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NEWS | Aug. 22, 2013

Largest dining facility in Defense Department named for combat medic veteran of three wars

By Esther Garcia U.S. Army Medical Department Center & School Public Affairs

The Department of Defense's largest dining facility officially became the Slagel Dining Facility during a dedication ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Aug. 8.

The facility is named in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Wayne E. Slagel, a combat medic who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

"It is important that we take time today to remember this true hero," said Maj. Gen. Steve Jones, Army Medical Department Center and School commanding general and host for the ceremony. "Not only for the fact that he is one of only two individuals who have earned the Combat Medical Badge during three different conflicts, or that he has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V device for valor and four oak leaf clusters, along with the Purple Heart and numerous other awards."

Slagel earned his first Combat Medical Badge and Bronze Star for Valor while serving in the Philippines on the island of Mindanao during World War II.

When war broke out in Korea he was assigned to the 27th Infantry Regiment, the Wolfhounds. He joined them for the tough fight during the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge in North Korea, when he frequently accompanied his platoon on five- to seven-man patrols beyond the front lines. He often found himself treating wounded comrades under heavy fire and was again awarded the Bronze Star and Combat Medical Badge.

With the end of the Korean War in 1953, Slagel remained in Seoul, retiring 10 years later. He was recognized for outstanding work in entomology and was named an honorary colonel in the Korean National Police Force.

In June 1967, Slagel volunteered to return to active duty and serve in Vietnam, because of a shortage in experienced medics. He frequently accompanied medical civic action teams to treat villagers outside the base.

In 1968, a heavy mortar and rocket attack marked the start of the Tet Offensive, one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War.

Leaving his bunker to treat those injured in the initial attack, Slagel was wounded in the hand, leg and knee by mortar fragments. He continued treating casualties, and made his way down to the battalion aid station which he knew would be overwhelmed.

Only after he finished did he allow himself to be treated. For his service in Vietnam, Slagel was awarded the Purple Heart and his third award of the Combat Medic Badge.

"We should remember him for his long and distinguished career marked by sacrifice and selfless service to our nation," Jones said.

Attendees toured the dining facility following the unveiling of the plaque.

The Slagel Dining Facility takes up approximately 60,000 square feet over two floors and is built to serve 4,800 personnel in 90 minutes.

It provides three meals daily to thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen attending training at the Medical Education and Training Campus. It has one kitchen and two dining rooms. The dining rooms, one on the top floor and one on the bottom floor, each have 1,008 seats for a total of 2,016 seats.

There are seven double-stack convection ovens and the walk-in bread ovens. The six steam kettles can each hold 60 gallons while the five tilting braising pans can hold 40 gallons. The walk-in refrigerator/freezer space is more than 3,000 square feet and there are an additional 21 roll-in refrigerators and freezers throughout the facility.

Entrees are served on four main lines on each floor and short-order menu items are served on four other lines. The facility has four deli sandwich lines for patrons, as well as eight self-service salad and pastry bars.

"There were two things my father loved: the Army and eating, so this is the perfect facility to be named after him," said Princess Slagel-Bucshon, who attended the ceremony with her brother, David.

A previous dining facility, Building 1377, was named after Slagel April 2, 1999. This dining facility was closed as an Army Medical Department facility Jan. 31 and its services were transferred to the new dining facility.

Building 1377 was demolished Feb. 1 and the designation transferred to Dining Facility No. 3, now renamed as the Slagel Dining Facility.