The 249th General Hospital first saw service during World War I, taking part in the Meuse-Argonne campaign as Evacuation Hospital No. 10. In World War II, the Hospital was deployed in the Pacific Theater as the 63rd Station Hospital, where it took par in the New Guinea and Luzon campaigns and was merged with the 126th Station Hospital to form the 4th General Hospital. During the Vietnam War, the hospital was stationed at Camp Drake
During the Vietnam War, the 249th General Hospital was stationed at Camp Drake in Japan, where it received wounded and sick personnel from the front lines. Following inactivation in 1971, the hospital was dormant for over 20 years until until is reactivation as the 249th General Hospital. In the 1990s, it was deployed to Bosnia, and in the early 2000s served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was inactivated in the summer of 2006.
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Distinctive Unit Insignias are worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
The 249th General Hospital Distinctive Unit Insignia, also known as a “unit crest” or a DUI, features a fleur-de-lis counterchanged in gold to commemorate service in France. Its maroon tones are the primary colors of the Army Medical Department, while gold is the color of excellence and high achievement. “Strength When Needed” was the unit motto.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e),
"Beret" and
"Garrison Cap," respectively.