60
61

1930–1939
62

u This view of an addition to the Army 

Medical School was taken in April 

1931. It shows the massive amount 

of construction happening on the 

grounds. 

Source: National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, WRAMC History Collection

As the demands to care for and 

rehabilitate the war wounded 

declined, dependents made up 

a higher percentage of patients at Walter Reed. In addition, establishment 

of the Veterans Administration health 

care system took veteran patients away 

from all Army hospitals, including 

Walter Reed. However, Executive Order #6101 of April 5, 1933, authorized 

treatment of Civilian Conservation 

Corps members, which helped fill the 

bed space lost with the exodus of VA 

patients. 

The 1930s brought together a trio of 

talented surgeons, all destined to leave 

their mark on Walter Reed and the 

Army Medical Department. The most 

senior was the already legendary William L. Keller, who had been Chief of 

the Surgery Service since returning from 

World War I. When he retired in 1935, 

he was the first person made a lifetime 

consultant by The Surgeon General. 

He was given an office at Walter Reed, 

where he returned twice weekly for 15 

years until his health deteriorated and 

he was no longer able to do so. Keller 

died at Walter Reed in July 1959 at age 

85. In August 1974, ground was broken 

for a new Army community hospital at 

West Point, NY, that was named for him. 

Norman T. Kirk, a previous Chief of 

Orthopaedics at Walter Reed, returned 

from the Philippines to resume his old 

Title page - In comparison to the disorganized, chaotic photo taken in 1921 that 

opened the previous chapter, this northwest looking photo taken 10 years later 

shows an extraordinary transformation to an organized, orderly campus of uniform, symmetrical, and permanent buildings. During the 1920s, major additions 

to the campus had been massive east and west wings onto Building 1, permanent ward buildings north of Building 1, the initial Army Medical School (Building 

40, upper left with additions being added), Red Cross Hall (Building 41), and 

Memorial Chapel. Some of the more orderly temporary buildings remain to the 

southeast of Building 1 and south of the General Officer’s quarters. The flagpole 

remains in the traffic circle in front of Building 1.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, 17128AC and 17132AC

62

Significant additions to the Army Medical School building (Building 40) were 

completed in 1932. With the additional 

administrative space, the Army Medical Center Commander moved out of 

Building 1 and into Building 40. With 

the Commander, the flagpole was 

moved from in front of Building 1 and 

placed at the east entrance of Building 

40. In 1933, the Hoff Memorial Fountain 

was placed in the traffic circle in front of 

Building 1, where the flagpole had been. 

Plans for a memorial chapel had begun as early as 1922, spurred by Miss 

Margaret Lower of the Red Cross and 

position in 1930. He had previously 

served with the Punitive Expedition in 

Mexico with Pershing and Eisenhower, 

in Panama, and Texas. During World 

War I, when assigned to Walter Reed, 

Kirk had authored Amputations, Operative Technique, a book that became a classic in the field. Following World War I, 

he served in San Antonio, the Philippines, and San Francisco. He returned 

again to Walter Reed in 1941–1942. Before being promoted to General Officer, 

he commanded the Percy Jones General Hospital in Michigan. From June 

1, 1943 until June 1, 1947, during the 

height of World War II, Dr. Kirk served 

as US Army Surgeon General. He died 

at Walter Reed in 1960 at age 72.

In 1930, James Claude Kimbrough, a 

veteran of World War I and recipient 

of the Purple Heart, became Chief of 

Urology at Walter Reed; he began a 

long and fruitful association for both. 

He had already served as Chief of Urology at the Station Hospital in San Antonio and at Letterman Army Hospital in 

San Francisco. Dr. Kimbrough became a 

legend in his own time and was known 

as the “Father of Army Urology.” Following his retirement after 36 years of 

active duty, he was also made a lifetime 

consultant to Walter Reed. He died in 

1956 at Walter Reed after a brief illness. 

The new Army Community Hospital at 

Fort Meade, MD, was named for him 

when it opened in June 1961. 
63

encouraged by the Commander, Gen. 

Glennan. At the time, chapels could 

not be built with government funds, 

so monies needed for the chapel were 

raised from donations. The nest egg 

was started with a $5 gift from a former 

vaudeville entertainer; gifts ranged 

from 25 cents to $32,000 from the ever 

benevolent Mrs. Rea. The groundbreaking took place on November 11, 1929 at 

11 a.m., the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, eleven 

years after the end of the “War to End 

All Wars.” The cornerstone was laid 

May 28, 1930, and the dedication was 

on May 21, 1931. It was said that, “Ev63

erything in it is a memorial to someone 

much loved.”

Built to house students of the Army 

School of Nursing and named for the 

second superintendent of the Army 

Nurse Corps, Jane Delano, the first section of Delano Hall was completed on 

November 29, 1930. Additional wings 

were added, and the entire building 

was completed in 1934. By that time, 

however, the Army School of Nursing 

had been closed since January 1933. 

The closure was due to the reduction 

in the number of nurses required, because many nurses were staying on 

active duty due to the uncertain economic times, the cost of operation, and 

the lack of success in retention of those 

trained. 

