same time, the Air Force announcedthat it was closing its establishment on Tinian. Because their supporting utilities would no longer
be available to the leprosarium, CivAdSaipan proposed to the inspecting party that the leprosarium be moved to Saipan. The proposal,
however, was disapproved because: (1) the leper colony should be
able to supply its ownutility services; (2) the Tinian site met the
requirements of segregation, agricultural lands, fishing opportunities
and proximity to the Guam Medical Center; (3) the Armyhad the
only suitable site on Saipan; (4) the Tinian site was not involved in
any military plans.” Asa result of discussions held at the same time
with the medical officers, the administration decided that it would be a
mistake to undertake permanent construction of a !eprosarium both
because thesite had not been agreed upon andthe numberoflepersto be
treated was not known."
It was decided, therefore, that the facilities of the leprosarium should
be kept as they were for the next two years by which time all possible
information for a long time operation of the colony would be avail-
able; meanwhile the sum of $100,000 should be allocated for additional
necessary interim construction, maintenance and repair.” The Secretary of the Navyapprovedthe revised project on May 18, 1949" and
financing was arranged with funds available for overseas construction
under appropriation “Public Works, Bureau of Yards and Docks,
1947.”
The construction, done by Seabees in 1949-50, provided two to bed
quonset type hospital wards, a tuberculosis isolation ward, a hospital
galley, a quonset containing an office, pharmacy, x-ray room, labora-
tory and operating room, six concrete decked flushtoilets and showers,
eighteen community type cook houses, a sewage system, and an
adequate power plant. The patients built two chapels, one Protestant
and one Catholic, and a combined school-recreation hall. American
personnel without dependents were quartered in two remodelled
Japanese frame houses near the leprosarium and those with dependents
lived in quonsets erected two miles away.”
_ CinCPacFlrMed Off memo dtd 10 Mar 49.
ChBuMed 3rd end Itr BuMed—4112-MFD, FF12/A6-4 dtd a1 Feb 29 on DepHiCom-
TerPacls ltr ser 1746,
™ Ubid; DepHiComTerPacls msys of 16 and 18 Mar 49.
‘o DuDocks msg of 27 Mava9.
BuDocks 4th end ser ND 14/Ng, C-241/ee dtd 1 Apr 49 on DepHiComTerPacts
ltr ser
1746 dtd 24 Nov48.
McNeilly, op. cit.
905
500b04