A passionate believer in the maintenance of America's armed might is Maj. Gen. Carl R. Gray Jr., national administrator of veterans' affairs.
The blunt, outspoken officer, who bossed US Army railroad transportation overseas in World War II, said that if America had been prepared she might have avoided most of the eight major wars and campaigns in which she has been involved up to Korea.
He cited examples of war's staggering and continuing costs upon his arrival here Saturday to dedicate the $9 million veterans administration hospital in public ceremonies at 2:30 p. m. Sunday. Another high-ranking veterans administration official, Vice-Ad-miral Joel T. Boone, medical director of the VA, was here Saturday. He will be the featured speaker at the dedication program. There are 19 persons still receiving pensions from the Mexican war (1846-48), he declared; 9970 from the War Between the States (1861-65), 1558 from the Indian.wars, and 84,079 widows and children from the Spanish-American war, in addition to 79,110 disabled veterans on the rolls for that war.
...After a brief inspection of the new VA facility here, Gen. Gray described it as "the last word in medical equipment and the latest scientific developments for correct diagnosis and treatment."
He was particularly impressed with its proximity to the great medical centers of Louisiana State and Tulane universities and Charity hospital, a condition which he said the VA is striving to approach in all of its hospitals.
"Through close affiliation with medical schools," he said, "we are securing the assurance of the finest specialists in the medical profession. They co-operate with us to give our patients the best medical care in the world. Conversely, we are assisting the medical schools in turning out the best doctors....[PHOTO CAPTION READS] CONFERRING AT THE NEW VA HOSPITAL are Dr. Anees Mo-gabgab (left), hospital manager, and Gen. Carl R. Gray Jr., national administrator of veterans' affairs, here to dedicate the hospital.
