In the early 1960's, not many U.S. soldiers had been wounded in Vietnam and those who had been wounded were sent to military hospitals near their homes. In 1964, the war in Vietnam was starting to heat-up and soldiers with severe wounds were sent to military hospitals that had the expertise to treat them. One of the premier hospitals was Walter Reed Army General Hospital located outside Washington, D.C. This was also the hospital of choice for presidents, former presidents and other officials of the government.. In Ward #1, there was a section at the far end of the ward which became known as "The Pit", later