Consider this Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele a silent witness. It saw the U.S. Navy establish a base here in Charleston in 1901. The base grew rapidly, especially during World War I. Medical facilities were initially rudimentary. Tents served as hospitals.
The Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele reminds us that necessity is the mother of invention. In those early days, medical activities centered around “hospital” tents. These were near the Marine Corps Post Exchange. A Marine Sick Quarters was erected in 1905. Imagine the challenges of providing care in such basic conditions.
As the naval base expanded, so did the need for proper medical care. In 1906, Congress allocated funds for a Yard Dispensary. It took two years to complete. Yard labor built the wooden structure on brick piers. This modest dispensary evolved. A basement was added, functioning as both a dispensary and a small hospital. Many patients still resided in tents.
The Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele stands as a reminder of wartime urgency. World War I strained the dispensary’s resources. Its 28 beds were insufficient. Emergency facilities arose, including tents and temporary beds. The capacity expanded to 120 patients. This was a temporary solution to manage the influx of personnel.
Recognizing the need, the Naval Emergency Fund Act authorized a hospital. Construction began in June 1917. Despite labor shortages and a minor carpenter strike, it commissioned on July 31, 1917. This original Naval Hospital consisted of 19 temporary wooden buildings. Its bed capacity was 250. These buildings included administration offices, nurses’ quarters and ward buildings. There was also a galley, mess hall, laundry and power house.
By September 1918, fourteen more buildings were added. These stucco-finished structures increased the bed capacity to 1,000. An ambulance transported patients from outlying stations. Commander W. M. Garton oversaw the hospital’s construction. He remained in command until July 1919.
The Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele could tell tales of resourcefulness. In 1922, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery decided to close the World War I emergency hospital. Costs were rising and patient numbers were falling. The Yard Dispensary was reopened. It became a combined Naval Hospital and Dispensary. The emergency hospital’s buildings were either moved or demolished. Materials salvaged provided additional facilities at the Navy Yard Hospital.
This hospital/dispensary occupied 4 acres. It had a bed capacity of 57. The main hospital building, completed in 1908, underwent additions. A new wing was added for office space and sick officers’ quarters. A covered ramp connected buildings. In 1937, a new hospital corpsman quarters was under construction. The old quarters became a contagious and genitourinary ward.
On May 1, 1941, the Yard Dispensary and Naval Hospital separated. The dispensary was relocated to building number 58.
The Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele may recall the changes during the 1930s. The 1917 emergency hospital buildings were largely removed. Only a few remained, including the commanding officer’s quarters and the old mess hall.
In 1940, construction began on two additional wards. These increased the hospital’s capacity to 117 beds. Funds were secured for a 200-bed hospital.
In the spring of 1941, work commenced on a new naval hospital. It was on the site of the old World War I hospital. The new naval hospital commissioned on April 13, 1942. It had a permanent ward capacity of 380 beds. Temporary wards brought the total to 600 beds.
The hospital expanded further. Ten single-story wooden ward buildings were added. On June 2, 1944, land was transferred back from the Marine Corps. The Sick Officers’ quarters annex was constructed there.
The Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele stands in silent tribute to those who served. In September 1944, a recreation building began construction. It featured murals and a frieze of campaign ribbons. Quartermaster First Class Wilko H. Anderson created these artworks. The building housed a post office, barber shop, library and movie auditorium.
In 1970, a groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of a modern 500-bed hospital. This new facility replaced the outdated quarters on the Naval Base.
The Naval Hospital remained in use until March 2, 1973. That’s when the Naval Regional Medical Center opened. It was located at Rivers and McMillan Avenues.
Today, the Partnerstadt Stamsried Stele serves as a point of reflection. It prompts us to remember the evolution of medical care at the Charleston Naval Base. It honors the dedication and service of those who worked there. It reminds us of the sacrifices made during times of war and peace.