Arrival of 323rd College Training Detachment at Springfield College
Description:
In this photo, you can see a group of soldiers from the 323rd College Training Detachment that has just arrived on campus and is getting ready to settle into their dormitory. There are five soldiers in the group, each carrying a large bag on their shoulder. They're all dressed in military uniforms and are facing the camera. Behind them, the background is dark, but you can still see some trees. This photo was taken between 1942-1944. At the start of World War II, Springfield College served as training grounds for the Army Air Corps, which allotted the college $90,000 for upgrading facilities. In the spring of 1944, the training program was canceled; in order to conserve its assets for expanded postwar operations in the face of decreasing student enrollment, Springfield College negotiated a contract with the U.S. Navy to serve as a Naval Special Hospital. The Navy allotted $75,000 to bring the college up to the mark of a naval hospital, and the first contingent of one hundred and fifty patients arrived on September 22, 1944. It was estimated that five hundred patients could be served. Alumni Hall was used as the hospital, and the old dormitory (now called the Administration Building) became administrative offices and housing for nurses and WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).
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