conducts vulnerability and physical requirement surveys, key con- trol, narcotics security procedures and personal items security briefings. The vehicle registration and security iden- tification section provide an additional level of identifying installation person- nel and authorized patrons.

The Provost Marshal office also provides investigative support. The traffic accident/investigations branch investigates vehicle accidents on and off the installation as well as manag- ing radar operations, installation park-

ing, weapon registration, traffic con- trol and providing a liaison to the U.S. Magistrate court in Denver. The po- lice investigations branch conducts criminal investigations, fingerprints all workers on Fitzsimons who may be in contact with children and conducts other investigations of high command emphasis.

The final area of the Provost Marshal office is the hospital prison ward, providing secured quarters for convicted and sentenced prisoners of the U.S. government while affording access to immediate specialized medi- cal care. This is the only prisoner ward of its kind within the U. S. military ser- vices.

104

Command Group

Base Closure Office Command Group Dental Headquarters Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority FAMC Redevelopment Plan Medical Center Brigade Medical Education Preventive and Community Medicine Veterinary Services

105

Base Closure Office

On 3 January 1995, the President of the United States sent to the Senate nominations of an eight member Com- mission known as the Base Realign- ment and Closure Commission (BRAC) under the authority of the De- fense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (PL 101-510). This Com- mission, with federal legislative ap- proval, would ultimately identify 132 military installations in the United States for closure or realignment. On 27 February, Brigadier General John Parker was called to the Pentagon with other senior Army officials to be given advance notice that the next day the Secretary of Defense would make pub- lic announcement of its recommenda- tions to the Commission (of closure and realignment sites.) On 28 February

1995, Fitzsimons Army Medical Cen- ter (FAMC) became a candidate site for closure. If approved, the Installation would join nearly 100 major and 300 smaller Defense bases closing as a re- sult of four rounds of BRAC activity that began in 1988. On 3 March 1995 the Directorate of Base Closure Opera- tions was formed on FAMC to plan for closure, and to be the nucleus of closure management should FAMC become a BRAC site.

Well before January, the Army and other Services began to assess their force structures to include their inven- tories of real property with a joint goal of trying to better balance infrastruc- ture with the smaller size of general troop levels. Army strength had been reduced by 30 percent over the years

with infrastructure reductions seriously lagging. With the decision to cut in- frastructure as a focus, the Army be- gan to determine which installations might be nominated for closure or re- alignment in support of federally man- dated “downsizing”.

The Commission began its work im- mediately, visiting candidate BRAC sites, holding town hall meetings, studying the reports of the separate ser- vices on the logic behind nominations and the expected impact of the proposed actions, and holding hearings on the matters at hand. Two Commission members visited Fitzsimons and the City of Aurora on April 13, 1995. This followed, by only one day, field hear- ings held on FAMC by the House of Representative’s Subcommittee on

Military Installations and Facilities to address FAMC's potential closure. Ironically this hearing was the inau- gural event in the newly constructed Community Club.

The Commission finished its work and sent its report to the President on July 1 . On September 28, Congress, failing to disapprove the recommenda- tions, allowed the report to become law. The language, as it related to FAMC, read: Close Fitzsimons Army Medi- cal Center, except for Edgar J. McWethy Army Reserve Center. Re- locate other tenants to other installa- tions.

Fitzsimons’ long and proud history was sentenced to end that quickly. Na- tional priorities demanded peace divi- dends in the form of a smaller defense structure. FAMC's last honor would be to contribute. The savings expected from the 1 995 base closures were esti- mated by the Commission to be nearly $20 billion over two decades.

Planning to close the Installation began in March 1995, under relatively simple guidance. FAMC would have to close as quickly as possible because of financial difficulties not only within the corporate Medical Command, but at the Army and DOD levels. Any plan to close must be structured in such a fashion as to assist the local commu- nity with economic redevelopment to the greatest extent possible. This last mandate was borne in Presidential di- rection and supported by law and policy specifically written to manage property at BRAC sites. Plans to close Fitzsi- mons were approved by the Department of the Army on January 23, 1996.

At the publication of this history, ma- jor time lines for closure activities were as follows:

The Medical Center closed with the commencement of the last graduate medical education class in June 1996. This graduation will be accompanied by a change of command ceremony that will mark the transition of the Fitzsi- mons Army Medical Center to the US Army Garrison, Fitzsimons.

With the loss of inpatient care will come the birth of a stand-alone health clinic that will have primary care ca- pability as a transition to the April 1997 introduction of health services provided by the TRICARE managed care support contract. The TRICARE contract will be designed to accommo- date the health care needs of eligible beneficiaries after the Medical Center closes. The Health Clinic will transi- tion to a Troop Medical Clinic after the TRICARE contract begins, and remain with a small dental clinic until the In- stallation closes.

Most of the tenants on FAMC will relocate. The Lead Agent for DOD Health Services, Region 8, relocates to Colorado Springs, and the Readiness Group and Veterinary Services to Fort Carson; OCHAMPUS will lease facili- ties in Aurora. The Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, DSA West, will relocate to Fort Lewis, Washington. While the Medical Equipment and Optical School’s mis- sion splits, most of its function will be transferred to Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas; and the Optical Fabrication Laboratory’s mission will be transferred to the Naval Ophthalmic

Support and Training Activity in Yorktown, Virginia. Reserve units will remain at the McWethy Reserve Cen- ter.

All of this will take a number of years as some of the moves rely on construc- tion at gaining sites. Closure will likely not be completed until 1 999 or the year 2000. The sadness is that Aurora must say good-bye to most of these fine or- ganizations. The brightness is that all of these units contributed to the proud history of the Fitzsimons Army Medi- cal Center.

So, what after FAMC? The City of Aurora formed a federally recognized “Fitzsimons Redevelopment Author- ity” that will work on behalf of the city to develop a plan for redevelopment of the property excessed by the Army. The city will work in a fashion open to the public to solicit ideas and interest in redevelopment initiatives. They will formalize their plans and submit them to the Department of the Army for ap- proval and, if approved, the Army will negotiate property transfer in accor- dance with laws that exist for this spe- cific purpose.

As we, at Fitzsimons, close a chap- ter in our long history, Aurora opens a new chapter. We wish the city that has been a gracious host to our installation the best of luck as it proceeds on a path that offers both opportunity and adven- ture. As the local community once of- fered the land occupied by Fitzsimons to the Army as a gesture of good will and opportunity, let us now understand that the gesture is returned with the same wishes.

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Command Group

The Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Command Group was comprised of a Commanding General, Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Aide-De-Camp, Command Sergeant Major, Commander’s Chauffeur, Special Projects Officer and Duty Roster NCOIC, all of whom were military. The civilian contingent included an Executive Officer, Protocol Officer, an Executive Secretary, two senior Secretaries, Congressional Liaison and Correspondence Clerk.

The Commander makes final decisions on issues that require instal- lation Command signature; this office is where the buck stops. The group oversaw the management of instal-

lation administrative and personnel is- sues; initiated strategy to resolve and prevent installation problems; screened all information directed to the office and recommended appropriate action;

served as the Command budget liaison; managed after-duty hours operations, security maintenance and logistical support; and scheduled ceremonies and coordinated VIP visits.

Medical Education

The Graduate Medical Educa- tion Office at Fitzsimons was respon- sible for overseeing the educational progress and training of a large num- ber of medical students, interns, resi- dents and fellows in the Health Profes- sional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and from the Uniformed Services Uni- versity of the Health Sciences (USUHS). These trainees received training in a myriad of graduate medi- cal education (GME) training pro- grams to include: Adolescent Medicine,

Allergy- Immunology, Angiography,

Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinol- ogy, Gastroenterology, General Sur- gery, Internal Medicine, Neonatology,

Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics-Gynecol- ogy Orthopedic Surgery,

Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics,

Plastic Surgery, Radiology,

Rheumatology, Transitional Year and Urology.

108

Dental Headquarters

The dental headquarters element at Fitzsimons served two functions. Until 15 Oct 1995, the Central Dental Ser- vice Support Area (CDSSA) Headquarters provided com- mand, control, and technical oversight for five subordinate Dental Activities at Fitzsimons, Fort Carson, Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and Fort Leonard Wood including remote clin- ics at Fort McCoy, WI, St. Louis, MO; and Dugway Prov- ing Ground, Utah.. CDSSA worked to ensure the readiness of assigned soldiers, Active and Reserve Component dental units, supported organizations and coordinated dental care issues between the myriad of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Veterans Affairs facilities in the twelve state Central Re- gion. The Commander, CDSSA, also served as the Senior Dental Staff Officer for the Central Health Service Support

Area (CHSSA) Commander. CDSSA closed 15 Oct 1995 as part of the ongoing Army Medical Department (AMEDD) reorganization.

As Headquarters, Fitzsimons Dental Activity, the unit op- erates two dental clinics in support of the readiness of ac- tive duty soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines stationed at Fitzsimons, Buckley Air National Guard Base, and the rest of the greater Denver area. It also maintains very close relations with United States Army Reserve (USAR) units stationed in Denver; the 919th Medical Company (DS); the 5502nd United States Army Hospital (USAH) Dental Detachment and a United States Naval (USN) Reserve Den- tal Detachment.