Most of the construction related to the 

clinical needs of patients occurred late 

in the previous decade and early in 

this one. It involved replacement of the 

temporary buildings constructed during World War I with permanent wards 

located north of Building 1. All but one 

of these was later razed to make way 

for the AFIP building in the 1950s and 

even later for the new hospital building 

in the 1970s.
64

Dedicated October 25, 1935 in memoriam of Col. John Van Rensselaer Hoff. Mrs. Hoff was granted the permit to erect 

the memorial on January 19, 1931. She died, but the executor of her will, Mr. Van Rensselaer H. Green, carried out her 

wishes. Col. Hoff was one of the many noted surgeons whose untiring devotion to a cause raised the Medical Corps from 

a rather insignificant Army adjunct to an important branch of the service. He was born in 1848, entered the Army in 1874, 

and retired in 1912. He was recalled to active service during the World War and died in 1920. Col. Hoff was, above all, a 

military surgeon, and was the first officer to apply military drill and precision to the movements of corpsmen in handling 

wounded patients. During his 38 years of energetic duty, Col. Hoff saw service in the Philippine Islands, Puerto Rico, 

and Cuba. He was a military observer with the Russian army in the Russo-Japanese War and was Chief Surgeon of the 

American Expeditionary Force to China in 1900. Mr. James C. Mackenzie designed the fountain, and it was built under the 

direction of Capt. Kester L. Hastings, Post Engineer, U.S.A. Capt. Hastings’ son is Brig. General James E. Hastings, US 

Army (ret), former Deputy Commander for Clinical Services at Walter Reed.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 320751
65

p The Red Cross Hall, South elevation, taken June 7, 1932. This new building, completed in 1928, replaced the original 

World War I period structure, and was paid for by the American Red Cross and donated to Walter Reed.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 59055

u The new nurses quarters, Delano 

Hall, under construction on April 8, 

1931. The Hall had 196 bedrooms for 

nurses assigned to the hospital. It had 

sunporches, music rooms, reception 

rooms, and a ballroom. It was named 

for Jane Delano, the second superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps. 

Source: National Archives and Records 

Administration, SC 590550
66

u The new headquarters of the Army 

Medical Center in Building 40, September 13, 1935. The flag was moved 

from its previous location in front of 

the hospital when the headquarters 

moved to the new building. 

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590700

p New addition to the Army Medical School, East elevation. November 9, 1931.

Source: WRAMC Historians Office, PAO Historical Collection
67

p This view of the front of the hospital was taken in early 1935. The pergola and rose garden can be seen in the foreground.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 320751
68

p Dedication services for the Memorial Chapel were held on May 21, 1931. Among the visitors were Mrs. 

Herbert Hoover, the Secretary of War, Mrs. Patrick J. Hurley, and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. 

Source: Pierce Collection

t The groundbreaking for the new 

chapel. In attendance is Chaplain 

Oliver, Miss Margaret Lower, Gen. 

Darnall, Father McGeary, Mrs. Edith 

Oliver Rea, Miss Boardman, General 

Merritte Ireland, Mrs. Walter Reed 

(black dress and black hat), and Col. 

Easterbrook. 1929. 

Source: WRAMC History Collection
69

The influenza epidemic of 1918 led to caskets filling every 

available space. In 1922, spurred by Miss Margaret Lower 

and supported by General James D. Glennan, Commander, 

the Gray Ladies began to plan for construction of a memorial chapel. By 1924, a site was identified and fund-raising 

efforts were begun. Donations ranged from twenty-five 

cents to $32,000. When construction bids were examined in 

October 1929, the estimate had increased to $84,900 without 

windows, an organ, the altar, a flagstone floor and foundation, or a Glennan memorial tower. When finally completed, 

the building cost $161,000. The costs were met by an impressive list of memorial gifts. The groundbreaking ceremony 

was held on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 

on the 11th anniversary of the end of World War I.

p These later interior views show the main altar in the Memorial chapel (left). The “Little Chapel” (right) equipped by the 

McCook family in memory of family members “who served their country in the war for the preservation of the Union.” In 

time, this became a Roman Catholic sanctuary due to its frequent use. 

Source: WRAMC History Office, PAO Historical Collection

u Cover of the Services of Consecration of the Memorial 

Chapel.

Source: National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, Reid Collection
70

p Built in 1911 to house nurses, 

Building 12 was located near Georgia 

Avenue and the main entrance to the 

hospital. Jane Delano, the second 

superintendent of the Army Nurses 

Corps, insisted the barracks be 

located near the front of the property. 

When Delano Hall (Building 11) was 

completed in the 1930s the nurses 

quarters were moved there. Building 

12 became officer’s apartments. This 

photograph is from about 1931.

Source: National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, WRAMC History Collection

u Brig. General Albert E. Truby, a 

contemporary of Walter Reed, was 

an advocate for the powers of healing 

from the enjoyment of nature. Here is 

a pergola with clinging roses in bloom 

as seen looking west through the Portal Garden about 1932. 

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590597
71

u Nurses relaxing in the reading and 

music room of the new Delano Hall. 

February 1, 1939. 

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590777

q A library was established to serve 

both the patients and the staff. The 

Library continues to serve the Walter 

Reed base. 

Source: WRAMC Library
72

t In 1938, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, 

wife of the President, cut the cake at 

an American Red Cross party at the 

hospital. Brig. General Wallace 

DeWitt and Miss Lower stand in the 

foreground. 

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590763

p General of the Armies, John J. Pershing, was an ardent supporter of the hospital and the medical care of the soldiers 

who served under him in World War I. He made numerous visits to the hospital, participating in many activities. Here, he 

is cutting the cake to celebrate the 16th Anniversary of the American Red Cross at Walter Reed in 1934. Also pictured are 

Brig. General Albert Truby, CG, and Miss Margaret Lower, Field Director, ARC.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590677
73

p Surgical Operating Room at Walter Reed Hospital about 1935. 

Source: Walter Reed Army Medical Center History Office

u Interior view of Ward 9A waiting for 

patients. October 14, 1933. 

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, SC 590631
74

The nursing class of 1930 was the first entire class to train in obstetrics at Walter Reed. 

Source: National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, WRAMC History Collection (TAPS 1930)
75