Army Hit on Vets Abuse in Hospitals
1944Dearest Reader,
Among the newspaper clippings preserved by my mother is this article concerning allegations of mistreatment at a military veteran’s hospital during World War II. I have no direct evidence connecting the article to my family, butcannot help wondering why it was saved.
At the time the article appeared, my father was serving in the Army and was spending part of 1944 in Washington Start. Within a few months, he would be discharged from military service because of a disability. Knowing that he was receiving medical attention during this period, it is possible that news stories concerning conditions in military hospitals would have been of particular interest to my mother.
The article reflects a broader concern that emerged during the war as military and veterans’ hospitals struggled to care for growing numbers of servicemen. Reports of overcrowding, staffing shortages and questions about patient treatment received national attention and prompted investigations by both military officials and members of Congress.
I will never know for certain why my mother saved this clipping. What remains is a small piece of paper that captures the anxieties and concerns of wartime families. Many families were concerned about what happened to their loved ones when illness brought them into military hospitals far from home.
Dr. Nancy Watson
Washington
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