Navy Medicine

Thomas Harris (1784-1861) was a surgeon during the War of 1812, participating in the battle between USS Wasp and HMS Frolic. He also served with Stephen Decatur fighting the Barbary pirates. Dr. Harris organized and conducted a medical postgraduate school in Philadelphia, the first American school to provide instruction in naval medicine and the precursor of the Naval Medical School. As the second Chief BUMED, Dr. Harris encouraged high standards for physicians admitted to the Navy, and helped systematize the production and procurement of drugs and dressings for the Medical Department.

Phineas Jonathan Horwitz (1822-1904) joined the Navy in 1847 during the Mexican War. Commended by Commodore M.C. Perry, he directed the temporary naval hospital at Tobasco, Mexico. Dr. Horwitz became Assistant Chief BUMED in 1859 serving in that office throughout the Civil War. He was appointed Chief BUMED in 1865 upon the death of William Whelan. After leaving the Bureau in 1869, Horwitz directed the Naval Hospital at Philadelphia, served at the Naval Asylum in that city, and acted as President of the Medical Examining Board. He became Medical Director (comparable to captain) in 1873.

William Maxwell Wood (1809-1880) was commissioned an assistant surgeon in the Navy in 1829. After a colorful and varied service, Dr. Wood served as Fleet Surgeon for a blockading squadron during the Civil War. President Grant appointed him Chief BUMED in 1869. During Wood's administration, the Naval Appropriations Act of 3 March 1871 was passed grouping medical officers in a separate and distinct staff corps with grades established by law. This act also prescribed the title of Surgeon General, which Dr. Wood assumed, along with the rank of commodore. Surgeons General of the U.S. Navy

James Croxall Palmer (1811-1883) joined the Navy in 1834. He served as assistant surgeon first aboard USS Brandywine and then USS Vincennes during its circumnavigation of the globe. He accompanied the Wilkes Exploring Expedition to the Antarctic (1838-1842). He later was surgeon aboard USS Niagara when that vessel helped lay the first Atlantic Cable. During the Civil War Dr. Palmer was Fleet Surgeon of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and was with Farragut at the Battle of Mobile Bay. He became Surgeon General in 1872 and served until his retirement a year later.

William Grier (1818-1911) emigrated to the U.S. from Ireland as a child, and was appointed assistant surgeon at age 20 in 1838. He first served at sea aboard USS Cyane, at the Naval Hospital in Brooklyn, and then with the North Pacific Squadron. During the Civil War Dr. Grier was attached to several vessels and a temporary naval hospital at Memphis, TN. He became Surgeon General in 1877 and retired in 1878. His 93-year life span witnessed every administration from President Monroe to President Taft, the railroad, telegraph, telephone, steam propulsion, and the transition from wood and sail to the all steel Navy.

Philip S. Wales (1834-1906) became an assistant surgeon in 1856 and was assigned to the East India Squadron. During the Civil War he saw duty aboard two warships and at the Norfolk Naval Hospital. Dr. Wales became Surgeon General in 1879. He founded the Museum of Naval Hygiene which, when later united with the naval laboratory and Department of Instruction, became the prototype of the Naval Medical School. During his term a subordinate embezzled Navy funds and Dr. Wales was court martialed and found guilty for "neglect of duty and culpable inefficiency in the performance of duty." Although SECNAV declared that no evidence existed of any corrupt act or motive on Wales' part, the unfortunate man lived out the rest of his years in disgrace.

James Mills Browne (1831-1893) became an assistant surgeon in 1853. His first duty was on a store ship in San Francisco and second duty was as the first medical officer at the Mare Island Navy Yard. He was later attached to the African Squadron engaged in suppression of the slave trade. As senior medical officer of USS Kearsarge, during the Civil War, Dr. Browne witnessed the sinking of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama. In 1883 he became the first director of the Naval Museum of Hygiene. He was appointed Surgeon General in 1888 and during his term the new steel Navy saw many innovations. Habitability became a top priority in the form of better ventilation, heating, lighting, berthing spaces, refrigeration, and larger improved sick bays.

Newton L. Bates (1838-1897) joined the Navy in 1861 as an assistant surgeon. His first assignment was at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital followed by duty with the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and later the Mississippi Squadron. He then served at the U.S. Naval Laboratory in New York, the forerunner of the Naval Laboratory and Department of Instruction, which respectively became the Naval Medical School (1902) and the Naval Medical Supply Depot (1906). Dr. Bates then had extensive sea duty and commanded the Naval Hospital in Yokohama. After serving at the Naval Museum of Hygiene, he became Surgeon General on 1 October 1888. Ill when appointed by his close personal friend, President McKinley, he died 17 days later.

