Strohm, J. Guy, M. D., Colonel

Dr. J. Guy Strohm died at the age of 86, in 1972. Born in Endicott, Nebraska, Dr. Strohm spent his childhood and schooling there until beginning his education at the University of Nebraska. He began his medical education at the University of Michigan and graduated from Rush Medical College in 1910. He did post-graduate work in Vienna, Austria after an internship in Cook County in 1910-1911. Strohm practiced general medicine in Portland, Oregon and organized the first company of soldiers to arrive at Camp Lewis, Washington at the beginning of WWI and the nucleus of the 91st Division, popularly called the “Wild West Division”. He became the youngest colonel in the A. E. F. and was made division surgeon of the 91st. He received the King Albert medal of Belgium, Medal of Honor of France, Croix de Guerre of France and the Legion of Honor of France. He helped to organize the 46th General Hospital sponsored by the University of Oregon Medical School. Under his command, it was rated one of the finest general hospitals in the European an =d African Theatres. He was on the staff of the Multnomah County Hospital, Good Samaritan, and Veteran’s Hospital of Portland. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and president of the Portland Medical Society and of the University Club.

General Hospital No. 46 had been on inactive status at the University of Oregon Medical School since WWI when it functioned as Base Hospital No. 46 and was located at Bazoilles-sur-meuse in France. It cared for 8,366 patients, with a peak load of 1,575 patients at one time during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. The record of original service ha[d] been made and published by the officers of the original unit. In the interim between the two World Wars, a considerable portion of the officer personnel of the 46th General Hospital and a training program on an individual basis in cooperation with the organized Reserved Corps of the United States Army ha[d] been maintained.

...