HISTORY OF LETTERMAN GENERAL HOSPITAL

 

History of Letterman’s Officers

 

 

Page 8

 

 

                                                                                                           

COLONEL ROBERT M. THORNBURGH,

(Commanding Officer)

 

Chief of Surgical Service.

            Born March 13, 1872, at Omaha Neb. 

            Graduate St. Paul School, Garden City, N. Y., 1880. 

Scientific Department, Dartmouth College, 1891-1894. 

Dartmouth Medical School, 1894-1897. 

M. D. Dartmouth College, 1897. 

Post Graduate, New York Lying-in Hospital, New York.  Post Graduate, Harvard. 

Entered Army as Contract Surgeon, March 20, 1900. 

Service in Philippines; 1900-1901, 1905-1907, 1913-1915. 

First Lieutenant, medical corps, June 29, 1901.

Captain Medical Corps, June 29, 1906. 

Major, Medical Corps, April7, 1910.

Lieutenant Colonel, Medical Corps. May 15, 1917

Colonel, Medical Corps, National Army, Dec. 21, 1917.

Chief of Surgical Service, Letterman General Hospital, Jan. 1910-Apr. 1913.

            Chief of Surgical Service, Department Hospital, Manila, May 1913-Sept. 1915.

            Regimental Surgeon, 11th Calvary with Punitive Expedition into Mexico.

            Division Surgeon, 87th Division, August 24, 1917-November 13, 1918.

            Commanding Officer, Justice Hospital Group, Toul, France, Nov. 13, 1918-May 15, 1919.

            Returned from overseas June 2, 1919.

            Commanding Officer Letterman General Hospital and Chief of Surgical Service, July 1, 1919.

 

 

MAJOR L. F. LUCKIE, M. C.

Chief Medical Service.

 

Military Service:

            Served as First Sergeant U. S. Volunteers, and Q. M. Corps Regular Army during the Spanish-American War. Commissioned as Captain Medical Corps June 18, 1917.  Served as Student Instructor, Medical Officer’s Training Camp, Fort Riley.  Post Surgeon, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas.  Sanitary Inspector, Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas.  Post Surgeon, Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas.  Post Surgeon Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, La. Inspector Instructor, S A. T. C.  Assistant to Port Surgeon, Charleston, S. C.  Attending Surgeon, South Eastern Department, Charleston, S. C.  Originator System of Sanitation, adapted for all flying fields.  Inventor of Aeroplane ambulance and litter, adopted by Air Service.  Inventor Luckie Type Incinerator in use at Kelly Field, San Antonio.  Inventor of Appliance for Fracture of Vertebrae.

 

 

MAJOR JOHN PRATT,

Assistant Commanding Officer.

 

            Born at Elmira, New York, 1884.  Attended Mercersburg Academy and Princeton University.  Graduate University of Pennsylvania, 1908.  Interne Bridgeport Hospital, 1908-09.  Instructor in medicine Ohio State University.  Commissioned First Lieutenant M. R. C., 1912.  Graduate Army Medical School, 1914.  Commissioned Captain, Medical Corps, June, 1917.  Commissioned Major, Medical Corps, June, 1917.  Regular Army Service.

 

 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL EUGENE G. NORTHINGTON,

Executive Officer.

 

            Born in Prattville, Alabama, February 12th, 1880.   Entered University of Alabama to enlist in Spanish-American War.  Served as Private in Company “F” 2nd Alabama Infantry.  Served as Private in Company “A” 1st Texas Infantry, 1898-1899.  Served in Florida, Georgia and in Cuba.  Graduated in Medicine Tulane University, La., 1903.  Entered Medical Corps, U. S. Army, September, 1909.  Graduated Army Medical School 1911.  Assumed command February 5, 1919.  Relieved July 1, 1919.

 

 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JULIEN R. BERNHEIM,

Chief Dental Service.

 

            Born at Santa Cruz, California, March 13th, 1876.  Graduated from University of California Dental College in 1900.  Entered the Army as a contract dental surgeon, April, 1902.  Saw service in the Philippines from May, 1902, to June, 1905, and from September, 1908, to April, 1911.

            From 1905 to 1908, was on duty in the Eastern Department.  In 1911 and 1912, was stationed in the Central Department, and from 1912 to 1917, was on duty at Fort Logan, Colorado.

            During most of the recent war, was stationed in Washington, D. C., in the Dental Personnel and Supply Divisions of the Surgeon General’s Office, and in the Supply Division of the Office of the Director of Purchase, Storage and Traffic.

 

 

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. C. NAFFZIGER,

Chief Nuero-Surgical Service.

 

            Born in Nevada City, 1884, B. S. U. of C., 1907, M. S. 1908, M. D., 1909.  Interne and Res. Surg. U. of C. Hospital, 1909-1911.  Asst. Res. Surg. John Hopkins, Baltimore, Md., 1911-1912.  1912-1917 Visiting Surgeon S. F. County Hospital and U. of C. Hospital.  Instructor in Surgery and Nuero-Surgery at H. of C.  Member of the S. F. County, California State and American Medical Associations.  Commissioned First Lieutenant, M. O. R. C., 1916; Captain 1917; Major, 1918; Lieutenant-Colonel, 1918.  Assignments, Camp Service, charge medical instruction, Fort McHenry; Assistant Commanding Officer, Surgeon General’s Office, Cape May for mobilization with Base Hospital 115, in charge of General and Nuero Surgery.  Overseas service in Vichy, with operating team with first army at Souilly with Evacuation Hospitals 6 and 7, with Evacuation 13, with second army, with Mobile Hospital 7, armistice day; ordered to Savenay and returned as troop surgeon in February.  After inspection trip of southern hospitals reported to Letterman March 5.  Appointed Chief of Surgical Service April 16, 1919.

 

 

MAJOR L. ELOESSER,

Chief Orthopedic Service.

 

            Major L. Eloesser, born 1881 in San Francisco.  Graduated 1900 University of California, and 1907 University of Heidelberg.  Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Stanford University Medical Department.  Service abroad 1915-16.  At Letterman General Hospital since November, 1918.

 

 

Page 9

 

 

MAJOR HARRY R. OLIVER,

Chief Laboratory Service.

 

            Born April 20, 1872, Platte City, Mo.  Received preliminary education at Aronijo Union High School at Suisun, California.  Graduated December, 1898, Cooper Medical College.  Interne, City Hospital, 1899.  Assistant in Pathology and Bacteriology, Cooper Medical College, 1898-1906.  Associate Professor, Clinical Pathology, 1906-1909.  Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Leland Stanford University, since 1909.  Student at University of Berlin, 1908.  Pathologist, St. Mary’s Hospital since 1906.  Entered U. S. Army Medical Department, August 1916, as Chief of Laboratory Service, Letterman General Hospital, with rank of First Lieutenant, M. R. C.  Promoted to Major, June 20, 1917.  Transferred to Ft. Leavenworth, May 1, 1918.  Transferred to Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., General Hospital 14, as Chief of Laboratory Service, May 24, 1918.  Director of School for Laboratory Bacteriology, Pathology and Chemistry, Camp Greenleaf, June 3, 1918 to October 26, 1918.  Transferred to Base Hospital 159, for duty overseas.  Transferred to Letterman General Hospital, December 21, 1918.  On duty since December 28, 1918, as Chief of Laboratory Service and Sanitary Officer.

                                                                                                           

 

MAJOR H. E. FOSTER,

Assistant Laboratory Chief.

 

            Major Harry E. Foster, born in New York, Aug 18, 1881.  Graduated from Boone’s University School, December 1900, University of California 1903, University of California1908.

            Entered the service as first lieutenant July 1, 1917.  Served Ambulance Company No. 2 four months.  Base Hospital, Camp Kearny, Assistant to the Chief and Chief of Laboratory four months.

            Letterman General Hospital since February, 1919.

 

 

CAPTAIN FRANCIS J. ROMER

Chaplain

 

            Capt. Francis J. Romer, Chaplain of Letterman General Hospital, is a native of Iowa.  His parents moved to Southern California when he was still a boy.  In 1900 he went to St. Joseph’s College, Kirkwood, Mo., to begin his studies preparatory for the priesthood.  He was ordained by Archbishop Glennan in St. Louis in June, 1911.  After spending one year as Professor of Latin, English and Mathematics at St. Joseph’s College, Kirkwood, he went to Rome for higher studies.  The outbreak of the great war in 1914, caused his return to the United States.  Since that time he has labored in Kansas City, Mo., Fresno, Cal., and Portland, Ore.  He received his appointment as Chaplain April 18, 1918, and has been stationed at the hospital ever since.  On May 18, 1919, he was promoted to Captain.

