The first contingency of the 25th Evacuation Hospital Staff traveled to the final destination on the island of Espiritu Santo in the Northern New Hebrides  29Nov1942. The specific site for the hospital was initially unwritten and undisclosed, however eventually described as within a coconut plantation surrounded by jungle near a view of an Ocean Bay. (Surundu Bay, S.E. Espiritu Santo), It was northeast of the fledgling forward Navy base at Luganville. 

There were no roads or modern conveniences.  The tropical jungle habitat made for very difficult conditions. The 25th medical team set up tents.  They cleared and cut coconut trees and jungle wood for poles, platforms, floors and structural support for ward tents, and gathered any local wood they could find.    They procured local materials. There was no supply ship of building materials for them, and no documentation that one ever arrived.   Supplies took months to trickle in.   The reasons publicly cited at the time for lack of materials and equipment were Japanese bombing and submarines.  A compounding event occurred one month earlier; the USS Coolidge sunk adjacent to the Navy Base bay due to hitting friendly mines. Essentially all the supplies for the base and battle were lost.  All the supply of Quinine for the S. Pacific went down, and much more….   The sinking and self destruction cause of these losses was not initially publicized.   The process in December42 through Febuary43 opening and beyond was very difficult due to lack of construction materials and assistance…. They dealt with rain, mud, insects, disease, varmits, harsh environment and inattentive headquarters command. 

“Dec ’42  By late Dec the tents are still being moved from day to day……medical team said to hell with it.  From then on not a thing has been accomplished.  We’d still be eating on the ground with no lights if it hadn’t been for the non army men getting work done in a non army way.  Dec. ’42    The medical team went to work on laundry building mess halls kitchens bakery – procured all the material from various places”

HEH letters tell that the nursing staff was separated and held back several weeks.  It was written that there was great celebration later when the whole team met up to fulfill their expected duties    

“3Jan1943    “Our nurses are not with us at present. They were taken ashore at our first stop and will follow as soon as we have completed our construction plans….”. 

Written 3Jan43, “H.E. Swantz LtColMC25thEvacHosp”,  Letter to Editor sent to Oak Park/Chicago

The forward location of the hospital was adjacent to the new first forward fledgling Navy base. This was planned so the 25th Evacuation Hospital and all medical facilities which followed would be land based nearest possible to the aggressive battle at Guadalcanal, and on the safer southern edge of the extensively Japanese controlled South Pacific. McArthur had retreated from the Philippines 10 months previous.   Japan had overrun most of the S Pacific Islands, and much of Asia.  The allied forces had just repelled the Japanese at the Battle of Coral Seas.  The major, first forward moving Allied offensive battle at Guadalcanal was then active and ugly.   

Jap bombing raids occurred 21,23Jan1943 

“1-21-43  - This morning was wakened  1 am by land explosions all in succession.  The “junk man” had made his first visit to our island since we were here. No damage except some wires down. Dam near hit our ammunition dump 3 miles from here. We were caught napping. No fighters up. The radar apparently not working. We were and have been too g d complacent of late, Lights all on. Gun crews not on alert. Just as bad as Pearl Harbor.”    

“23Jan43: …second air raid…this time it was closer to us, close to the number 1 bomber strip – we being about a half mile away. The bomb shook our beds we jumped out of bed, rushed to the nearest jungle -snatching our helmets along the way. ….Today Drucker and I spent some time digging a fox hole.”

(Note that these bombings were on a full moon. Japanese bombers likely were  hesitant to fly a long distance away from Guadalcanal battle and their base in daytime, however they had significant advantage to bomb at night, with full moon when the black land mass is very clearly outlined against the bright moonlight reflection off the ocean.   Patti’s dad was a rear gunner in a Douglas Dauntless dive bomber flying out of a tiny air strip on Funafuti atoll.   He said they “got bombed every full moon”.)

“1-26-43  The environment is not welcome.  It tries to engulf anything in it’s sight.  There are numerous poisonous plants and trees. There are snakes, pythons, many stinging insects – there are mosquitos – malaria -filaria in great abundance. all these slow down and kill the man in the tropics.  The rats and filth are abundant. The rains make life difficult. There is heat, moisture, no stimulus to work.  Little stimulus to live (Except the thought of going back home perhaps someday). The formula for the tropics is to live as far away from the jungle, beasts, insects, and nature.  Try to build yourself away from the environment.”

“1-29-43 – went with Druck over to the 54’s out on the west end of channel……”

Henry, Dr.Drucker and perhaps appearing to be 2 or 3 others, made a rough Jeep day trip to the coastal defense camp co.54, at the far west outlet of the channel, which required Jeep and barge travel to access.    He noted the occasional English and French plantation and local missions and dwellings in this coastal region.  In the photos,  “capt” at the site appears to be in his home setting (?)with presumed potential (?) family with the impression that he was recruited (?) by allied military to be a lookout at this site. He provided some interesting cultural background of the region for participants of the 25th day trip. Henry told me (RMH), later of course, that at some point they were aware they were in non-secure, technically enemy territory .

See the 1-29-43 journal entry and about 2 dozen grouped photographs of the JEEP DAY TRIP to this west channel defense camp, which reveal  direct images and commentary  of the island dwellers and cultural components as observed by the western visitors prior to the significant change brought by war and the soon to grow Naval Base. 

Construction Battalions eventually arrived and helped the 25th with site construction. Wooden framed wards had been constructed.   Structures were put in place with prefab wood components from New Zealand and also known as “New Zealand type” buildings. Australian/New Zealand metal Quonsets were incorporated. The Navy base grew over the months and next couple of years. 

“2/6/1943 TODAY MOVED THE WARD FROM A TENT TO A WOODEN BUILDING”

8Feb1943 Tent and Wood Wards open to outside Patients:  (“8Feb43“  “….but with 180 patients it was difficult….”)…., (“…insurmountable obstacles…”) (due to administration not allowing requested low level opening 2 weeks before to get things going – medical staff still working on physical components: latrines, leaking roofs and basic medical functions due to drag on approvals…..)

HEH 25th p.5“3/19/43  The past week has brought continuous rains. Torrents like I’ve never seen before. Everything is knee deep in mud. Tents leak. Everything is damp, everyone is depressed, everyone is snapping at each other.  Rain. Rain.  Rain. Torrents. Can’t get dried out. THIS WEEK WE FINALLY STARTED Evacuation.  So far have gotton a COUPLE HUNDRED PATIENTS from cactus (Guadalcanal) . These men are riddled with malaria, jaundice, malnourishment. Full of indolent ulcers. They have gone through HELL.”

[p12 back]  “3/28/43  I’ve been impressed with the poor condition of the Troops coming back from the canal. They are like old men. Worn out & riddled with disease. I make special efforts to get men from cactus evacuated back.“

The Santo Hospital became a dominant site for South Pacific injured, wounded and sick warriors.  Over the next 2 1/2 years, the entirety of the site became a large military facility, population 50k, known as the “crossroads of the South Pacific”.