A researcher provided information that the 20th Station Hospital was
the hospital ship Solace. This seemed possible but I got the
impression from my late father's WWII letters that the 20th actually
was on Guadalcanal. I have been in communication with a WWII vet who
spent time at the 20th and he states:

"No, the United States Army 20th Station Hospital was on Guadalcanal,
and never had any connection to the Solace.I was a patient in the 20th
Station Hospital from the day (August 26, 1943) I was hit by that Jap
20mm explosive cannon shell until about September 18, 1943. I was then
evacuated by a C-47 hospital plane to a US Navy hospital on Efate in
the New Hebrides. Sometime in early October, 1943, I was placed on
board the Solace for the trip to Auckland, New Zealand and the United
States Army 39th General Hospital in that city. I have at least three
photographs of the Solace."

In another email he refers to his 1996 return visit to Guadalcanal and
viewing the memorial plaque for the 20th.

Therefore, I still am looking for a photo of the 20th Station Hospital
on Guadalcanal which was created c. late 1942. Thanks.

I haven't been able to find a photo of the hospital yet, but I have
found information that backs up the testimony above with perhaps the
exception of the October '43 voyage.  However, it does state that the
Solace sailed for Guadalcanal on the 20th June 1944 to collect
casualties.


http://www.kcatech.com/corpsman/ships/hospital_ships/USS%20Solace%20(II).htm

"In March 1942, Solace was ordered to the South Pacific and proceeded
to Pago Pago, Samoa. From there, she sailed to the Tonga Islands,
arrived at Tongatabu on 15 April, and remained there until 4 August.
On that day, she got underway and steamed, via Noumea, New Caledonia,
to New Zealand. She arrived at Auckland on the 19th and discharged her
patients. From then until May 1943, Solace shuttled between New
Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Espiritu Santo, the New Hebrides,
and the Fiji Islands, caring for fleet casualties and servicemen
wounded in the island campaigns. Patients whom she could not return to
duty shortly were evacuated to hospitals for more prolonged care.

In June, July, and August, she operated as a station hospital ship at
Noumea. On 30 August, Solace sailed to Efate, New Hebrides, and
performed the same duties at that port until sailing for Auckland on 3
October. On the 22d, the hospital ship departed New Zealand and
proceeded via Pearl Harbor to the west coast of the United States. She
arrived at San Francisco on 9 November; disembarked her patients; and,
on the 12th, sailed for the Gilberts."

There is also a comment and a picture here:
"The only building on Henderson Field when the Marines landed on
Guadalcanal, the Pagoda was the scene of Cactus Air Force briefings"
http://www.gnt.net/~jrube/@guadoct.html

Would this ever have been the building used?

tab3-ga,

Thanks for contacting Google Answers.

I've spent some time researching this.  I came up with a few things
that might be of interest, but I wasn't able to find a concrete
photograph.  Some of the information appeared to indicate that the
hospital was actually destroyed, but I can't confirm that.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has two motion
picture items which appear to show the unloading of some casualties
from Palau, but they don't indicate which hospital:

IDs are:
NWDNM(m)-428-NPC-5663
NWDNM(m)-428-NPC-5664

In addition, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has an
archive of papers from an individual by the name of Charles Gault, who
served as an administrative officer to the Guadalcanal Island Surgeon
(FltHosp 105).  There appear to be quite a few photos available in
this archive; someone at UNC-CH may be able to help you go through
them over the phone:

http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/htm/04969_m.htm

I'm dreadfully sorry I couldn't be of more help.  I used Google and
NARA in my search, just some different terms, including: 20th Station
Hospital, Guadalcanal, Henderson Field photos, and combinations of the
same.

Best,
arimathea-ga.

Hello, it's me again tab3-ga,

Thank you for your kind comment re question ID# 31642.

My father recalls that the hospital on Gauadalcanal where he was a
patient was located in a very difficult to find area. It was deep
inside a massive plantation of coconut trees that was owned by a New
Zealand soap manufacturer.
Dad thinks that visibility from the air would have been very poor
(undoubtedly a benefit for a wartime hospital).

Best regards

Greetings!

I have been searching for the requested pictures, but so far I am
unable to find
picture(s) of the hospital facility.

I received an email from a army photo achivist,Jay Graybeal.  Here is
a copy of his email:

"Your request for photographs of the 20th Station Hospital on
Guadalcanal was
referred to me for reply.  We have one medical collection that
contains
several graphic images of recovering severely wounded foreign men. 
There
are no photos of the hospital facilities.  Thank you for your inquiry
and
best wishes.
 
 Jay Graybeal
 Photo Archivist"

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of these picture, you can
reach Mr. Graybeal by email, Jay.Graybeal@carlisle.army.mil

I will continue the hunt.

madsky101

To madsky101: Thanks for your efforts.