Seeking records of Camp Upton Convalescent Hospital

Dear Ms. Moyes,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the following record series that include or may include information about the convalescent hospital at Camp Upton. For more information about the records listed below, email the reference unit listed in the Catalog description:

• Records Concerning Posts, Camps, and Stations, 1945 - 1954, documenting 1905 - 1954 in Records of U.S. Army Operational, Tactical, and Support Organizations (World War II and Thereafter) (Record Group 338)
• Unit Annual Reports, 1940 - 1949 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112) that includes Convalescent Hospital, Camp Upton, NY
• Central Decimal Correspondence Files, 1940 - 1945 in Records of the Adjutant General's Office (Record Group 407)
• Motion Picture Newsreel Films, 10/1941 - 3/1957 in the Paramount Pictures, Inc., Collection (Collection PARA) that includes PARAMOUNT NEWS [DEC. 19]
• Photographs of U.S. Army and Navy Hospitals, 1934 - 1954 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• Plans of Military Hospitals and Medical Facilities, 1894 - 1951 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• General Correspondence, 1917 - 1946 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• Medical Statistics Reporting Files, 1918 - 1976 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• Medical Statistics Summary Files, 1941 - 1970 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• Photographs of Esther Williams Demonstrating Medical Reconditioning Exercises, 1945 - 1945 in the Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army) (Record Group 112)
• Subject Files, 10/30/1941 - 1954 in the Records of Headquarters U.S. Air Force (Air Staff) (Record Group 341) that includes Psychological Convalescent Hospitals, 1945: Camp

In regards to how long they stayed there and what their recovery was like, it likely depended greatly on their physical and psychological condition when they entered the hospital. The statistics reporting files listed above might contain some information.  Also, we located Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 - ca. 1970, documenting 1942 - 1954 in Record Group 112 provides admission and discharge dates for many patients of Army Hospitals.  For more information about accessing these records, contact National Archives at College Park - Electronic Records (RDE) via email at cer@nara.gov
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from NARA reference units. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.
These records have been made available on Ancestry as the data collection “U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954.” A keyword search for “Camp Upton” turns up 1,914 results. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Archives has partnered with Ancestry to make the vast majority of their NARA-digitized holdings freely available to the public. Anyone with Internet access may create an account, access NARA records, and use other Ancestry resources, such as their educational offerings and family tree-maker application. For more information see Ancestry’s announcement -- “Free At-Home Education Resources From Ancestry® and Access to Nearly 500M National Archives Records”.
We also searched online and located the following resources that provide information about Camp Upton and/or World War II U.S. Army medicine.

• http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/community/longwood_journey/modern_history/camp_upton/hospital
• https://history.pmlib.org/longislandhistory/livillagehistories/suffolkcountyl-z
• https://www.med-dept.com/
• https://history.amedd.army.mil/books.html
• https://history.army.mil/html/books/010/10-7/CMH_Pub_10-7.pdf

In addition, we searched the Library of Congress’s Veteran’s History Project for “Camp Upton” and located 113 results.

You also may wish to contact the National Library of Medicine, the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum, and the U.S. Army’s Office of Medical History.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!