Veterans Memorial Hospital history

The Lyons VA Hospital was the only VA hospital in the state until a VA hospital in East Orange, New Jersey, opened in 1952.

It was reported on June 17, 1954, that a 400,000 gallon water tank contract for the Lyons VA for $26, 875 was awarded to Hammond Iron Works of Warren, PA. It was built at the time when the Knollcroft estate was still the manager’s residence.

Allocation of Capital Outlay for the repair and rehabilitation of the 1955 vintage VMMC physical plants and facilities.

With the growth of the community the Territory of Hawaii recognized the need for a more substantial facility, and the Territorial Legislative Act 73 subsequently provided for the construction of the original portion of the present facility, opened to the public on February 25, 1957.

Mahelona Memorial Hospital has made a number of transitions since the early 1960’s, when antibiotics established the cure of tuberculosis.

The first-ever successful human liver transplant operation took place at the Denver VA Medical Center in May 1963 under Doctor Thomas Starzl.

In 1970 the hospital faced accusations of polluting the air in Brecksville due to the large amounts of coal it burned around the clock in order to heat the dozens of buildings and miles of hospital corridors.

In 1971 the hospital administration admitted the Brecksville VA Hospital was severely polluting the air, prompting a switchover to cleaner-burning oil and gas.

In 1977, two VA doctors, Doctor Rosalyn Yalow (Bronx VAMC) and Doctor Andrew Schally (New Orleans VAMC) received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in developing radioimmunoassay of peptide hormones.

A new surgical operating suite and clinical service addition were opened in 1978.

In October 1986, Mahelona again expanding services, with the start of Ka Ea Hou Mahelona Hospice for terminally ill patients.

The VA was elevated to a Cabinet-level Executive Department by President Ronald Reagan in October 1988.

The change took full effect on March 15, 1989, when the Veterans Administration was renamed as the Department of Veterans Affairs.

During the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War, Lyons was designated a “secondary hospital” for wounded soldiers, backing up East Orange Veterans Hospital during the Iraq War.

VA’s Department of Medicine and Surgery was re-designated as the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration, as part of the elevation, and on May 7, 1991, was renamed as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

In 1992, a new medical/surgical patient wing was added.

In July 1996 , the Lyons VA and Bernards Township partnered to keep the VA golf course open, with the township assuming operation.

Doctor Ferid Murad (Palo Alto VAMC) received a Nobel Prize in 1998 for his discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system.

In 2005, the Lyons VA opened another job training opportunity for homeless veterans by opening a golf driving range.

After decades of fireworks on the front lawn of the Lyons VA, the decision not to hold the event was made in the fall of 2006.

After the project was designed and bid for construction, a construction contract was awarded in June 2009.

The project was completed in November 2013 - more than a year after the original anticipated date, because the endovascular room was approved as an addition to the project.