Located not far from the Neckar River, original construction of the hospital began in 1879. Two years later six buildings had been completed and the Municipal Hospital of Stuttgart was established with a bed capacity of 80. More buildings were added in 1908, 1923, 1926 and 1933.

Work on the hospital's largest building was begun in 1937 and completed by the U. S. Army following the war.

The facility has been operated by the 5th General Hospital unit since August 20, 1951.

Having a present bed authorization of 375, its commanding officer is Colonel Emmett M. Smith, MC.

The hospital is located almost in Stuttgart but actually in the city of Bad Cannstatt. Bad Cannstatt is much older than Stuttgart and is separated from Stuttgart by the Neckar River. In Bad Cannstatt are located twenty-two mineral springs which yield 20,000 liters of water a day and are known as one of the greatest mineral springs in Europe. Also located on the banks of the Neckar is the area of an "Oktoberfest" which is the second largest fest of its kind in Germany.

The hospital building is a municipal hospital plant of the city of Stuttgart. It is four miles from downtown Stuttgart in the direction of Nurnberg. There are 38 acres of permanent masonry type buildings connected by a series of tunnels. The tunnel system allows ambulatory patients greater recreational freedom in that they can visit the exchange, snack bar, barber shop, post office, and theater without being exposed to the weather. The tunnels also provide passageways for food carts, library carts, and the movement of patients from various areas.

For aerial movement of patients, the hospital has a frequently used lighted heliport on the grounds.

The hospital features several recreational facilities which are available to both patients and duty personnel. Included are a modern movie theater, swimming pool, enlisted men's club, softball diamond, special service library, and a Red Cross recreation room. Red Cross personnel have been outstanding in their efforts to provide for all personnel and bed patients in particular. The ladie's clubs in the area have also contributed much to make the patient's stay in the hospital more enjoyable.

The hospital has its own Chapel and a smaller Chapel within the hospital. A new bowling alley has just been completed and a new administration building is about ready for use. A new ten story building houses the WAC Detachment.

The hospital prides itself on its many achievements in community relations. German physicians are regular guests at the monthly evening professional conferences and the German civilians in nearby communities are invited to open houses. Each year the hospital trains approximately thirty German corpsmen as medical specialists.

The 75th Station Hospital, operating unit of the Bad Cannstatt Hospital, was formerly designated the 5th General Hospital. It was first organized in February 1916 as Base Hospital No. 5 at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts. The hospital went to France in June 1917 and performed an outstanding service to the sick and wounded and contributed much to military medicine. Two of the outstanding contributions were in the field of brain surgery and in the introduction of blood grouping to allied units. The hospital was demobilized 2 May 1919 and reactivated several times; the last time being on 20 August 1951.

Colonel Raymond Maret, MC, is the Commanding Officer of the hospital and the Stuttgart Medical Service Area. A former Washington, D.C. physician, Colonel Maret started his Army service in 1942. He was assigned to Bad Cannstatt following a tour as Chief of Professional Services in the First Army Surgeons Office.

Key members of the staff include Colonel Christian Gronbeck, Jr., Chief of Medical and Professional Services; Colonel Charles K. Reger, Chief of Dental Service; Lieutenant Colonel Jewell Derryberry, ANC, Chief Nurse; and Lieutenant Colonel Chris D. Hoover, MSC, Executive Officer.

The first hospital to be established on the grounds was build in 1881. New buildings were added on a regular basis until 1937, when the German military services took over the Municipal Hospital Bad Cannstatt. Suffering only minor damage during the war, the buildings were used by the French, then by a series of American medical units including the 216th General Hospital, the 387th Station Hospital and the 11th Field Hospital.

Today, the 29-acre site is the major medical facility of the Stuttgart Medical Service Area, which parallels the US Forces Support District Baden-Wuerttemberg, and is responsible for eight separate medical dispensaries, 11 dental clinics, one veterinary food inspection unit and a small animal clinic.

The primary mission of the Stuttgart MSA is to provide medical, dental, and veterinary care to military personnel, Department of the Army civilians, and their dependents, as well as providing hospitalization for all authorized personnel in the Medical Service Area.

The 5th General Hospital is commanded by COL Ellsworth L. Miller, MC, who also serves as District Surgeon for the US Forces Support District of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Opened on the grounds of the 5th General Hospital on January 16, 1978, the USAREUR Alcohol Treatment Facility is a pilot Army program geared to combat the alcohol problem in the older, career-oriented service member, DA civilians, and dependents in the command. This new energetic program is conducted in a 50-bed treatment facility and consists of an intensive six-week treatment program. It includes extensive group therapy and education with lectures and guest speakers from all areas to include police, legal, and medical advisors, chaplains, dieticians, and other recovered alcoholics. In addition, assertiveness training is given when necessary along with alternative education, stressing other interests to replace alcohol use. Alcoholics Anonymous, ALANON, and ALA­TEEN meetings play a major role as well as a demanding physical fitness program which includes a daily two mile run, mandatory for both patients and staff.

Although the 5th General Hospital does not have the advantage of new, modern buildings, continual efforts have been made to ensure that the facilities remain on a level expected of a first-class hospital. A major building updating project is due to begin in late 1982.

Personnel assigned to the facility can boast about the quality of medical care provided. "We at the 5th General Hospital and throughout the Bad Cannstatt Medical Department Activity care!"