Local Man Helps Build Hospital
Lt. Col. Joseph G. Kruml, 610 Oakland Drive, is serving as commanding officer of a detachment somewhere in England which is converting a military camp into a large hospital capable of treating 6,000 invasion casualties, it was announced Friday.
The base, formerly used by Gen. Alexander to train troops for the North African campaign, the barracks, warehouses, and halls were arranged for later conversion into medical installations. Under a central headquarters, five complete general hospitals will serve wounded men returning from invasion fronts.
It is after English and Irish civilian workers complete basic structural changes that Lt. Col. Kruml’s crew takes over.
Describing the process of requisitioning, hauling and setting up supplies necessary for the hospital, Col. Kruml said, “Our men have handled everything from 4,200 pound water boilers to rolls of gauze bandages weighing only a few ounces.
Source: The Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Friday, July 21, 1944, Page 5
