Naval Health Clinic New England

The first Naval facility in Newport was the Naval Academy which relocated from Annapolis for the duration of the Civil War. The Naval Academy would return to Annapolis in 1865. In 1869, the Navy opened the Goat Island Torpedo Station. Medical care for sailors in the Newport area was initially provided by the Newport Hospital which opened in 1873. With the opening of the Naval Training Center in 1883, the spread of disease among the sailors became a significant issue. A temporary wooden hospital was constructed in 1896, with the Navy purchasing 13 acres for use as hospital site in 1910. The new Naval Hospital Newport was dedicated in 1913.[10]

In 1918, during World War I, the hospital expanded in size from 100 beds to 1000 beds, and increased its Nurse Corps staff from 15 to 62. Nurses received training at the hospital prior to deployment. Additionally, lessons in French were offered.[11] An old cruiser, USS Newark, was used as an annex and quarantine hulk at the hospital for some time.[12][13]

In 1991, rather than renovate the now 78 year old hospital building, the Navy decided to move inpatient care to civilian hospitals in Newport.[10] Naval Hospital Newport was used as until 1997. Following that, the clinics were moved to the current medical campus directly north of the old hospital. In February 2010, the Department of Defense declared the hospital site to be surplus.[14][15] On September 28, 2016, the City council of Newport, RI voted to re-purpose the waterfront land at the Naval Hospital site as a public park.[16][17]

In March 1998, Naval Hospital Groton, Naval Hospital Newport, and Naval Medical Clinic Portsmouth were joined into a single command, Naval Health Care New England. The consolidated command's first Commanding Officer would be J. Philip Van Landingham,[18][19] who had been Naval Hospital's last commanding officer.[20] Sometime after that, the command's name was changed to Naval Health Clinic New England.

In 2009, Captain Elaine C. Wagner assumed command of Naval Health Clinic New England.[8] She would become the first female pediatric dentist to be appointed Rear Admiral (Upper Half).[21]

In 2010, Captain Marcia Lyons would assume command of Naval Health Clinic New England from Wagner, only to be relieved of duty by her in 2012. Captain Tina Davidson would assume command following Lyons.[7]