On May 1, 1909, Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington, DC admitted its first patient. The Commander of the Army General Hospital, Major William C. Borden had lobbied for several years for a new hospital to replace the aged one at Washington Barracks, now Ft. McNair.

In 1902, Major Reed died from peritonitis following an appendectomy performed by his friend, Major Borden. Following Reed’s death, Borden became dedicated to completing the new hospital and was instrumental in naming the new hospital after Major Reed who confirmed the theory that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitos.