249th Gen Hosp, Ireland Army Hosp, Ft Knox

The **249th General Hospital**, also known as **Ireland Army Hospital**, was established during World War II at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as a key medical unit supporting the U.S. Army's training and operational needs. Activated in 1942, the 249th Gen Hosp provided comprehensive medical care, including surgery and rehabilitation, to soldiers stationed at Fort Knox and those returning from overseas deployments. The hospital played a vital role in maintaining troop health and readiness throughout the war and the postwar years. In 1957, the facility was renamed **Ireland Army Hospital** in honor of Major General Merritte W. Ireland, the Army Surgeon General from 1918 to 1931, and it continued to serve the Fort Knox military community for decades.