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Contact Info
Home Town Topeka
Last Address TOPEKA, KS
Date of Passing Feb 17, 2020
Location of Interment Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery (VA) - Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section 72-A, Row 2, Site 21
Naval Medicine & Dentistry in Hawaii began with the USS Iroquois (LST-78) from 1890 to 1901.
In 1901, the first dispensary was built at the old Honolulu Naval Station.
In 1909, an assessment for the need of a medical & dental facility was conducted by Surgeon General Rixey, which resulted in the development of Naval Hospital Pearl Harbor with a 250-bed capacity established on 1 May 1915. The first floor consisted of the officer mess hall, living quarters for civilian employees, while the second floor contained a large and a small urology ward. The basement consisted of dispensary, laboratory, bakery, storerooms, power plant and mortuary. Hospital Corpsmen lived in tents nearby.
On 30 October 1912, W. N. Cogan was assigned as the first active duty Navy Dental Officer. After completion of the Dental Department in 1925, LCDR W. N Cogan and LT B. C. Fowler were the first dental officers to man the new Dental Department.
From 1925-1930, Naval Hospital Pearl Harbor received additional renovations and major additional "hutments" were developed: laboratory, mortuary, and living quarters for corps staff were constructed. In 1930, the hospital grounds were cleared and beautified with support from the University of Hawaii's Agricultural Department. Admiral Simpson did not agree with the Hospital's location he stated "The present hospital occupies a site, which in case of any enemy bombardment from sea, would undoubtedly be the target."
Building 76, the Ford Island Dispensary, built in 1940, currently a Category one on the Historical archives (the highest level). The clinic survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, barely, when an aerial bomb landed in the center courtyard. By chance the bomb did not explode. Possibly due to the fact that it was armor piercing and intended for the Battleship next to the clinic. Naval Hospital Pearl Harbor treated over 960, admitting 452 casualties over a three-hour period. Nurse LT Ruth Erickson stated, "The first patient came into our dressing room at 0830 with a large opening in his abdomen and bleeding profusely. Then the burned patients streamed in. About midnight we laid bodies in the basement." The Solace miraculously escaped the attack undamaged. It played an essential part in the treatment of casualties, and admitted over 177 patients that day.
Act of Congress on 17 March 1941 approved purchase of a site (sugar cane field) for the construction of the Aiea Naval Hospital to have a capacity of 1,650 bed facility, thus relocating Naval Hospital Pearl Harbor from Ford Island. In 1942, Aiea Naval Hospital opened its doors and Navy medicine flourished in Hawaii. Aiea Naval Hospital finally closed its doors in 1949. This closing and subsequent transfer of inpatient care shifted to the responsibility to Tripler Army Medical Center ending an era of Navy Hospitals in Hawaii.
Building 22, Branch Medical Annex Wahiawa, built in 1942 belonging to Navy Region Hawaii. Originally it was designed to have a two patient ward, which was later changed into a break room. In 2006, Branch Health Clinic Wahiawa was renovated.
Building 32, Branch Medical Annex Camp Smith, built in 1946 to handle dependent inpatient medical care was originally an attachment to Naval Hospital Aiea Heights. This clinic moved to Marine Corps Base Headquarters building in Camp Smith and was relocated to new spaces in the headquarters building in 2006.
Naval Dental Clinic was established as a separate activity on 1 May 1947 to include clinics at the Naval Shipyard and Ford Island. The newly constructed Dental Clinic was officially opened at Pearl Harbor on 2 July 1972 causing the consolidation of the Submarine Base Dental and the Shipyard Dental Department. On 1 January 1975, Naval Dental Clinic Pearl Harbor became Naval Regional Dental Center Pearl Harbor.