 

 

CAPTAIN JOHN WIKANDER,

Quartermaster.

 

            Born in Kopperberg, Sweden, Sept 6, 1869.  Educated in public schools and School of Mines, Falun, Sweden.

            Service in U. S. Army:  Private and Corporal, Troop H, 5th Cav., Dec. 16, 1890 to March 15, 1894; Pvt., Corporal, Sergeant and Q. M. Sergeant, Troop H, 8th Cav., Aug. 8, 1894 to Dec. 3, 1898; transferred to Q. M. Corps as Quartermaster Sergeant Aug. 24, 1912; commissioned Captain Q. M. Corps and assigned to present station Sept. 11, 1917.  Qualified as sharpshooter during service in the line.  Graduate School for Bakers and Cooks, Ft. Riley, 1907; distinguished graduate Quartermaster School.

 

 

MAJOR ROYAL REYNOLDS,

Chief Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Service.

 

            Born October, 1881, Elmira, New York.  Graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 1906.  Interne in Philadelphia General Hospital for two years.  Graduated from Army Medical School, 1910.  Regular Army since September , 1909.  (3 years in Philippines; 20 months in France.)  Commanding officer of Base Hospital 27, Angers, France.  Evacuation Hospital, 9, Coblenz, Germany.  Chief of Eye Nose and Throat service at Letterman Hospital.

 

 

CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. THOMAS,

Commanding Medical Detachment.

Commanding Detachment, Medical Department.

 

            Born in Alden, New York, December, 1874.  Attended Public School and Alden High School, New York State.  Enlisted in Troup “E” 5th U. S. Calvary, September, 1896, served in this organization during Spanish-American War.  Discharged at Mayaguez, Porto Rico, September, 1899.  Enlisted in Hospital Corps, October, 1899.  Promoted to Acting Hospital Steward, 1901.  Promoted to Sergeant First Class, 1904.  Served in the P. I. from November, 1902 to May 1906, and from October, 1906, to January 30, 1915, on which date he was retired from active service.  Recalled from retirement to active service May, 1917.  Commissioned 1st Lieutenant, San. Corps, August, 1917.  Promoted to Captain, Sanitary Corps, January, 1918.

 

 

CAPTAIN ARTHUR E. BROWN,

Adjutant.

 

            Born in Liverpool, England, December 24, 1880.  Came to the United States March, 1881.  Resided in New England until 1898, mostly Vermont State.  Attended Public School, State of Vermont.  Enlisted May 9th, 1898, Co. “G” 1st Vermont Vol. Infantry. Discharged October 28th, 1898.  Enlisted in the Regular Army November 2, 1898.  Appointed Sergeant, June 12th, 1904.  Appointed Sergeant First Class August 24th, 1907.  Appointed Master Hospital Sergeant April 3d, 1917.  Commissioned 1st Lieutenant, Sanitary Corps, September 12th, 1917.  Commissioned Captain, Sanitary Corps, February 15th, 1918.

 

 

CAPTAIN T. R. PETCH,

Chief Urological Service.

 

            Born 1879, in Woodland, California.  Graduated from Cooper Medical College, now connected with Stanford University, 1902.  One year hospital work at St. Luke’s Hospital.  One year in New York Post Graduate Hospitals.  General practice until 1909.  Since that date has specialized in Genito-Urinary Surgery.  Affiliated with Stanford University.  Affiliated with New York Hospitals.  Special practice in San Francisco.  Army Service since 1916; during the Mexican trouble no special assignments.  Since the World’s Great War has been assigned to duty as Chief of Genito-Urinary Surgery at Camps Meade, Bowie and Hancock; Army General Hospital No. 1, and Letterman General Hospital.

 

 

LIEUTENANT J. L. MERY,

Morale Officer.

 

            Born in Chico, California, November 20, 1880.  Graduated from University of California, 1900.  Assistant City Engineer of San Francisco for several years.  Later gave up his business at Chico, California, to accept a commission in the army.  Went overseas in February, 1918.  Returned to United States from France in February, 1919.  On duty at Letterman Hospital since as Morale Officer, Finance and Property Officer of the Educational Service Financial Manager of the Listening Post.

 

 

 

Transcribed by Sharon Walford Yost.

Source: ”The History of Letterman General Hospital, Pages 5, 6 & 50. Published by the Listening Post, Presidio, San Francisco, Cal. 1919.

© 2010  Sharon Walford Yost.