1 09

Fitzsimons Army Medical Center Building a 21st Century Legacy

The closure of Fitzsimons Army Medi- cal Center concludes nearly a century of care for wounded and ill soldiers, and their families.. Certainly, no other activity could be as important. How- ever, a redevelopment plan for Fitzsimons is taking shape to turn the economic loss to the region into an even bigger economic development oppor- tunity.

Aurora and Denver played key roles in the founding of Fitzsimons. In 1918, these two cities and 1,500 indi- vidual citizens contributed funds to purchase the site for the Army. In later decades, civic and political leaders were periodically called into action to keep from being closed. This community

involvement paid off; each thwarted closure action was followed by new construction and an expanded mission for the installation. The community is again leading the reuse effort.

The newly-created Fitzsimons Rede- velopment Authority is now busy for- mulating a reuse plan for Fitzsimons that goes beyond replacing the 4,000 military and civilian jobs lost by the installation’s closure. This vision ex- tends to the surrounding areas of North Aurora that can also be uplifted as re- development proceeds. In addition, there is a desire to have replacement activities move onto Fitzsimons before the end of 1997; that could begin to regenerate jobs for the medical person-

nel being laid off by the Army. The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority is working to bring new medical-re- lated tenants onto the site through in- terim leases prior to final closure. In- terim leasing can ensure that this busy campus of hospitals and support facili- ties will not fall silent as the Army re- duces its presence.

At no time has the redevelopment potential for Fitzsimons been greater. When it was laid out in 1918, Fitzsi- mons was planned as a low-density complex of small buildings separated from the city activity of Aurora and Denver. Today, the installation is sur- rounded by expressways and urban de- velopment. It is located within a high-

Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority staff

growth region near one of the world’s largest airports, with immediate access to 1-70 and 1-225. In this new metro- politan context, Fitzsimons can support a higher-density development to attract new investment, jobs, and economic activity.

The conditions for redevelopment at Fitzsimons are unusual for a military installation facing closure:

The installation’s new Central En- ergy Plant has the expansion capacity to serve six million square feet of con- struction, the equivalent of twelve buildings the size of the existing main hospital!

Since much of the basic site infra- structure for redevelopment is already in place, massive up-front capital in- vestments for roads, utilities, parking, and landscaping can be avoided.

The facilities are ready-made for oc- cupancy by Research and Development companies in need of research and ad- ministrative space, ranging from a re- cently completed teleconferencing cen- ter to move-in-ready laboratories equipped with everything from flow

cytometers to an electron-beam micro- scope.

From these advantages comes an opportunity to create something totally new and grand out of these 577 acres — an economic development bridge to the 21st century for the Aurora/Den- ver metropolitan area.

Many possibilities are being incor- porated into the redevelopment plan- ning work. One compelling proposal is to create a new campus for the Uni- versity of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC) on the site. Under this concept, Fitzsimons could also be- come a biomedical research park, which would help Colorado accelerate the development of its biotechnology industry. A number of states have launched such projects, and the most successful of these are anchored by large academic medical centers. UCHSC, now the fourth-largest em- ployer in the state, is fast-becoming a generator of new medical technologies and biotech companies. The institution’s annual budget is nearing $150 million and growing rapidly.

UCHSC is ranked among the nation’s top twenty biomedical research centers. Part of its pioneering work was the first use of fetal cell implants for treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

This medical technology theme was further reinforced because Colorado had already established an industry cluster for medical technology compa- nies. Future growth potential is tied to the state’s large academic, scientific, and health care institutions, as well as a young, highly educated work force attracted by the livability of the area.

The redevelopment of Fitzsimons is a complex undertaking that will take time as well as a significant commit- ment of resources. However, with the backing of the political, civic, and De- fense communities, it is possible that work at Fitzsimons may set a new speed record for military base redevelopment. To underscore this. Congress recently requested the expedited transfer of the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center be- cause of the significant preparation un- derway by the redevelopment author- ity concerned.

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FRA Executive Committee

The

Future

The

Redevelopment Plan for

Fitzsimons

► New infrastructure components will be needed as the Fitzsimons site redevelops into one of the largest employment centers in the Aurora/Denver metropolitan area.

A NEW PARKWAY will be needed to serve the estimated 80.000 daily trips to be generated by the bioscience research park and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center campus. The parkway will extend from West 26th Avenue on the northwest to Potomac Street and Colfax Avenue on the southeast. This new arterial road will open the north and east portions of the Fitzsimons site to redevelopment, and it will provide ideal exposure to Sand Creek Park.

THE REDEVELOPME

► A university-related BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH PARK

will be developed on 147 acres north of Harlow Boulevard, an ideal setting for research-oriented biomedical and biotechnology companies seeking a planned business park setting adjacent to an academic medical center campus and near a major airport. This university-related bioscience research park will be the first project of its kind to be developed west of the Mississippi River. As shown, the research park will ultimately require the land area now used by Fitzsimons golf course. However, the City of Aurora plans to operate this as a public golf course on an interim basis until it is needed for the research park.

This $1.5 billion reuse plan reflects an in\ an academic medical center campus at A<* expedient redevelopment /in

► The recently constructed FISHER HOUSE will be operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide a temporary residence for family members of critically ill patients, who are members of the armed services or veterans who are hospitalized at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

► A TOWN CENTER will be needed in later phases of development to provide a small node of convenience commercial uses in the center of the site to serve the projected employment. The center, easily reached by foot from all points on the site, is planned to contain a bookstore and food court.

► Planned to serve the state's large veteran population, a VETERANS NURSING HOME COMPLEX will be developed by the State of Colorado Department of Human Services to provide a 1 80-bed. long-term care facility for Colorado veterans needing skilled nursing home care.

The complex also includes a 100-bed transitional housing unit for homeless and disabled veterans.

► A wooded area now called GENERAL'S PARK, at the southwest corner of the site, is to be conveyed to the City of Aurora and become part of the municipal park system. The park is an important historic site, dating back to the late 1 9th century and the founding of Gufheil Park Nurseries by Alfred H. Gutheil The Gutheil's house, built in 1897, is now the Commanding Officer's Residence. The house is to be used as a meeting facility by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Aerial photo of the 577-acre Fitzsimons campus

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4 Fitz REUSE - Special Edition 1996

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► Anchoring the redevelopment is the UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER which will develop a new campus within a 21 7-acre site fronting on Colfax Avenue and extending north to Harlow Boulevard. The campus will be built in phases as a replacement to its 46- acre campus on Colorado Boulevard. The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center is one of the nation's top academic medical centers, and the Fitzsimons site will accommodate its growth needs throughout the next century. The adjacent bioscience research park will provide increased opportunities for university-industry collaborations leading to the development of new products and services from life science research.

LAN FOR FITZSIMONS

BUSINESS

INDUSTRIAL

UCHSC

HUMAN

SERVICES

US ARMY RESERVES

COLFAX AVENUE

unity consensus: The long-term gains from rlearch park are superior to any rapid or e ull potential of Fitzsimons.

► The PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE will enhance the edges of the site and add to the Sand Creek Park and Tollgate Creek recreation corridors. These areas, which contain landfills, are planned to be conveyed to the City of Aurora and incorporated into its open space/recreation program.

► The redevelopment of Fitzsimons is supported by DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, a 15-minute drive from the site. This newly opened international hub airport has become a catalyst for development in the northeast part of the Aurora/Denver metropolitan area.

► A tract of land at the northeast portion of the site has been identified as an ideal location for a GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY linked to bioscience research. Federal research laboratories have been important additions to university- related research parks elsewhere in the United States. Federal laboratories have aided the development of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park and Maryland's Hopkins/Bayview Research Campus.

BIOSCIENCE PARK (2)

u CAMPUS

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A

RESEARCH

POOL

► An 8-acre parcel has been designated for public benefit conveyance to the City of Aurora for a POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING COMPLEX.

This includes the current Quade Conference Center.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

to, 000 square foot MAIN HOSPITAL BUILDING at

Js, which closed in June of 1 996, will be renovated and d in 1997 by the University of Colorado under an I ise arrangement. A $20.3 million renovation program I ! space for administrative, clinical and research of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Hospital and University Physicians. In addition, pace is being planned for housing private bioscience hnd development companies. The hospital building will \ the University's public benefit conveyance.

► The newly built Fitzsimons CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

will continue to provide early childhood education and daycare as an important amenity that will now serve the new activities planned for the site. It has been designated for public benefit conveyance. J ] 3

► Two recently built dormitories have been designated as facilities for HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDERS to

operate programs assisting Aurora’s homeless population. A range of services for youths, individuals and families can be accommodated in these dormitories. Also, programs for homeless and disabled veterans are a component of the Veterans Nursing Home Complex, and additional transitional housing for families is to be provided on an interim basis on the south end of the site.

► The installation’s SWIMMING POOL will also be conveyed to the City of Aurora, which will operate it as a community pool as part of its municipal recreation programs.

► The Edgar L. McWethy, Jr., U.S. ARMY RESERVE CENTER will remain at its present location as part of a 21 -acre federal enclave to house operations now located at the site as well as to consolidate functions elsewhere.

