Copyrights & Reproductions

Nurses with the University of Virginia’s 8th Evacuation Hospital Unit, which served during World War II from 1942 to 1945 in both northern Africa and Italy. The 8th Evac received numerous awards and commendations for its service, and served in the war longer than any other American hospital-affiliated medical unit. During their time on active duty, the doctors and nurses from UVA cared for over 48,000 patients (plus over 53,000 outpatients). Remarkably, despite being on the front lines in battle in the Italian mountains, only 253 of the patients in their care, less than one half of one percent, passed away. (photo courtesy of the Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia).