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Commissioned on September 8, 1944, the hospital campus contained two hundred and forty acres, including most of Lake Massasoit’s shoreline. The hospital held four hundred and fifty beds. Originally established as a Convalescent Hospital, the building was designated as a Naval Special Hospital on July 1, 1945 to ensure better use of its vast resources. Within the first few pages is “The Cathedral of Living Trees,” a poem by Serena Truman Robinson (author of the 1938 collection “Tall Trees and Melodies”), paired with a picture of Springfield College’s own Cathedral in the Woods. The pamphlet includes pictures of the buildings, staff, rooms, and surrounding facilities. Toward the end is the special Navy Day menu offered at the mess hall. The pamphlet ends with a full-page picture of Lake Massasoit. Navy Day, held on October 27, pays tribute to the United States Navy. In 1945, the day took on a special significance as they celebrated “the spectacular achievements of our ships, planes and men in winning sea victories and forcing the surrender of the Japanese Empire.”