► INTERSTATE 225 provides excellent regional access to Fitzsimons from all points in the Aurora/Denver metropolitan area.

► URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES will provide a framework for compatible, high-quality development throughout the site. Areas such as the Colfax Avenue frontage will receive special attention to ensure that the redevelopment of Fitzsimons becomes a catalyst for new investment and redevelopment along the south side of Colfax Avenue between Peoria Street and the Interstate 225 interchange.

Fitz REUSE - Special Edition 1996 5

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Medical Center Brigade

The Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (FAMC) Brigade is one of only two Table of Distribution Allowance (TDA) Medical Center Troop Brigades in the Army Medical De- partment. The other Medical Center Brigade is located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Both Brigades are lo- cated on Medical Command Installations and provide bil- leting, administrative, and logistical support to soldiers on the installation. The mission of the Medical Center Bri- gade at Fitzsimons is to provide command and control for all military personnel assigned or attached to FAMC and to ensure the maintenance and sustainment of individual and unit training and readiness in support of FAMC as a World

Class Healthcare Organization. In order to ensure indi- vidual and unit readiness in support of the AMEDD’s Pro- fessional and Medical Filler System, the Brigade was reor- ganized in 1994 around a Table of Organizational Equip- ment (TOE) Brigade model. As evidenced by Unit Status Reports, the Medical Center Brigade has enjoyed some of the highest levels of sustained individual readiness within the U.S. Army Medical Command. This achievement re- flects the Commanding General’s vision: the total effect of our responsibility is, by definition, readiness.

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Preventive and Community Medicine

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Department of Pre- ventive and Community Medicine’s Mission: To provide comprehensive Public Health, disease prevention, En- vironmental Health, Industrial Hy- giene, Community Health Nursing, Occupational Health, Radiation Protec- tion, and Health Promotion services for the soldiers, family members and ci- vilian personnel within the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center HSSA (Health Service Support Area); to provide oversight and management of the U.S. Army Health Clinics at Dugway Prov- ing Ground, Tooele Army Depot, and Defense Depot, Ogden, Utah.

Summary of Preventive and Community Medicine Services:

Office of the Chief: Serve as Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Consultant to FAMC tenant units, FAMC physicians, and Health Service Support Area MEDDACs and Health Clinics. Chair

the installation Health Promotion Team and Rabies Advisory Board. Operate a Travel Medicine Clinic for soldiers and their family members. Serve as Army Material Command/MEDCOM Partnership Program Coordinator for the HSSA.

Occupational Health Service: Protect FAMC and Rocky Mountain Arsenal employees and soldiers against adverse effects of potential workplace hazards. Reduceeconomic loss caused by physical deficiency, sickness, and injury by ensuring timely medical care and rehabilitation of the occupationally injured and ill. Ensure combat readiness of military personnel by reducing occupational illness and injury. Provide Occupational Health consultation for FAMC HSSA MEDDACs.

Community Health Nursing: Provide comprehensive CHN and epidemiology/disease control services,

in the areas of Tuberculosis screening and follow-up, Family Advocacy and Case Management, Child Development Services Nursing Consultation/Health Education, Home Health Nursing visits, Discharge Planning, Inpatient Home Care Coordination, Tobacco Cessation Education, Health Promotion, Communicable Disease reporting and investigation, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention education, and computerized Health Risk Appraisals.

Environmental Health:

Implement and provide programs aimed at elimination or control of environmental health hazards through sanitary inspections and surveys, environmental quality monitoring, health design and review, and entomology/pest management. Implement programs to eliminate and control occupational health hazards through work site evaluations, hazard

identification, and corrective actions. Identify civilian and military personnel who need to be included in the Respiratory Protection, Hearing Conservation, Occupational Vision, Radiation Protection, and job-related medical surveillance programs.

Radiation Protection: Provide radiation protection consultative services for FAMC installation and tenant units; provide radiation safety training for all potentially-exposed personnel; manage the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Broadscope Radioactive Material License and DA Radioactive Material Authorization Permit. Provide for decommissioning of FAMC Radioactive Material License in coordination with BRAC Plan. Perform shielding analysis of design plans for new or modified X-ray facilities.

Special accomplishments, Dept, of Preventive and Community Medicine (DPCM):

We provided support to the Utah Clinics (Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, and Defense Depot Ogden) personnel in the areas of recruitment and placement, supply, equipment procurement, staff merit promotion, provision of Interservice Support Agreements, and resolution of EEO concerns. Accomplished successful realignment of the Utah Clinics to Ft. Carson prior to the 1 April 96 target date. Continued to provide full consultative support to the Utah Clinics through Summer of 1996, after the clinics were realigned.

We provided full Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health, Radiation Protection, and Environmental Health Services to FAMC through its closure, and through the drawdown of U.S. Army Garrison, Fitzsimons.

We provided full Occupational Health Services to RMA (Rocky Mountain Arsenal) employees through Summer of 1996, after FAMC support to RMA was terminated 30 June 96. Assisted CDR, RMA, with initiation of MEDCOM administered contract, to

provide consistent Occupational Health and emergency medical support to RMA after FAMC closure.

We streamlined on-the-job injury case management for FAMC personnel injured on the job, through co-location of FAMC Injury Compensation Clerk with Occupational Health Service in Bldg. 403.

We provided current and updated MIMS/HIMS (Medical Information Management System/ Hazard Information Management System) database for all installation work areas, which allowed effective Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene oversight of installation work areas.

We effected the realignment of Radiation Protection Office from Deputy Commander back to Department Preventive and Community Medicine, which allowed consistent preventive medicine oversight of the Radiation Protection Program and improved logistics support for the Radiation Protection staff.

On 22 September 1 994, when the Department of Primary Care and Community Medicine were dissolved, we provided management and oversight of the FAMC Emergency Department, Optometry Service, Outpatient Clinic, and Physical Exam Section. We also planned and coordinated the successful merger of Outpatient Clinic from DPCM into the Team I Adult Health Service, Department of Medicine, and the efficient merger of Social Work Service into DPCM. Facilitated the merger of the Emergency Department and Optometry Service with the Department of Medicine.

The department coordinated the provision of Interservice Support Agreements (ISSAs) of supporting Central Health Service Support Area (CHSSA) MEDDACs with Rock Island Arsenal, Pueblo Army Depot, Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Savannah Army Depot, and ATCOM/ St. Louis. Assisted DOD Region 8

Lead Agent Office with Health Promotion Program Planning for DOD Region 8.

We also planned and coordinated with MEDCOM and CHSSA MEDDACs the identification of Occupational Health/Industrial Hygiene (OH/IH) unfunded requirements for FAMC, Utah Clinics and MEDDACs at Forts Carson/Riley/ Leavenworth and Leonard Wood, which resulted in acquisition and distribution of $401,000 of equipment to these facilities, thus significantly improving OH/IH programs for the CHSSA.

The department coordinated the Public Health, Preventive Medicine, Environmental Health and

Immunization controls for 5,000 Haitian Police Cadets for the Ft. Leonard Wood Haitian Police Cadet Training Program (June 95-Jan. 96). Implemented the provision of HEPA Respirator (TB Protective) Mask fitting and issue for 450 physicians and nursing personnel in Depts. of Medicine and Surgery, thus

minimizing exposure of these personnel to TB.

We assisted the Dept, of Medicine with planning for the implementation of the FAMC Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program for Operation Desert Storm soldiers.

During extensive

contamination of drinking water on FAMC installation Jan. -March 93, coordinated with city and state environmental health departments follow-up water testing, flushing of installation water mains, and ongoing publication of Command Bulletins for informing installation residents and personnel about the crisis.

During papal visit to Denver during World Youth Day, Aug. 1993, provided full preventive medicine support (field hygiene and sanitation, food service inspection, disease surveillance) to approximately 500 American and international youths who were housed on FAMC installation in Tent City.

Veterinary Services

The Deputy Commander for Veteri- nary Services at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (FAMC) served as Health Services Command (HSC) Re- gional Consultant to the Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Fort Riley, KS; Fort Leavenworth, KS, and Fort Carson, CO MEDDACs from 1973 to 1993. The unit was comprised of soldiers and ci- vilians assigned to Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Hill Air Force Base, UT; Dugway Proving Grounds, UT; Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD; Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND and Minot Air Force Base, ND. With the restruc- turing of the Army Medical Depart- ment (AMEDD), the Veterinary Com- mand (VETCOM) was formed. The Office of the Deputy Commander for Veterinary Services became the head- quarters for the Central Veterinary Ser- vice Support Area (CVSSA) and was responsible for commanding all veteri- nary personnel within a twelve state

region (CO, UT, SD, ND, WY, KS, MO, IL, WI, IA, NB, MN). Under the restructuring, two district headquarters were formed at Fort Leavenworth, KS and Fort Carson, CO. The remaining personnel within the office of the Deputy Commander for Veterinary Ser- vices, FAMC, were to come under the command and control of the Fort Carson District. The Central VSSA was provisionally activated October 1993, and was formally activated Oc- tober 2, 1994. Continued restructur- ing of the AMEDD resulted in the de- activation of the CVSSA on October 15,1995. The majority of the person- nel assigned to CVSSA now come un- der the command and control of the South Central VSSA located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

The CVSSA oversaw a comprehen- sive Food Inspection service which en- sured safe wholesome food was avail- able to U.S. Armed Forces personnel

and their beneficiaries. Comprehen- sive medical care was provided to Gov- ernment-Owned Animals, with the highest quality facilities, equipment and personnel. Additionally, veterinary care was provided for privately-owned animals of active and retired military personnel and their dependents. Ef- fective Zoonotic Disease Control Pro- grams were established and maintained at all installations receiving veterinary support.

