History
Explore the rich heritage of the VA Wilmington Healthcare System.
Wilmington VA Medical Center
In May 1946, President Harry S. Truman approved a VA hospital to be built in Wilmington, Delaware. Soon after, VA took control of the former Army Air Corps Hospital at New Castle Air Base (now the New Castle County Airport) and turned it into a temporary VA health care facility. The first patients were admitted a few months later, on August 26, 1946. About 75% had served in World War II, and 77% of the staff that treated them were Veterans.
In March 1948, VA broke ground for a permanent hospital building on a 32-acre site. On April 2, 1950, VA dedicated the new 336-bed hospital. The Wilmington VA Medical Center was the 9th VA hospital to open after the end of World War II, but one of 32 new VA hospitals or major additions scheduled for completion in 1950. A few months later, the Korean War started.
Over the years, the medical center has continued to add new facilities and expand its services. In early 1997, Wilmington opened its Outpatient Clinical Addition, a 66,000-square-foot addition to manage the increasing outpatient activities. Today, Wilmington health care offers services to more than 31,000 Veterans living in a 6-county area of Delaware and southern New Jersey.