Inpatient tower Eglin hospital named after founder

  • Published
  • By Lois Walsh
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Col. (Dr.) Adanto A.S. D'Amore, the man responsible for building the structure that currently makes up the majority of Eglin Hospital, was memorialized in a ceremony Aug. 24, when the inpatient tower was named in his memory. 

The inpatient tower was erected as a part of the construction of the main hospital building which was completed in November 1967 while the colonel was the commander. The tower currently serves as the core of hospital operations. 

Colonel D'Amore passed away April 28, 2009, after more than 70 years of active medical practice. His son, Lt. Col. (ret.) Bob D'Amore, spoke to the crowd about his father's accomplishments during his 30-year military career, including surviving the Bataan Death March and being a prisoner of war. 

Other guest speakers, Lt. Gen. Bruce Green, USAF Surgeon General and Col. Stephen Jennings, Deputy Commander, AF Medical Operations Agency, also addressed Colonel D'Amore's illustrious career. Both speakers served as 96th Medical Group commanders. 

Colonel Jennings said he met Colonel D'Amore through his son, Bob. Both Colonel Jennings and Bob had the conviction to dedicate the hospital to its founder. He noted that it is virtually impossible to name an entire building after a living person. Colonel D'Amore was alive when the naming process started. He was aware of the process and, before he passed away, saw the authorization by Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, to rename the inpatient tower in his name. 

"When we broke ground for the new hospital (in 2002) and later when the building was dedicated (2006), the colonel was here; it would have been great for him to be a guest of honor today, too," the colonel said. "Today marks a special event in the life of the AF Medical Service. We honor a singular unassuming and heroic man whom the passing decades sort of forgot. We should all be most thankful to be here today." 

In his first official trip since being appointed Surgeon General Aug. 12, General Green said he is a definite benefactor of the Eglin community. He trained here and was commander the 96 MDG from 1995-1997, and was honored to speak at the dedication since Colonel D'Amore "was such a special man." The general spoke of "Dr. D', as he was known by his friends." He told the audience how Colonel D'Amore was the first Army doctor to parachute from a plane and the second to earn the Army Parachutist Badge in 1941.

General Green also spoke of the colonel writing the residency for aerospace medicine, the curriculum for the flight surgeon program and starting the independent medical technician program, one that is being used in overseas operations today. 

"We recognize him as a great American, a giant in Air Force medicine," the general said. "His legacy is commitment to service, to excellence, and to integrity in everything we do."