On a monthly basis the Central VSSA including all branches inspected on average 32 million pounds of food, provided a sanitary oversight of 376 commercial food establishments and 83 military subsistence storage/AAFES Shoppette facilities. The Central VSSA supported 104 Military Working Dogs at 13 locations, saw 3,799 animals as outpatients, administered 6,574 rabies and other immunizations and diag- nosed 225 zoonotic disease.

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Clinical Departments

Department of Clinical Investigation Department of Medicine Department of Nursing Nursing History Nursing Personnel

Practical Nurse Program (9 1C School) Department of Pathology Department of Pediatrics Department of Pharmacy Department of Psychiatry Department of Radiology Department of Surgery Physical Medicine Service Social Work Service

Department of Clinical Investigation

The roots of Fitzsimons’ clinical re- search can be traced back nearly five decades. In May 1947, a joint project was started between the U.S. Army Medical Nutrition Laboratory (USAMNL) in Chicago and Fitzsimons General Hospital. Its focus was to study the effects of nutrition on lung diseases. Later that year the Research and De- velopment (R&D) Unit was established at Fitzsimons. The Unit, headed by 1LT Edward Liddle, included an Adminis- trative Section, the Microbiology Lab, and the Special Metabolic Lab. In the fall of 1953, USAMNL was transferred from Chicago to Fitzsimons, and in 1958, it combined with the R & D Unit to become the U.S. Army Medical Re- search and Nutrition Laboratory (USAMRNL). USAMRNL research produced outstanding work in such ar- eas as Medical Nutrition and Physiol- ogy of Starvation, IV Parenteral Nutri- tion, especially the use of Fat Emul- sion Therapy, treatment of tuberculo- sis, irradiation of foods, and effects of acute high terrestrial altitude on physi- ological functions (the Altitude Re- search Lab is still located on the sum- mit of Pike’s Peak.)

In 1972, USAMRNL was relocated to the new Letterman Army Institute of Research (LAIR), however, research continued at Fitzsimons under the Clinical Investigation Services (CIS.) Finally, in 1983, CIS was changed to the Department of Clinical Investiga- tion (DCI). DCI was located in three buildings just east of the hospital. The main building, 601, housed Adminis- trative Services, Animal Resources which included the Surgical Support Branch, Immunology Service, Cell Physiology Service, and Microbiology

Service. Building 610 is a 7,000 sq. ft. animal facility which had the distinc- tion, since 1985, of being accredited by the American Association for Accredi- tation of Laboratory Animal Care. The third building, 600, contained the Bio- chemistry Service and the newer, state- of-the-art Molecular Biology Service.

The mission of DCI was to actively encourage and support the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program through training and teaching of resi- dent clinicians and provide support in six functional research areas. Clini- cians performing research could re- ceive assistance through all phases of the investigation process to include: protocol design and development, col- lection of data, statistical analysis and interpretation, and help in writing re- ports, abstracts or manuscripts for pub- lication. The chief of DCI resided as chair of the Institutional Review Com- mittee, and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which re-

viewed new research protocols for pro- tection of subjects’ rights and safety, as well as for scientific merit. A re- search protocol specialist and an ani- mal research coordinator assisted the chief in this process by preparing pro- tocols for committee review and by as- sisting in questions regarding Army regulatory guidance.

Research at Fitzsimons produced over 341 numbered OTSG reports; 36 unnumbered, reports from other agen- cies, thousands of abstracts and presen- tations, and over 3,700 publications in the scientific literature. The research groups collaborated with the Univer- sity of Colorado Health Sciences Cen- ter, Colorado State University, Denver General and other hospitals in the metro area, national oncology agencies, the Medical Research and Materials Command, the National Cancer Insti- tute, National Institute of Health and many organizations in important health care endeavors.

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Department of Medicine

The Department of Medicine was composed of fourteen (14) services which are subspecialities of Internal Medicine. These specialized services included : Allergy/Immunol- ogy, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Emergency Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hematology/ Oncology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Neurology, Optometry, Primary Care, Pulmonary, and Rheumatology.

The mission of the Depart- ment of Medicine was threefold:

Provide medical care to its authorized beneficiaries - Com- bined, the subspecialty clinics provided over 12,000 clinic visits on an average monthly basis to benefi- ciaries in our Air Force bases in Colorado Springs and Cheyenne, the Air Force Academy and Fort Carson, as well as a 13-state regional area. In addition, the Adult Primary Care Clinic and the Emergency Medical Services saw over 1,500 and 2,200 beneficiaries respectively in an average month of care. These subspecialty services were devoutly

Office of the Chief

These offices were responsible for a myriad of departmental func- tions in support of the mission of the Department and its subspecialty services. A primary function of the Department and the Chief was to develop, coordinate, and provide support for the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program. This support also included, but was not limited to, financial, administrative, and technical assistance to the Services and Medicine Wards. These offices consisted of the Chief and Assistant Chief of Medicine, Chief Resident, Administrative Officer, Budget Support Personnel. It was the "Heartbeat of the Depart- ment."

dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to their patients, and each maintained their patient education, preventive medicine, and quality improvement ideals until completion of their mission.

Provide Graduate Medical Education (GME) through Internal Medicine Internship and Residen- cies and Subspecialty Fellowships - In this last phase of GME there were 30 physicians in training; seven in Internship, 19 in Residency, and four were pursuing fellowships (two in Allergy/Immunology, two in Cardiol- ogy). The training program in Internal Medicine was based on a three year sequential, supervised, progressive program of formal training , was approved by, and designed to comply with, require- ments of: the Surgeon General, Department of the Army for Medical Military Residency, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Medical Association, the American Board of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians, and the

American Osteopathic Association.

All subspeciality services were responsible for contributing to the training of housestaff through preceptorship, didactic lectures, and interactive conferences, as well as patient control.

Promote clinical or labora- tory Medical Research - Under the auspices of clinical faculty, residents were required to conduct research. Research was used as a tool to promote scholarship and a life-long commitment to study, the understand- ing of scientific method, and inter- pretation of data. This provided physician housestaff with an opportu- nity to understand how cultural, socioeconomic, ethical, occupational, environmental, and behavioral issues impacted their patients and patient's illnesses. This also served to help them continually maintain and update their knowledge and skills. Through the years, many of our residents undertook research projects that gained local, national and/or regional recognition, and resulted in the presentation of those projects at professional meetings.

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Allergy/ Immunology

Assumed care for patients with atopic diseases such as eczema, bronchial asthma, nasal/sinus disor- ders not allergic in nature, and a small number of patients with primary im- munodeficiency disorders. In addition they provided routine adult immuniza- tions, immunizations for travel, high- risk patients, and patients with under- lying disease.

Cardiology

Staffed its own inpatient ser- vice as well as a Coronary Care Unit. It supported the FAMC mission in its performance and interpretation of such tests as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, ambulatory holter monitoring, and treadmill stress test- ing, as well as performance of diagnos- tic cardiac catheterization.

(No photo available)

Dermatology

Served the patient population that had primary and secondary skin disorders. These included skin cancers and benign skin tumors, common der- matological disease, and cutaneous manifestations of internal diseases. Additionally, they provided outside consultant visits to other military care facilities.

Emergency Medical Services

Once fell under the jurisdic- tion of the Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, but changed hands to become one of the services of the Department of Medicine. The pri- mary function of the Emergency Room was to provide acute, emergent health care twenty-four hours per day / seven days per week, for the FAMC Commu- nity. They also provided emergency medical service support for the hospi- tal by means of three ambulances for transport. The twelve bed ER was des- ignated as a Level II trauma unit per the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations guidelines.

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Endocrinology

Provided diagnoses and care to patients with diseases of the Endocrine (glandular) system as the only Endo- crinology Service in our region. This care included diabetes and metabolic disorders, other disorders of the pitu- itary and adrenal glands, electrolyte dis- orders, and hormonal disorders affect- ing reproductive cycles.

Gastroenterology

The scope of this large and very busy practice, included a full range of consultative services for patients with regard to gastrointestinal, biliary, he- patic or pancreatic diseases. They per- formed a wide range of diagnostic pro- cedures to include: endoscopic ultra- sound exams, esophageal /rectal ma- nometry, and therapeutic biliary pro- cedures.

Hematology /Oncology

This service provided care to patients with leukemia, lymphoma, solid tumors, hematologic disorders, and bone marrow production problems. Patients were counselled on chemo- therapy regimens, personal problems and the use of various pain and anti- nausea medication. This service em- phasized concerned, compassionate care because their patients were often terminal.

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Infectious Disease

Responsibilities of this service included inpatient/outpatient consulta- tion for evaluation/treatment for sexu- ally transmitted diseases and the hu- man immuno virus. This service also performed procedures such as skin test- ing for delayed hypersensitivity, lum- bar punctures, and administration of some medications specific to HIV.

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(Adult) Primary Care

This service provided com- prehensive primary care / referrals for a broad spectrum of patients, with em- phasis on those having multiple medi- cal problems and requiring the care of an internist/case manager. Every ef- fort was made to consolidate a patient’s care to one physician to keep good medical care consistent. This service also pioneered the idea of a consult ser- vice for identifying patients in need of admission or surgery.

Nephrology

Assumed the primary care role for all patients who had received a renal transplant, and those patients whose primary disease is one of nephrologic concern , these include complicated hypertension, chronic re- nal failure, and endstage renal disease.

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Neurology

Was responsible for the care of patients with functional disorders/ diseases of the neurological system such as seizures, migraines, dystro- phies, and myopathies. Most neuro- logical problems are slow in evolution and non-lethal, so the effectiveness of therapy was gauged by the patient’s ability to return to gainful employment, care for him/herself, and participate in family/work/other activities.

Optometry

Originally falling under the auspices of the Department of Preven- tive and Community Medicine; this Medicine Service provided primary outpatient vision care to include pre- venting, diagnosing, treating, and man- aging ocular related disorders. Vision conservation evaluations and Low Vi- sion services were provided through- out the FAMC region. Additionally, they provided clinical training for Op- tometry students.

Pulmonary

This extensive service man- aged the care and rehabilitation of pa- tients with complicated pulmonary dis- orders such as tuberculosis, pneumo- nia, sleep apnea, and patients on home oxygen. This service also provided a full range of testing for these pulmo- nary disorders/diseases through their Pulmonary Function Lab/Respiratory Therapy Section.

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Pulmonary Function Lab

Respiratory Therapy Section

Rheumatology

This service treated both lo- cal and regional rheumatic disease pa- tients with complex inflammatory con- nective tissue disease, or a non-inflam- matory process. These rheumatologists then visited outlying MEDDACS in the region and were able to follow up on non-local patients. A nurse patient educator assisted with group instruc- tion and seminars for the patient popu- lation on disease instruction and pre- ventive medicine.

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Department of Nursing

"The Army nurse is the symbol to the soldier of help and relief in his hour of direst need. Through mud and mire, through the murk of campaign and battle, wherever the fight leads, she patiently, gallantly seeks the wounded and distressed. Her comfort knows no parallel. In the hearts of our fighting men, she is enshrined forever." Official Army Medical Department poster reproducing World War II art.

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Nursing History

Compiled by Sylvia Weber

Civil service nursing and military nursing have common roots. It was during the Revolutionary War, in 1775, that the demand for nurses became vital. There was such a great shortage of volunteers providing medical assistance that General Washington’s commanders were pulling soldiers off the battlefronts to care for the wounded. As a result, our young Continental Congress approved funds for medical support; groups of untrained nurses followed the soldiers from camp to camp, thus receiving the name “Camp Followers”. The funds from Congress paid them $2.00 a month and one meal a day to care for the sick and wounded. It was difficult to find women to take these early contract jobs, because they could earn more money doing a soldier’s laundry.

“Camp nurses” continued during the Civil War (1861-1865). Women serving both the Union and Confederate Armies were now earning $12 a month. Women were selected and assigned to various military hospitals. A shortage of nurses still existed, so volunteers, family members, various religious orders, and sanitary commission workers worked side by side.

Before the Spanish-American War, there had been resistance to having women in the field; the supply system was not ready to support their needs. At the start of the Spanish-American War, the Surgeon General received Congres- sional permission to appoint women to serve in the Army. On August 29, 1 898, the Surgeon General established the Nurse Corps Division under Dr. McGee (Assistant Surgeon General). The minimum qualifications for acceptance into the Army was graduation from a training school with a favorable recommendation from their nursing school directors The service records of these women during this conflict convinced Congress to establish the Corps under the Army Reorganization Act (31 Stat. 753). The Army appointed nurses for a three year period, with reappointments occurring only if the applicant had a “satisfactory record for efficiency, conduct and health.” The law directed the Surgeon General to maintain a list of quality nurses, with at least six months of satisfactory service in the Army who were willing to serve in an emergency. Today the Army Nurse Corps requires a bachelor degree for nurses to be accepted into the current active duty ranks and is known for the high number of advanced degrees held by its members. On February 2, 1901, Congress signed the bill permanently establishing the Army Nurse Corps. February 2, 1996 marked the 95th birthday of the Corps.

Civilian nurses continued to work under military contract until World War II. Civil service nursing was formally organized after World War II. More nurses were needed in order for the military to complete their mission of providing medical expansion in the event of a national or military emergency. Although the Army Nurse Corp strength rose to 57,000 during World War II, there were not enough nurses to care for the sick and wounded who were being transferred back to the major military hospitals stateside.

Fitzsimons civil service nurses

The civil service nurses, many of whom spent their entire careers at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, served and maintained the Department of Nursing by creating a stable environment of continuity. In the 1980s, on Civilian Appreciation Day, Marty Gordh, RN, BSN, medical intensive care unit (MICU) remembers General Bowen expressing gratitude, “The Army would not be able to complete their mission without civilian personnel, especially the nurses.”

All nurses touch patients lives, but something is different about the way civil service nurses reach out, not just to patients and families, but to the Army Nurse Corps and enlisted personnel. As military personnel received orders to move on to different assignments in times of war and peace, civil service nurses moved in to fill the gaps, providing a glue which secured the mission. From 1918 to 1996, these nurses created a stable backbone by establishing strong bonds with patients and families. Continuity and consistency are powerful positive forces; the force was carried on from nurse to patient and patient to nurse. As preceptors for new Army nurses, corpsmen, and new civilian nurses, the civilian nurses worked side by side with the Education Department providing mentorships lasting long after the orientation classes, special courses, and inservices were over. Fitzsimons civil service nurses carried on the tradition for 78 years.

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1918

World War started

Congress approves new hospital to be built near Denver

The city of Aurora’s popu- lation was 900

Denver’s population was 75,000

U.S. Army General Hospi- tal No. 21 saves Aurora from bankruptcy

Tuberculosis was on the rise

U.S. Army General Hospital No. 21

Patients treated: 603

Tuberculosis was a large problem within the Army

Post was still under con- struction (48 buildings)

Hospital opens in mid October with no heat

Hospital train brings first sick and wounded patients

Ambulances transferred patients to building 5 1 1

In the beginning, only 40 Army Nurse Corps nurses were assigned to the Army Recuperation Camp at Fitzsimons caring for troops with tubercu- losis, but the hospital’s patient population was quickly growing. Condi- tions were rough without heat and medical supplies and food were scarce. The hospital was still under construction. Most buildings were still without windows.

Walking to all the outlying buildings, providing moment to moment nursing care, nurses and corpsmen made rounds twenty-four hours a day. Long shifts meant endless work, caring for patients, giving love and warmth here, providing comfort there, listening for patients calling for help, always having a watchful eye for patients quietly in distress. Imagine the hustle and bustle created as medical personnel walked and ran to wherever they were needed most. Nurses rushed to assist physicians, then received doctor’s orders, set up bedside procedures, or operating rooms and administered medications, all in a days work, but lasting for long 30-day stretches.

A total of 72 officers, 3 warrant officers, 563 enlisted, and 478 civilians employees worked side by side in this crude environment of dirt roads and narrow wooden buildings with open air wards. From this humble beginning, U.S Army General Hospital became the world famous Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.

Nurses and reserve nurses at U.S. General Hospital No. 21 photo dated October 17, 1918

In the midst of controversy, this hospital continued to care for the sick. Soon, over 1,000 patients filled the beds. Food supplies were dangerously low. Driving in the snow, a five-ton Liberty truck loaded with a lifeline of supplies was on its way. Full of milk, produce and other perishables, the wheels became stuck at the front gate of the hospital. Quickly a tractor was purchased to tow the truck.

U.S Army General Hospital No. 21 continued to evolve. The world was watching Fitzsimons in great hopes for a cure for tuberculosis. It was well known patients improved here.

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After the war, Fitzsimons General Hospital became the largest TB hospital in the world. Until 1925, it was a struggle to make the patients observe treatment rules. Patients were not happy with the doctors or nurses. In order to maintain a certain degree of hospital discipline, simple rules of treatment were necessary. Patients were rebellious for many reasons: The treatment of TB lasted for many years, confinement led to boredom, the rules of treatment were interfering with their pleasure of living and the steam heat had turned the wards into hot houses. As soon as the doctors and nurses left the wards or turned their backs, down went the windows. Patients were demanding more passes and were leaving without them. Instead of resting, they would drink and gamble. Turmoil was increasing. Patients were antagonistic towards doctors, viewing them as officers in charge instead of physicians looking out for their health. Relationships did not improve until the hospital was divided into smaller units of 1 50 beds each. Until then, it was vogue for large government hospitals to provide mass treatments. This led to patients being treated as cases instead of individuals.

