Great Lakes Hospital

• Historic Foundation: The Great Lakes Hospital was originally established during World War I to serve the influx of naval recruits at Naval Station Great Lakes, the largest training station in the U.S. Navy. • World War II Surge: During World War II, the hospital expanded rapidly, treating tens of thousands of sailors and marines as the station’s population soared to over 100,000 personnel. • First-Class Medical Training: The hospital has long been a hub for training Navy corpsmen and medical officers, many of whom later served in combat zones around the world. • Innovations in Medicine: Great Lakes Hospital was an early adopter of physical rehabilitation programs for wounded sailors, pioneering techniques that later spread throughout military medicine. • Women in Uniform: During WWII, the hospital staffed the first large contingent of WAVES nurses (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), breaking gender barriers in military medicine. • Presidential Ties: President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the hospital in 1942, boosting morale and acknowledging the critical role of naval medicine. • Medical Milestones: In the 1960s, the hospital was a site for the early use of antibiotics and advanced surgical procedures in military healthcare. • Cold War Readiness: The hospital played a key role in preparing medical teams for deployment aboard Navy ships and to forward bases during the Cold War. • Modernization: In the early 2000s, the hospital underwent significant renovations, integrating state-of-the-art medical technology and expanding its outpatient services. • Community Outreach: Today, the hospital is known for its strong community engagement, offering health education, disaster response training, and partnerships with civilian medical centers.