45th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam 1966-1967

[DiGilio]

Due to the interest in these 45th Surgical Hospital photos, I will be posting them all. There is about 400 Vietnam ones, 31 from the trip over on the U.S.S. Geiger and took keep the huge number of photos down, I will post about around 30 of the 200 pre-Vietnam ones (although I can post more if people are interested). It may take me a day or two to upload, organize and post them all here.

 

All photos were scanned in at least 1200 DPI. Im not going to put huge DIGILIO marks all over them but if you want to use one for some reason, please ask me first.

 

A good history of the hospital untill 1967 can be found at the units website: http://the45thsurg.freeservers.com/45thHistory1967.html

 

George also has some Super 8 film he took on Vietnam on the website: http://the45thsurg.freeservers.com/GeorgeStoken2.html

 

George Stoken was drafted into the US Army in 1965. He completed Basic Training at Fort Knox in October 1965. He was then stationed at Fort Meade and Fort Sam Houston before sailing to Vietnam on the U.S.S. Geiger with the rest of the 45th Surgical Hospital on 10 September 1966. He was with the hospital in Vietnam from its first day untill August 1967. He was an operating room specialist (MOS 91D).

 

FORT KNOX

George completed Basic Training on 23 October 1965.

 

 

FORT MEADE

Many of these pictures are dated February 1966.

[DiGilio]

The next two pictures are of Kimbrough Army Hospital where George worked while he was at Fort Meade.

 

 

This is a post card George sent home when he went to visit Washington DC from Fort Meade.

 

 

FORT SAM HOUSTON

These pictures are from 1966 before going over to Vietnam.

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USS GEIGER

The USS Geiger left California on 10 September 1966 and arrived at Vung Tau, Vietnam on 4 October 1966.

 

On a Bus in San Francisco going to the USS Geiger

 

USS Geiger

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View from the boat in the Philipines

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Life preserver practice on the USS Geiger






Trying to find a radio station. They did find Hawaii.

Entering harbor in Philipines


Tugboat in harbor



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Entering the Philipine harbor

 

Paper given out the the USS Geiger corssed the 180th Meridian

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VIETNAM
The following pictures will be of soldiers constructing the hospital and base. They are mainly from the Hospitals very first weeks in Vietnam.First picture in Vietnam after getting off the USS Geiger


One of the first pictures after getting off the USS Geiger


First week at Tay Ninh trying to sort everything out and build hospital and hooches




Setting up and inflating the Hospital wards




Opening crates for the Hospital


Building the enlisted mens hooch


Building more hooches


Work crew

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More building


Taking a break from building


Applying tarp to finished hooch




Building frame before storm


Building frame after storm


Continue to build after a heavy rain storm


Break during building


Hooches

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Building shower


Filling sandbags


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Writing on back of photo: MAKING A CULVERT


Cement Crew






Paint Cans

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Can Burning




Filling the latrines cans with diesel fuel







Writing on back of photo: This is how we burn our latrine waste


Writing on back of photo: Me and the latrine cans

[DiGilio]

 

 

Wind and Rain Damaged Supply Tent

 

[DiGilio]

Views of Hospital and other Areas45th Surgical Hospital Sign






Writing on back of photo: 45th Surg. Hosp.


Writing on back of photo: SUNSET


Writing on back of photo: THIS IS WHERE AMPUTATED ARMS, HAND + LEGS ARE BURIED




Muscle behind operation of the hospital

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Chapel


Muddy Mess


Hooches with personal flags raised


Showers and mountain


Writing on back of photo: PERIMETER




Philippine unit sign

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Not sure exactly where this was taken. Looks like some kind of R&R


178th Replacement Company Sign




Rainbow near base


Sandbag problem

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Helicopters and PlanesCargo Planes




Dignitary Plane








Helicopters taking off

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Helicopter flyby with smoke streams

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Helicopter gunship






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Writing on back of photo: This is a "Chopper" that brings in the wounded


Writing on back of photo: Picking up a litter patient from the "Chopper"


Another gunship

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Litter Patrol and Roll CallLitter patrol every morning

 

More Litter patrol

 

More litter patrol. Musty, their dog, is in the photo too.

 

Morning Roll Call

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MustyMusty was their dog and was given to them by the Philippine unit.

 

 

 

 

Cecil Clubb and Musty

 

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PEOPLEGeorge


George






Wiriting on back of photo: CELEBRITY






Writing on back of photo: DUSTY TROOPERS

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Clean weapons once a week


Gee, Crill, Clubb and McBride


Writing on back of photo: LOOK AT THE SUN


These dont appear to be duplicates. One was taken immediatly after the other.
George