soe y MEDICINE {ND SURGERY

(SEREMONIES for the laying of the cornerstone of the new U. S. Naval Hospital now under construction on Ribaut Road near Beaufort, S. C. was held at three o'clock, Friday 18 July 1947.

The general public was invited to at- tend to hear the day’s principal speakers, some of whom were Congressmen L. Mendel Rivers, (1st District, S. C.), and Harry R. Sheppard, (California), Rear Admiral L. T. DuBose, USN, Comman- dant of the Sixth Naval District, Major General Franklin A. Hart, commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S. C., Rear Admiral C. A. Swanson (MC), USN, Chief of the Bu- reau of Medicine and Surgery, and Rear Admiral J. J. Manning (CEC), USN, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks.

The Marine Band from Parris Island furnished music for the occasion and the Post Chaplain, Commander C. A. O'Neill, USN, (ChC), gave the invoca- tion.

Prior to the ceremonies a formal luncheon was held at the historic Gold Eagle Tavern in Beaufort. Invitations were extended to Naval, Military, na- tional, state and local dignitaries by Thompson and Street of Charlotte, N. C., holders of the contract for the hos- pital’s construction, who were the hosts

- for the luncheon. In addition to the

Naval and Military dignitaries some of

- the distinguished guests were State Sen-

de]

ator W. Brantley Harvey; State Repre- sentatives Calhoun Thomas and Legare Rodgers; Mayor Angus Fordham of Beaufort, S. C., Mayor J. L. Ritter of Port Royal and Mayor E. Edward Weh- man of Charleston.

The Congressional Committee ar-

rived by plane, Friday, 18 July, from * Washington, D. C., at 11:20 A.M., and * were immediately taken to the post Ad-

ministration Building where appropriate honors were rendered them by the sa-

' luting battery, a company of Marines and

the Marine Corps Band.

Following the gun salute, Mr. Rivers and Mr. Sheppard inspected the Marine Honor Guatrd.

R. Adm. Clifford A. Swanson, (MC), USN Surgeon General of the Navy

This ceremony which was held on this date was held just one year after the cere- mony of 31 July 1946, celebrating the ground breaking for the building, when General A. A. Vandegrift, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Congressmen Riv- ers and Sheppard were the principal speakers, along with Admiral DuBose, Admiral Manning, Rear Admiral John Harper, USN, Inspector General of the Navy Medical Corps, and Major General Julian C. Smith, then Commanding Gen- eral of Parris Island.

During the ceremonies Admiral Swan- son placed ‘historic papers dating back to 1863 in a copper receptacle which was placed in the cornerstone. These papers were the first request for a Naval Hospital to be built in this area.

On7 August 1947, Rear Admiral Clif- ford A. Swanson (MC), USN, Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and Captain Henry R. Delaney (DC), USN, of the Dental Division of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, inspected the U. S. Naval Hospital, Annapolis, Maryland and the medical and dental facilities at Bancroft Hall. After the inspection, Captain S. O. Claytor (DC), USN, Senior Dental Officer, U. S. Naval Acad- emy and Staff Dental Officer, Severn Riv- er Naval Command, and Mrs. Claytor entertained Admiral Swanson at a cock- tail party given at their quarters. Among those present were Captain Benjamin H. Adams (MC), USN, Commanding Off- cer of the U. S. Naval Hospital, Annap- olis, Maryland, and Mrs. Adams, Captain Walter F. James (MC), USN, Executive Officer of the Naval Hospital, and Mrs. James, Captain Henry R. Delaney (DC), USN, Lieut. Comdr.H: Nelson: (HC), USN, Administrative Aide to the Sur- geon General, Lieutenant Oscar C. Tack (HC), USN. Lieut. Comdr. Anna M. Kreider (NC), USN, Chief Nurse of the Hospital, Lieut. Comdr. Ruth B. Dunbar (NC), USN, Assistant to Di- rector, Navy Nurse Corps, Miss Clare R. Murphy, Secretary to the Surgeon Gen- eral, and Captain Hilton W. Rose (MC), USN, Special Representative of

APS GSES (PS |