Recognizing this as a problem, physicians soon realized successful treatment depended on the personal touch. Steps were taken to divide the hospital into manageable 150 bed units. Each unit had a well trained TB specialist caring for the same patients throughout their long treatment.

Nurses and corpsmen were assigned to specific units. Managed patient care was in its infancy. These units were complete with kitchens, exam rooms, light rooms, fluoroscopic rooms, treatments rooms and sun porches. Each doctor was responsible for performing his own pneumothorax work, IV therapy, simple eye, ear, nose and throat treatments. Nurses assisted the physicians as necessary, administered some medications, but mostly attended to the basic needs of patients, such as, food, rest, warmth, comfort, cleanli- ness and tender loving care. The corpsmen assisted the nurses. Patient satisfaction was up. Better relationships were developing.

Steam heat for buildings completed in November 1918

First chief nurse:

Miss Elizabeth O. Reid

1919

World War continues through 1919

Nursing ranks swell to more than 2 1 ,400 nationwide

Over half of these nurses were serving overseas

Officials in Washington viewU.S. General Hospital No. 21 as semi-permanent

U.S. Army General Hospital No. 21

Patients treated: 1 ,382

Another 25 buildings constructed: total buildings - 73

Surgeon General’s goal: Eradicate all forms of TB from our troops

Hospital No. 2 1 built to be the Regular Army tuberculosis hospital

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1920

Peace time

All military installations' personnel and budgets being reduced; recommendations to abandon this institution due to endless expenses

Townspeople petition Congress to rename this hospital

New Name: Fitzsimons General Hospital honor- ing 1st Lt. William T. Fitzsimons, the first American officer killed in World War I

Patients treated: 1,035

Chief of Nursing:

None

1921-1930

After the war

The country feeling sym- pathy and gratitude for veterans

Types of tuberculosis treated included: pulmonary, genitourinary, glandular, skin, intestinal, laryngeal, bone and joint. Treatment for bone TB was not satisfactory. Patients with spinal TB were fitted with plaster-of- Paris jackets and many became so frustrated they went home before treat- ment was finished.

Early in 1922, heliotherapy (light therapy) was introduced. A special ward was set aside. Good results were obtained and patients were being discharged cured who would have otherwise died or become cripples.

While laying on a gurney located on the sun porch, an intestinal TB patient would have abdominal surgery performed to expose their intestines to the sunlight for a prescribed period. It was later decided this did not work.

Sun baths for pulmonary TB was not working for all patients. It was soon realized that sun baths worked best for fibrous forms of pulmonary TB. For relief of laryngeal TB, sunlight therapy was only used on the most chronic cases and administered with care. By 1930, heliotherapy was routinely prescribed for convalescent cases of fibrous pulmonary TB.

Pneumothorax (collapse therapy) was used to treat over 1 0% of pulmonary cases. It was mainly used for World War I veterans with long standing cases of the cavity-fibrous type. The purpose of collapse therapy was to obliterate large mixed infected lung cavities which did not heal spontaneously under ordinary hygienic care.

Excerpts from a radio broadcast by Col Paul Hutton, January 30, 1924

We consume approximately 100 tons of coal daily; 20,000 gallons of gasoline each year; 1,000 tons of ice; 300 tons of forage, and 200,000 tons of grain each year. At the present time we are treating approximately 1,300 patients, who are being cared for by 66 medical officers, 131 nurses and 530 ward attendants. We use 1,000 loaves of bread each day, or 365,000 loaves each year.

At first Fitzsimons General Hospital was opened as a TB institution, but soon the Surgical Service grew. Surgeries were performed first on TB patients, but by early 1930 it was expanding into different cases at the expense of the TB wards.

LTC (Ret.) Helene Belanger, Army Nurse Corps (ANC), tells about her experience at Fitzsimons, “ I graduated from nurses training in 1929. After passing my state board exam, I joined the ANC. My first assignment was to Fitzsimons Army Hospital from 1931 to 1934. The majority of the nursing care that I provided was to tuberculosis patients. The nurses were not assigned to any one ward. We worked wherever we were needed the most. We worked shifts, but they were unlike shifts of today. Each night nurse was responsible for 15 patients. Day shift was from 0700 to 0900 and from 1400 to 1900. Second shift was 0900 to 1900 and the third shift was 1900 to 0700. Shifts rotated every 30 days. We were responsible for tender loving care and nurturing of patients. We did not wear gloves or masks, but we did wash our hands a lot. We had to sterilize the glass syringes and needles, as well as sharpen them, and feed the patients. Food was brought from the kitchen to building 511 via the ramps located in the back of the building. Charting was minimal and only done when a patient had a drastic change. We had to have baths completed, linens changed prior to doctors rounds at 1000. The doctors performed most clinical tasks: obtaining blood pressures, inserting foley catheters and nasogastric tubes.”

TB patient care and treatment consisted of exposure to sunlight (heliotherapy) during the day. Patients wore the masks instead of the staff. They used cardboard lined tin cups for sputum collection. At night, they donned their stocking caps prior to sleeping on the porches for exposure to fresh air. Many patients would fool the nurses and slip out at night.

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The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor four days after the dedication of the new Fitzsimons Hospital. The first patients from the war were admitted on December 17, 1941. During the height of the war, 5,000 patients were here at one time. Specialties were in general medicine and tuberculosis, general, orthopedic and thoracic surgery, as well as x-ray therapy and psychiatry.

Mrs. Kay Lundin (formerly Lt. Hammond), operating room nurse during 1945-1947 said, “ We did all kinds of surgery, including brain surgery. The Chief of Surgery was Dr. Grow , he could do just about any- thing. After a case, we would wash the instruments by hand and put them all up in a glass cupboard on instrument racks. We didn’t do any terminal sterilization. We had camphor in the cupboards so the instruments would not rust. They were lubricated with ordinary machine oil. We had to put up cotton sutures. The suture would come on wooden spools and we had to transfer them to rubber spools to be sterilized. We would soak scissors and knife blades. We used surgical gloves over and over. We would wash them, blow them up, just like a balloon to check for leaks. You would never throw them away until they were perforated. We did everything. One time we got a gun shot wound to the chest. A bullet entered the heart wall and the surgeon put his finger in to control the bleeding. Everybody got all excited when the surgeon said, “Somebody get a saw and cut off my finger.” Everybody quieted down. He then placed some purse string sutures and extracted the bullet. The patient was fine. Of course, this was before we had the heart lung bypass machine.”

Instrument sterilizers in the main sterilizer room, December 1943.

LTC (Ret) Rhoda Jahr, operating room nurse during 1938-1945

reported, “I arrived here in 1938. I was a civilian nurse until January 3,

1940. The rank structure was quite different back then. We. were all lieuten- ants, even those with 17 years of service were 2LT. We were not referred to by rank, but were called “Miss.” This changed after Pearl Harbor, I will never forget that. Since I was “Relative Rank”, I was referred to as “Miss Jahr”; if it wasn’t for the war, I don’t think we would have received perma- nent rank. After Pearl Harbor, I was call Lieutenant Jahr. The day after Pearl Harbor, we moved into the brand new operating room in the “New Hospital” (the current Fitzsimons). I remember using the surgical gloves over and over. We would use green soap, dip our fingers in iodine, then alcohol and then put on the gloves. Silk sutures were not available yet, so we used cat gut, chromic gut and cotton. We did thorocoplasties by the dozen, we did them by the ton. It was the treatment for Tuberculosis to take out ribs and collapse the lung to cure TB.

Politicians eager to cham- pion this cause

Veterans’ Bureau orga- nized

Fitzsimons General Hospital

Chief of Nursing:

Miss Mary C. Sheehan 1928-1934

Patients treated over 9 years- 14,800

Pioneer work for TB continues

Hospital discipline hard to maintain

Medical supplies and equipment scarce

City organizations and churches bring books, food and flowers

1931-1940

The Great Depression taking its toll

Fitzsimons deemed under-utilized

Closure of Fitzsimons set for April of 1933

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Colorado Congressmen and local businessmen join forces to save hospital

President Roosevelt, “Fitzsimons will be here as long as I am President”

1 93 8 - New hospital takes two years to complete

Fitzsimons the largest general hospital in the country - 2,252 beds

Railroad built connecting Fitzsimons, Lowry and Buckley

Chief of Nursing:

Miss Mary Sheenan

1928-1934

Capt Sophy Bums

1939

Miss Barbara Lane

1940

1941-1950

New hospital dedicated December 3, 1941

Four days later, Japa- nese attack Pearl Harbor

After the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950, 57 Army nurses were the first American women into the combat zone. The were called “Front Line Soldiers.” On the home front, activity at Fitzsimons was booming.

LTC (Ret.) Mary Clark, ANC, recalls, “I was assigned to Fitzsimons in the early 50s when the Department of Medicine relinquished control of nursing and a Department of Nursing was formed. A friend of mine MSG (Ret) Gerald King, was the first Chief Ward Master. What 1 remember most from my assignments at Fitzsimons was the teamwork demonstrated between nurses and corpsmen. It seemed as though all I would have to do was to look up and someone was right there, willing to help out.” The polio epidemic created a challenge in nursing care. For short periods during the day, patients with polio rested on rocking beds, allowing feelings of freedom and better circulation. This allowed the patient to come out of the iron lung for short periods of time, making it easier for nurses to do patient care. During the night, patients stayed in the iron lung.

