1918: Spanish Flu at Camp Zachary Taylor - Throwback Thursday

Crowded training camps and transit centers hastened the spread of the Spanish Flu during World War I. At some camps, such as Camp Zachary Taylor outside Louisville, Kentucky the Knights of Columbus' USO-style recreation huts were repurposed as “emergency hospitals.”

This photo was taken as most of the patients were returning to health. A careful look at the two first floor windows shows soldiers peering at the camera. That Chaplain Barrett stands with the nurses indicates that bodies and souls were cared for.

Credit: Caufield & Shook. Not to be reproduced without permission of the Knights of Columbus. All rights reserved. Please contact the Knights of Columbus to learn more about the visual and text documentation of Knights’ history. Knights of Columbus councils and diocesan media outlets have permission to reuse this entry. Others may request permission using the email above.