Fort Campbell's Taylor Dental Clinic is undergoing extensive renovation. Similarly, the image of Col. Charles M. Taylor to whom the facility is memorialized, has also been repaired. Fran Trachta, a graphic artist and photographer with the AMEDD Center of History and Heritage at Fort Sam Houston, received a faded, scratched, and orange-tinted image of Taylor dating from World War I.
"Most of the detail in the original is pretty bad. Now you can actually see the coloring in his eyes." said Trachta. After making copies and altering them through the computer, Trachta was able to bring new life to the image. Visitors to the clinic will be able to enjoy the updated dental facility and view Taylor with new clarity.
Biography Charles M. Taylor (1888 -- 1968)
Charles M. Taylor was originally from Vancouver, Washington and attended the University of Oregon. A consummate athlete, Taylor was a member of the track, baseball, and football teams. During the 1910 football season he set some amazing records. On 22 October 1910, Oregon played the University of Puget Sound. It was an astonishing victory with Oregon reaching 115 points to Puget Sound's 0 points. Taylor, a half-back, was responsible for 10 touchdowns and 56 total points during the game.*
Taylor joined the Army in 1914 after graduating from North Pacific Dental College of Oregon. During World War I he served at Camp Fremont near Palo Alto, California as the acting division dental surgeon for the 8th Infantry Division organizing and providing dental care as the division trained. He was responsible for many dental aspects and readiness concerns at the beginning of unit formation. Taylor would later serve with the 8th Infantry Division in France and during the occupation in Germany. During occupation he served as president of the newly created Occupation Dental Association. Taylor was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel at the war's conclusion, but was later reverted to a permanent grade of Major.
After the war Charles Taylor was stationed at Walter Reed General Hospital. He was able to attend the new Army Dental School and studied oral pathology and bacteriology. Later Taylor attended the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks in the 1930s. Taylor would then serve as the Dental Surgeon of West Point. While serving in this capacity he was able to coach the academy's baseball team and scout for the football team. During World War II Taylor served as a dental surgeon for an Army Service Command area and was promoted to full Colonel in 1942. After World War II, Col. Taylor would again be part of the occupation force in Germany, serving as the Dental Surgeon for European Command until his retirement in 1950.
Taylor Dental Clinic was constructed in 1976 and was dedicated on 22 February 1977 in memory of Col. Charles M. Taylor. The clinic has had several small construction updates since 1976 but this year's work (2013) is the first total renovation of the building. The renovation will also add an additional 2,000 square feet for more patients. The clinic supports a population of over 10,000 Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
*Records from the University of Oregon Football Guide 2006. Other sources list Taylor's point total from the game to be much higher at either 67 or 81 points.
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