By the mid 1950s, Fitzsimons was the only military hospital equipped to do specialized open heart surgery. Dr. John Grow made history perform- ing some of the first aortic valve replacements in the United States - - he did this at FAMC.

While in Denver, visiting his summer White House, President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Fitzsimons from September 24, 1955 until November 1 1, 1955. Nurses at his bedside were: CPT Frances G. Derum, ANC, of Duluth, MN; CPT Caraline E. Koger, ANC, of Patrick Springs, VA; CPT Margaret M. Williams, ANC, of Fresno, CA; CPT Lorraine P. Knox, ANC, of Webster, MS

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In the 1960s, great changes took place in nursing. Now, they had a bigger job to do. With the advancement of technology, many complicated machines enhanced the availability of vital information to physicians.

These new clinical tools, used as an aid in research and in the diagnosis of disease, contributed to physicians becoming highly specialized. Over the years, physicians trained the nurses and delegated various responsibilities and treatments, once only performed by them, to the nurses.

Nursing care has always been a busy business, but it got busier by the year. In addition to new patient care responsibilities, nurses were still performing non-patient care tasks, like washing windows, floors and beds, washing and resterilizing foley catheters, cleaning, sharpening and resterilizing needles, washing gloves, checking for leaks, repowdering and sterilizing them, until in the mid-sixties, then disposable items were developed.

Dr.David Kelble, a civilian pulmonologist, contributed his recollec- tions in an interview. When ventilators and the monitoring of arterial blood gases became a useful clinical tool, a drastic change in patient care oc- curred. There were no intensive care units, but nurses were required to intensely observe ventilated patients in addition to their non-patient care duties. At that time, all serious lung cases received tracheostomies. The first ventilators were attached to a face mask or to the trach. At first, physicians operated these cylinder/piston volume ventilators. Using arterial blood gas data to follow how the patient was responding, the doctors drew arterial blood from the brachial artery through a specially designed large bore, luer lock needle. This method was quickly replaced by drawing arterial blood through a smaller needle inserted into the radial artery. It wasn’t long before the doctors trained the nurses to do the same. The need for an Intensive Care unit, staffed with specially trained nurses, became essential as acute care cases required more individualized nursing care and physicians needed more and more measurements of data to prescribe treatment.

Early in the 1950s, the chest respirator made it easier for the nurse to work with the patient and gave the patient a chance to come out of the iron lung for short periods of time.

World War II begins for Americans

Army Nurse Corps strength rose to 57,000

December 17, 1941, first patients admitted from war

5,000 patients at a time at Fitzsimons

1 ,400 Army nurses were decorated for bravery

Penicillin was discovered

1942 New Post Chapel dedicated

1943 Actress Dorothy Lamour inaugurated 1,035 seat theater

Hospital operates own victory garden and farm

1944 WAC (Woman’s Army Corp- enlisted personnel) arrive

1945 3,400 bed capac- ity

1 947 Prisoner of War camp established to treat TB cases

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Chiefs of Nursing:

Miss Barbara Lane 1940

LTC Elsie Neff 1943

LTC Nora Freedman 1948

1951-1960

World War II was over

Korean War 1951- 1954

57 Army Nurses enter Korea

Baby Boom in process- 2,000 babies bom 1953

Polio epidemic growing

Iron lung in use

Mid-1950s Fitzsimons only military hospital doing open heart surgery

September 24, 1955 to November 11, 1955 President Eisenhower hospitalized at Fitzsimons

1955 the Army began commissioning male nurse

VeDonna Feld, LPN, “In 1967, I began working at Fitzsimons on 2 East which had 50-60 beds. Right away I wanted to work in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. After graduating from a Minnesota nursing school in 1962, I started as a general medical surgical nurse. Later on, I received EKG and cardiology training. At that time, Fitzsimons did not have a CCU. The SICU and Recovery Room were combined. I was placed on a waiting list to work in the MICU and couldn’t wait to work there. I knew I could provide better nursing care if I could concentrate on fewer patients. Several months later, I was transferred to MICU. I remember the equipment as crude and not as up to date as in Minnesota. There were no windows. The ventilators looked like old washing machines. Our staffing was 2 RN’s, 2-3 LPN’s, 1-2 corpsmen. LPN’s were assigned to several patients. One RN was assigned to the desk; her job was to take off doctors orders, one RN gave all the meds, LPN’s did blood pressures, temperatures, baths and weighed patients. After a few years, LPN’s were given more responsibility in the MICU and were allowed to give oral medications and were assigned specific patients. An ICU course was eventually developed for LPN’s. The CCU opened in September of 1972. I was one of the first to work there. I remem- ber the first night . We had no patients and then our first patient was rushed through the doors. He was in cardiogenic shock. What a stressful night, but we made it, we did it.

“I met my husband while working in MICU. He was an E-6 also working in the MICU. Then he became the NCO Evening night supervisor. We were married, then soon after, he received orders for Germany and we both went. In 1977, we returned from Germany and I began working on 2 West until an opening in MICU. In the Spring of ’77, I went to work there. Things had changed. Now one nurse took care of two patients. There were special arterial monitoring lines, RN’s were administering IV push medica- tions, the Swan-Ganz catheters had changed and intravenous drip medica- tions were being used. I remember taking care of Dr. Pollack when he was a patient in the MICU. In 1955, he was the doctor who took care of President Eisenhower after his heart attack. Dr. Pollack told us stories about what it was like taking care of a President. At Christmas, Mrs. Pollack knitted us booties.” VeDonna worked until the hospital closed and then retired.

In memory of Sharon A. Lane

The Recovery Room at Fitzsimons was dedicated to the memory of 1st LT. Sharon A. Lane, who sacrificed her life as a member of the Army Nurse Corps while serving in Vietnam. A beautiful bronze plaque was placed near the Recovery suite in her memory. Sharon was assigned to Fitzsimons in June of 1968 until April of 1969. She choose Vietnam as her next assign- ment. Sharon was taking a break with a co-worker on the morning of June 8, 1969, at 5:55 a.m. A Viet Cong rocket exploded between two Quonset huts housing the ward. Shrapnel flew though the wall and seconds later, at age 25, Lane was dead. She was the only American service woman and Army nurse to die by hostile action in the war.

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Nancy (Reeves) Gavi, RN, BSN 1970

“In November of 1970, I came to Fitzsimons as a 1st Lt. and worked on 3 West, the all-male surgery ward. I can remember hanging IV’s on the curtain rods because we did not have enough poles. I can still see the long halls, open porches, the big wide open bays full of Vietnam veterans. This was the best time of my nursing career with a lot of good memories, especially when the vets really pitched in to help the nursing staff.

“At Fitzsimons, during this time, morale was high. Everyone pulled together. I felt good about helping those who had fought for our country. We had a lot of fun times, the patients and staff cared about each other. It was crazy when we all got into water fights and lotion fights. The vets would have wheel chair races. It was sad when they did not receive appreciation from the public, but as nurses, we showed them the love and care they deserved.”

“ Friends, brothers, husbands and sons, who were stabilized in Japan with severe multiple injuries, were transferred to Fitzsimons. Many received multiple surgeries. Others were paralyzed; some were armless and limbless, most were emotionally wounded. I can still see one soldier, blind and limb- less, and there stood his very pregnant wife. I thought, oh, my God, but he was happy to be alive and home.

“I remember paralyzed patients laying on Stryker frames. We took care of them for general surgery, then they transferred to the neurosurgery ward for more surgery. Our patients helped us so much. Stronger patients would take other patients to x-ray, physical therapy and the clinics. All stayed until they were well, cost was not a concern.

“Building 502 became the holding ward for amputees. At Christmas time, many amputees would not go home. They would say “No, I don’t want to leave and go home. We became their home. We loved and cared for them all. Fitzsimons was their comfort zone until they were ready to leave. We did not kick them out. Our amputee rehabilitation was the best in the world. They were even taught to snow ski.

“There was one vet who suffered more deeply than most, he was here a long, long time recovering from his injuries and emotional trauma. At that time, we did not have a good system to care for emotional problems. A few years after leaving Fitzsimons, he killed himself.

Brigadier General Hays, Chief Army Nurse Corps, took time to chat with a patient at Fitzsimons in November 1970.

