Wilford Hall Medical Center

• Origins in World War II: Wilford Hall Medical Center (WHMC) traces its beginnings to 1942, when a 1,000-bed hospital was opened at Lackland Air Force Base to serve the influx of recruits during World War II. • Named After a Pioneer: The center was named in 1957 after Major General Wilford F. Hall, a key figure in Air Force medicine, who died in a 1953 plane crash while serving as the Air Force’s Deputy Surgeon General. • Once the Largest U.S. Air Force Hospital: For decades, WHMC was the largest Air Force medical facility, at its peak boasting over 1,000 beds and a staff of more than 2,600. • Air Evacuation Hub: WHMC has long been a major hub for aeromedical evacuation, receiving and treating wounded personnel evacuated from overseas combat zones, particularly during the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars. • Pioneers in Burn Treatment: The center earned a reputation for excellence in burn treatment and research, especially for treating military personnel injured in combat. • First Heart Transplant in the Air Force: In 1984, WHMC performed the first successful heart transplant in an Air Force facility, marking a milestone in military medicine. • Site of the First Air Force Neonatal ICU: WHMC established the Air Force’s first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), providing advanced care for premature and critically ill newborns. • A Center for Training: The medical center served as a primary teaching hospital for military and civilian medical professionals, training thousands of doctors, nurses, and technicians each year. • Transition to Ambulatory Care: In 2011, as part of the San Antonio Military Health System, inpatient services moved to Brooke Army Medical Center, and WHMC transitioned to the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, focusing on outpatient care. • Medical Humanitarian Missions: WHMC staff have participated in numerous humanitarian and disaster relief missions, including support for Hurricane Katrina relief and international medical outreach.