O'Reilly General Hospital

Archives - O'Reilly Timeline - History in Pictures

O'Reilly HospitalO'Reilly Timeline

O'Reilly General Hospital, Springfield, MO was one of forty-four temporary Army General Hospitals(LINK to g) during World War II. ORGH was also in operation during the immediate postwar period.

The Archivist, Betty Chase, has prepared a timeline. It spans the period from the beginning of construction on April 20, 1941 to December 2, 1952, when the hospital was declared excess property by the U.S. government.

O'Reilly Hospital Historic Events (pdf)

At right: This was one section of the O'Reilly General Hospital during World War II. The post chapel is in the background. ORGH had 155 acres of land with 248 buildings like this.

History in Pictures

click on photos for a larger image

ColorguardColorguard

Army personnel on staff at O'Reilly were required to take part in monthly drills on the hospital parade ground. The Enlisted Men's Service Club is in the background.

Arrival in AmbulancePatient Arrives at O'Reilly

Medics unload a patient at the ambulance entrance of O'Reilly.Late in WW II, battlefield casualties were flown directly to the Springfield Downtown Airport, loaded on ambulances, and transported to ORGH. Earlier, the patients had been brought in by train.

OperationO'Reilly Operating Room

This O'Reilly operating room had the latest equipment available during World War II.This is one of the 12 operating rooms at ORGH. At the peak of WW II, the surgeons had to work double shifts. Plastic surgery, orthopedic, maxillofacial, and general surgery was performed. The surgeons included men who had trained at the Mayo Clinic.

Hospital BedsA Ward at O'Reilly

One end of a Ward at O'Reilly. ORGH had 3,926 beds, plus the 500-bed rehabilitation unit that was established at Southwest Missouri State University near the end of the war. A total of over 50,000 patients were treated at ORGH in five years during and after WW II.

Shaking HandsVisit from O'Reilly Commander

Brigadier General George B. Foster, Jr., ORGH commander, visits some of the patients.General Foster had been on active duty in the Army Medical Corps since 1909. He had been stationed in the Philippines, among other locations, and had done much research in communicable diseases.

PatientsRecovering Patients

Recovering patients read in one of the Enlisted Men's Service Club lounges. Notice one of the post librarians in the background. Books and free magazines were delivered to bed patients in all wards.

Soldiers retraininsO'Reilly Retraining Program

These soldiers, though still patients at O'Reilly, are in a retraining program. After regaining their strength and attending classes in military subjects they could be returned to active duty. Other patients were sent to other hospitals or given honorable medical discharges.

Medal CeremonyMedal Ceremony at O'Reilly

Soldiers are lined up for an outdoor medal ceremony.In addition to the Purple Heart medals for which wounded soldiers qualified, some ORGH patients received Bronze Stars for battlefield valor. Posthumous awards were presented to the families of soldiers who had earned them.

O'Reilly Post Chapel at ChristmasO'Reilly Post Chapel at Christmas

Community volunteers transported patients wherever they needed to go.Two local organizations, the Frisco Men's Club and the local chapter of the American War Dads, provided much appreciated service in transporting bed patients and wheelchair patients. They brought the patients to chapel as well as to the Enlisted Men's Service Club, the two post movie theatres, and entertainments by visiting artists. These latter included Hollywood stars.

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