Chief of Nursing:

COL Edythe Turner 1950-1952

Department of Nursing officially established Nov. 1953

1961-1970

Fitzsimons world famous for pulmonary research and treatment

Fitzsimons world famous for open heart surgery

First ventilators become a useful clinical tool

Intensive Care Units established

Vietnam War

Massive drafting of sol- diers and doctors

Nurses not drafted but could volunteer to j oin the military

5,500 nurses served in Vietnam

2,238 patients admitted from Vietnam in 1969

1 , 1 46 patients admitted from Vietnam in 1 970

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[n 1 964 of the 400 active duty male nurse in the Army, 30 served at Fitz

Chief of Army Nurse Corp, Anna Mae Hayes, promoted to Brigadier General

lLt Sharon A. Lane, FAMC ICU nurse, killed in Vietnam

ChiefNurses: COL Alice Gritsavage 1959-1963

COL Edna Earl Ross 1963-1965 COL Ruth Taylor 1965

COL Ida Ayers 1967-1969 COL Rita Geis 1967-1971

1971-1980

1 97 1 Vietnam admis- sions dropped to 586

1972 CCU opens

1973 First POW’s come home

First time in Newborn nursery for “babies at the bedside”

Prebottle formula in use

“In 1973, I remember watching TV and crying as the first POW’s returned home. Ford Motor company gave them new cars. I dated a POW, who had been imprisoned for five years. He told me countless stories. His memories were so painfully deep. After transferring to Germany in July of 1973, I never saw him again.

“In 1980, I came back to Fitzsimons as a civil service nurse. When you leave a place and come back, it is never the same. This time I worked on 4 West, the female surgery ward. In 1986, 1 went to work at the Outpatient Clinic until the closure. I recently finished reading a book about Sharon A. Lane, RN, the only nurse to be killed by enemy fire in Vietnam; she left Fitzsimons before I came in 1973. Our lives were a lot alike. We both have business degrees, but we both became Army nurses.

In the book, it told where she lived at Fitz, I realized, I had lived two doors from where she had been living.

“ I wouldn’t give up my Vietnam experience at Fitzsimons for anything. I came with book knowledge and left with excellent clinical skills. We did it all. It was busy and I loved it.

Ms. Sally Macko, RN, operating room nurse for 27 years, retired as charge RN of open heart and thoracic surgery saying, “ My most special memories are the ones, many of them involving the Vietnam veterans coming “home” to Fitz for their post trauma care. Fitzsimons was the best. Doing open heart surgery and training operating room nurses really kept me busy.”

LTC Christine Krimbill, RN, BSN, “The first time I was at Fitzsimons was in 1978, in the newborn nursery, located on the 6th floor.

Our 20 beds were divided into rooms. The red room , Level I, had up to 10 beds and the yellow room, Level II, had eight beds. The pediatric floor was on 3 E with 50 bed capacity, 23 of those beds were on the back bays, an open space. Four beds (two rooms/ two beds each) were located near the nurses station and were used only for intensive treatments: ventilators, central lines, peritoneal dialysis. In the Spring of 1985, the renovation resulted in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit that was not used until 1989. The Neo-natal ICU was established in 1985 on the back bay. If a pediatric patient need to be in the ICU, he/she went to the adult MICU and a peds nurse was pulled to go work there.”

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Bobby Sleep, RN, Evening Night Supervisor (1983 to closure) tells it so well, “My career at Fitzsimons started as a Pediatric staff nurse in 1983. At the time, there were 47 beds with special observation rooms for the most seriously ill children. This was prior to the advent of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Routine pediatric illnesses were managed plus surgical, neurosurgical, ENT, urology, cardiology, orthopedics and especially high volumes of plastic surgery and oncology. It was a very busy ward which brought many smiles and much heartache as I saw the courage of the children in their heroic battles with cancer. I was devastated when Pediatrics began downsizing.

“It was at this time, I was assigned to the Emergency Room and started with much trepidation, but I soon learned to love the rapid pace and chal- lenges that I met. I went home with aching feet, but a good feeling that I had touched a number of lives and really made a difference. Many of the patients with COPD, asthma, cardiac problems, etc. became not only my patients, but my dear friends. ER was the first area at Fitzsimons to start 12 hour shifts. This took special authorization from the civilian personnel office, union and Department of Nursing. The 12 hour shifts were so successful that the ICU’s and wards soon began following suit.”

“That October, in 1989, 1 was selected to fill the position of Hospital Evening Supervisor, which was another first for me and Fitzsimons as prior to this time, only lieutenant colonels were assigned to this position.”

“ I remember young active duty officer and enlisted medical personnel arriving scared, but leaving experienced and secure. Physicians arrived acting like little boys and grew up to Chiefs of Departments. I felt like they were my family and had helped to raise them. After they graduated from Residency, it was hard to say good-bye, it was like saying good-bye to a family member.”

1974 Tuberculosis patients still being treated

Last time the Iron lung was used for polio vic- tims

1975 Nurses still washing windows and cleaning beds

ChiefNurses:

COL Rita Geis 1969-1971 COL Mary Matlock 1971-1973 COL Barbara Lane 1974- 1976

COL Margaret Phillips 1976-1978

COL Larry Scheffher

1978

COL Ramona Delaney

1979

COL Patricia Hoover

1980

1981-1990

Peace Time

Fitzsimons down to 450 beds - 1990

Phlebotomist to do lab draws allowing nurses more time with patients

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High technology proliferates

The workload increases

Cost of medical person- nel, supplies and equip- ment skyrocketing

Nursing shortage ex- plodes

Stress and assertiveness articles emerge

Chief Nurses:

COL Nan Borg 1980-1982 COL Terry Miller

1983- 1984 COL Pat Sylvester

1984- 1986 COL Rita Van Lith

1987-1988 COL Sandy Johnson 1989-1990

1990-1996

Chief of Nursing:

COL Karen A. Seipp October 1996-Closure

1990 “Desert Shield” August -December

1991 “Desert Storm” January - February

SFC Carla J. Cordova, wardmaster of 7 East/West Thoracic and Urology section, (1985), “I was a civilian trained LPN who came in for more advancement. I like the people who I come in contact with and really enjoyed working with them and the patients and getting everybody dis- charged from the hospital in a healthy state of mind and body. This was a big medical center and we had a lot of patients. After work, I liked to relax and listen to my 1950s-60s record collection. One Day, I would like to be a section leader or senior wardmaster. I really like nursing and think it is a challenge.”

Anne Chonka RN, BSN, Post Partum and Newborn Nursery (1985 - until Closure), “ From 1985 to 1993, 1 worked on 6 West, Post Partum/ Nursery. We were very busy. I can remember the patients straightening their own beds, staying three days if it was their first baby, staying two days if they were multiparas. By 1991 this changed, multiparas’s went home one day after delivery and the first time moms vary now most leaving after 2 days. If any problems developed, they stayed longer.”

"Antipartums, moms with complications prior to delivery and on bed rest, required external fetal monitoring three times a day. We tracked fetal heart rates, movement and amniotic fluid. Complicated cases ranged from small for gestational age, premature labor, multibirth, renal disease, diabetics and pre-eclampsia. On Leap Day, 1988, a record number of babies were bom. I can remember back in 1991 two weeks of hell. Three of our 20 patients were extremely complicated. One lady was admitted carrying triplets, 24 weeks gestation, resulting in an emergency C-section. Two other patients, both carrying twins, required fetal monitoring, plus 7 other babies to monitor. “

“I always worked straight 8 hour night shifts and then I tried changing to 12 hours. I was driving home one morning after a long 12 hour night, it was rush hour traffic and snowing. I stopped on the comer of 8th and Corona for the red light and fell asleep. People banged on my car window, yelled at me, and woke me up. They asked if I was OK.? I refused to work any more 12 hour nights. In 1993, I worked in Patient Administration as a Nurse consultant and Pre-certifications Nurse.

SFC Farrow N. White, Jr., Wardmaster of the Pediatric section (1985), “ My back ground has been predominately combat support, I have been assigned to medical battalions of special forces and have a lot of years of clinical experience.

Kids are a challenge, as well as parents, and you have to make special efforts to keep them both pleased. If you don’t take care of mom, you’re not going to be very effective in taking care of the child.”

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Lasting memories continue on. . .

Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender, former Chief of the Army Nurse Corps

In 1996, while visiting Fitzsimons Army Medical Center on the Army Nurse Corps' 95th birthday General Adams expressed, “ My most fond and vivid memory of Fitzsimons is the spectacular view of that majestic and magnificent structure with the snow-capped mountains in the background. It was a superb facility in which to work and I shall always remember the place fondly. When I became the 18th Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, I always looked forward to my return trips to Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.”

John Gray, RN, BSN, began working at Fitzsimons in 1990 on 5W Neurosurgery and later transferred to CCU where he continued to give specialized intensive care until the hospital closed. “What I remember most is, February 1991, when one of the first Desert Storm casualties was air evacuated to us. Still laying on the gurney, he looked up towards me with his one good eye. The other one was patched; it was gone because of an unfortunate accident. One of our multi-rocket launchers blew up, shrapnel hit his eye. Looking at the patient, he seemed so sad and depressed. I felt sorry for him.”

Sara Karstetter RN, MSN, CCU Head Nurse from July 1993 until the Closure “As a child, I remember hearing about Vietnam veterans going to Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. It was very famous for its orthopedic rehab. One vet, from my home town in Ohio, came here for shoulder reconstruction and rehab.”

“I began working at Fitzsimons in all the Intensive care units, CCU, MICU and SICU located on 4 West. In July 1993, 1 was selected for the CCU Head Nurse position." At that time, civilian Head Nurse positions were mostly in the outpatient clinics. For 20

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