Presley Marion Rixey (1852-1928) was commissioned an assistant surgeon in 1874. He was appointed Surgeon General in 1902 and his tenure was filled with achievements. New naval hospitals were built at Puget Sound, WA, Canacao, PI, Las Animas, CO, Great Lakes, IL, and Guam. Dr. Rixey doubled the size of the Medical Corps and moved the Naval Medical School to Washington in 1902. He sent officers abroad to study tropical medicine and to civilian institutions for specialized study. The Navy Nurse Corps was founded in 1908, and a second hospital ship USS Relief was fitted out to support President Theodore Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" on its around-the-world cruise. He served Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt as personal physician and, as the latter's close confidante, had great influence on the political scene.

William Clarence Braisted (1864-1941) was appointed assistant surgeon in 1890 and served at sea aboard several vessels before having shore duty at several naval hospitals and shore stations. Twice he was an instructor in surgery at the Naval Medical School. In 1906, as Assistant Chief BUMED, Dr. Braisted was in charge of reorganizing the Bureau. For a year, in the absence of the Surgeon General, he served as Attending Physician to President Roosevelt. He was appointed Surgeon General in 1914 and, during his tenure, was responsible for the establishment of special training schools for the Hospital Corps and the building of the hospital ship USS Relief, the only vessel ever designed as such.

Charles Edward Riggs (1869-1963) entered the Navy as an assistant surgeon in 1898. First assigned to the Mare Island Hospital, he then served at sea and aboard a gunboat during the Spanish-American War. Dr. Riggs was then a medical officer with the Marine Guard at the American Legation in Peking, China, and he became Fleet Surgeon of the Atlantic Fleet in 1917. He was appointed Medical Officer in Command of the Washington Naval Hospital in 1927. Dr. Riggs became Surgeon General in 1929. His term was devoted to improved training, the building and renovation of hospitals, and the planning for a new naval medical center.

Ross T. McIntire (1889-1959) entered the Navy as an assistant surgeon in 1917. After serving aboard ship during the Allied intervention in the Bolshevik revolution, he was assigned to an overseas naval hospital, and also served on the USS Relief. He also saw duty at the Washington Naval Hospital. In 1933 he became White House physician, and in 1938 was appointed Surgeon General. With the outbreak of World War II, Dr. McIntire played a dual role. He had primary responsibility for the health of the President, traveling with him on diplomatic missions and military inspection trips. He also presided over the largest Navy Medical Department in history. VADM McIntire led over 175,000 physicians, dentists, nurses, and corpsmen in the war effort.

Herbert Lamont Pugh (1895-1984) was commissioned a lieutenant (jg) in the Medical Corps in 1923. He progressed through the various grades and made a name for himself as a skilled surgeon and teacher. Following Pearl Harbor, Dr. Pugh went to Hawaii and was instrumental in treating many of the seriously injured from that attack. He was appointed Deputy Surgeon General in 1946 and was also commanding officer of the Naval Medical School. RADM Pugh became Surgeon General in 1951 during the height of the Korean War and was the first Surgeon General ever to visit an active war zone. Following his term, Dr. Pugh was Inspector General, Medical and commanding officer of the National Naval Medical Center. He authored an autobiography, Navy Surgeon in 1959.

Edward Christopher Kenney (1904-1983) was appointed assistant surgeon with the rank of lieutenant (jg) in 1929. He served at many naval stations, and on battleships, destroyers, at naval hospitals, and with the Marines. He participated in the Guadalcanal campaign in 1942 and was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He participated in penicillin research during the early days of its clinical investigation. He then participated in the landings on Guam, Leyte, and Lingayen Gulf. Following the war, Dr. Kenney became commanding officer of the National Naval Medical Center. In 1959 he became Deputy and Assistant Chief BUMED and was appointed Surgeon General in 1961. During his term, RADM Kenney promoted advances in medical research and in submarine, aviation, and preventive medicine.

George Monroe Davis (1916-2004) joined the Navy in 1939. During World War II, Dr. Davis participated in the battles for Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. During his post-war service, he was Chief of Medical Service at Naval Hospital, Annapolis and became Chief of Medicine aboard the hospital ship USS Haven during the Korean War. While CO of Naval Hospital, Bethesda, he also assumed command of the National Naval Medical Center. He became Deputy Surgeon General in 1968 and Surgeon General a year later. During his term, he managed the Medical Department during the latter stages of the Vietnam War, maintained the Department's support of wartime medical requirements, and increased support of health care for family and retirees. He also obtained flag rank for the Nurse Corps.