IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1167 

Honoring the life of Dr. Frank Erdman Boston as a World War I veteran, 

military surgeon, community doctor, and founder of the Elm Terrace/ 

Abington Lansdale Hospital and the Volunteer Medical Service Corps 

(VMSC) ambulance corps. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 1, 2020 

Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Ms. WILD, Ms. HOULAHAN, and 

Ms. DEAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life of Dr. Frank Erdman Boston as a World 

War I veteran, military surgeon, community doctor, and 

founder of the Elm Terrace/Abington Lansdale Hospital 

and the Volunteer Medical Service Corps (VMSC) ambulance corps. 

Whereas Mr. Boston attended Lincoln University, originally 

established as The Ashmun Institute, the Nation’s first 

degree-granting historically Black college and university; 

Whereas subsequently, Dr. Boston attended the Medico-Chirurgical College, an outgrowth of the Medico-Chirurgical 

Society of Philadelphia which merged with the University 

of Pennsylvania Medical College and Jefferson Medical 

College; 


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•HRES 1167 IH 

Whereas when World War I began, Dr. Boston enlisted and 

was immediately given the rank of first lieutenant in the 

Army Medical Reserve Corps; 

Whereas African-American recruits, including Dr. Boston, 

were sent for medical training at the Medical Officers 

Training Camp, Fort Des Moines, Iowa; 

Whereas after completing his training, Dr. Boston was assigned as a medical officer with the 317th Engineers 

Regiment of the 92d Division of the American Expeditionary Forces; 

Whereas Dr. Boston’s division fought bravely across France 

and in the bloody Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest 

operation of the American Expeditionary Forces in World 

War I; 

Whereas the Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the deadliest campaign in American history, resulting in more than 26,000 

soldiers killed in action and more than 120,000 total casualties; 

Whereas during his tour of duty, Dr. Boston treated soldiers 

while under aerial and gas attack; 

Whereas Dr. Boston served in France with the rank of captain and ended his military service as a major; 

Whereas after the war, Dr. Boston returned to work in Philadelphia and later settled in Lansdale where he opened the 

Elm Terrace Hospital, which was later renamed North 

Penn Hospital and subsequently became part of the Abington Jefferson Health Systems; 

Whereas Dr. Boston also formed a First Aid Emergency 

Squad in Lansdale, eventually known as the Volunteer 

Medical Service Corps of Lansdale; 


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•HRES 1167 IH 

Whereas as a Boy Scout official, Dr. Boston served as chairman of Health and Safety for the General Nash District, 

Valley Forge Scout Council; 

Whereas Dr. Boston was a member of the Reserve Officers 

Association of Military Surgeons, the Montgomery County Medical Society, and the American Medical Association; 

Whereas Dr. Boston died February 8, 1960, at 69 years of 

age, and was buried in Lansdale; and 

Whereas Jefferson Health and Abington Lansdale Hospital, 

along with the Borough of Lansdale, are honoring Dr. 

Boston, and a mural is being planned for the Lansdale 

Borough Hall: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representative honors 

2 the life of Dr. Frank Erdman Boston as a World War 

3 I veteran, military surgeon, community doctor, and found4 er of the Elm Terrace/Abington Lansdale Hospital and the 

5 Volunteer Medical Service Corps (VMSC) ambulance 

6 corps. 

Æ 


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