1944 THOMAS M. ENGLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS - ATLANTIC CITY, NJ For Sale

We are offering a Christmas 1944 Thomas M. England General Hospital (Atlantic City, New Jersey) Booklet, including dinner menu. The booklet was given to those who attended the dinner and celebration of the second Christmas of the hospital's brief history of caring for sick and wounded WWII American soldiers back from battlefields all over the world. The Thomas M. England General Hospital, which opened in August of 1943, operated out of Haddon Hall, the Chalfonte and the Traymore, three luxury beach front hotels in Atlantic City. The booklet (9" x 12") has 38 pictures with captions, and a full-page writeup on the hospital, which at the time had nearly 3,000 convalescing veterans. Some of the pictures are: four wounded veterans receiving Purple Hearts from Col. Sidney L. Chappell, the hospital's commanding officer; Abbott & Costello entertaining a wounded G.I.; convalescing soldiers on the sundeck of the Chalforte, looking down at the strollers on the boardwalk below; soldiers in the Recreation Room playing ping pong; and soldiers on marches to prepare them for going back into active duty There are pictures of the devastation of the Atlantic City beach front by a hurricane that suspended hospital activities for five weeks.
**HISTORY OF THE HOSPITAL** - During World War II, Atlantic City became occupied by the U.S. Military as training grounds, soldiers' barracks, and hospitals for the wounded soldiers. The Chalfonte, Haddon Hall and Traymore hotels were collectively renamed Thomas M. England General Hospital, named after Lt. Col. Thomas M. England. It was the largest soldiers' hospital in the United States at the time. The hospital operated until 1946, when it reverted back to the originally named hotels. The hospital was both a surgical center and reconditioning facility specializing in amputations, orthopedic and nerve surgery, and the fitting of artificial limbs. **CONDITION** - Excellent. The booklet has a glassine cover, which has a couple of small edge-tears at the top, that has the kept this booklet in such great condition.

---