(CHAPEL HILL) -- UNC is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its flagship hospital.

What was then known as North Carolina Memorial Hospital opened in 1952 in Chapel Hill. The project was born out of a health crisis that came to light after World War II. Dr. Bill McLendon, one of the hospital's first physicians, explains,

"During World War two it was recognized that North Carolina, out of the then 48 states had the worst rate of rejection of young men for military service due to health problems."

UNC has grown to include five teaching hospitals and now ranks fourth in the country in federal research funding for public hospital.