Surgeon General of the United States Navy
Encyclopedia
The Surgeon General of the United States Navy is the senior-most medical corps
officer in the United States Navy
.
passed a Navy appropriation bill
that was a blueprint for efficiency. The legislation provided for five Navy bureaus United States Navy bureau system
to replace the outdated Board of Navy Commissioners
—Yards and Docks; Construction, Equipment, and Repair; Provisions and Clothing; Ordnance and Hydrography; and Medicine and Surgery. Heading each of the bureaus was a “Chief” to be appointed by the President
.
The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) became the central administrative headquarters for the Navy Medical Department, and those names became interchangeable. The General Order
of 26 November 1842, which defined the duties of the new bureaus, charged BUMED with:
Overseeing all of these duties, and directing the medical department, was the Chief of BUMED, Dr. William P.C. Barton
. Dr. Barton served at this post until 1844. He was followed by Thomas Harris, William Whelan, Phineas Horwitz, and William M. Wood. Since the days of Dr. Barton’s directorship the most senior ranking physician in the Navy Medical Department has held the title of Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
.” At the helm of this “revitalized” organization stood the first Surgeon General, William M. Wood (1809-1880), a man entering his 42nd year of a naval service as unusual and varied as could be. Dr. Wood had served aboard , one of the first steam vessels of the Navy, and designated flagship during the “expedition for the suppression of Indian hostilities on the coast of Florida” (a.k.a. the Seminole Wars
). Wood served shore duty at Sackets Harbor, New York
, Baltimore, Maryland, had duty as Fleet Surgeon of the Pacific Fleet, and served under Commodore John D. Sloat
in California during the Mexican-American War. However fitting he may have been as the first Navy Surgeon General, he served less than two years.
In November 2011, VADM Matthew L. Nathan
, took office becoming the 37th Surgeon General of the U.S. Navy, and 41th Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Chief of BUMED
! Dates of Tenure
|-
| William P.C. Barton
| 1842-1844
|-
| Thomas Harris
| 1844-1853
|-
| William Whelan
| 1853-1865
|-
| Phineas J. Horwitz
| 1865-1869
|-
| William M. Wood
| 1869-1871
|-
|-
! Surgeon General
! Date(s) of Tenure
|-
| William M. Wood
| 1869–1871
|-
| Jonathan M. Foltz
| 1871–1872
|-
| James C. Palmer
| 1872–1873
|-
| Joseph Beale
| 1873–1877
|-
| William Grier
| 1877–1878
|-
| J. Winthrop Taylor
| 1878–1879
|-
| Phillip S. Wales
| 1878–1884
|-
| Francis M. Gunnell
| 1884–1888
|-
| J. Mills Browne
| 1888–1894
|-
| James Rufus Tryon
| 1894–1897
|-
| Newton L. Bates
| 1897
|-
| William K. Van Reypen
| 1897–1902
|-
| Presley M. Rixey
| 1902–1910
|-
| Charles F. Stokes
| 1910–1914
|-
| William C. Braisted
| 1914–1920
|-
| Edward R. Stitt
| 1920–1928
|-
| Charles E. Riggs
| 1928–1933
|-
| Percival S. Rossiter
| 1933–1938
|-
| Ross T. McIntire
| 1938–1946
|-
| Clifford A. Swanson
| 1946–1951
|-
| H. Lamont Pugh
| 1951–1955
|-
| Bartholomew W. Hogan, M.D.
| 1955–1961
|-
| Edward C. Kenney
| 1961–1965
|-
| Robert B. Brown
| 1965–1969
|-
| George M. Davis
| 1969–1973
|-
| Donald L. Custis
| 1973–1976
|-
| Willard P. Arentzen
| 1976–1980
|-
| J. William Cox
| 1980–1983
|-
| Lewis H. Seaton
| 1983–1987
|-
| James A. Zimble
| 1987–1991
|-
| Donald F. Hagen
| 1991–1995
|-
| Harold M. Koenig
| 1995–1998
|-
| Richard A. Nelson
| 1998–2001
|-
| Michael L. Cowan
| 2001–2004
|-
| Donald C. Arthur
| 2004–2007
|-
| Adam M. Robinson, Jr.
| 2007–2011
|-
| Matthew L. Nathan
| 2011–Present
|-
|}
Navy Medical Corps
The Medical Corps of the United States Navy is a staff corps consisting of military physicians in a variety of specialties. It is the senior corps among all staff corps, second in precedence only to line officers...
officer in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Establishment of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
On 31 August 1842, the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed a Navy appropriation bill
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
that was a blueprint for efficiency. The legislation provided for five Navy bureaus United States Navy bureau system
United States Navy bureau system
The "bureau system" of the United States Navy was the Department of the Navy's material-support organization from 1842 through 1966. The bureau chiefs were largely autonomous, reporting directly to the Secretary of the Navy and managing their respective organizations without the influence of other...
to replace the outdated Board of Navy Commissioners
Board of Navy Commissioners
The Board of Naval Commissioners was a United States Navy administrative body in existence from 1815 to 1842, with responsibility for the Navy's material support. The three-member Board was created as part of an expansion of the U.S. Navy Department at the end of the War of 1812. The system was...
—Yards and Docks; Construction, Equipment, and Repair; Provisions and Clothing; Ordnance and Hydrography; and Medicine and Surgery. Heading each of the bureaus was a “Chief” to be appointed by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) became the central administrative headquarters for the Navy Medical Department, and those names became interchangeable. The General Order
General order
In militaries, a general order is a published directive, originated by a commander, and binding upon all personnel under his command, the purpose of which is to enforce a policy or procedure unique to his unit's situation which is not otherwise addressed in applicable service regulations, military...
of 26 November 1842, which defined the duties of the new bureaus, charged BUMED with:
- All medicines and medical stores of every description, used in the treatment of the sick, the diseased and the wounded;
- All boxes, vials, and other vessels containing the same;
- All clothing, beds, and bedding for the sick;
- All surgical instruments of every kind;
- The management of hospitals, so far as the patients therein are concerned;
- All appliances of every sort, used in surgical and medical practice;
- All contracts, accounts, and returns, relating to these and such other subjects as shall hereafter be assigned to this bureau.
Overseeing all of these duties, and directing the medical department, was the Chief of BUMED, Dr. William P.C. Barton
William P.C. Barton
William Paul Crillon Barton , was a medical botanist, physician, professor, naval surgeon, and botanical illustrator.-History:...
. Dr. Barton served at this post until 1844. He was followed by Thomas Harris, William Whelan, Phineas Horwitz, and William M. Wood. Since the days of Dr. Barton’s directorship the most senior ranking physician in the Navy Medical Department has held the title of Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
Creation of the title "Surgeon General of the Navy"
On 3 March 1871, Congress passed legislation granting medical and other staff officers of the Navy “relative rank” with grades “equal to but not identical with the grades of the line.” This Naval Appropriations Act went further than any previous Congressional action in transforming and enhancing the Navy Medical Department. The Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery now had the additional title “Surgeon General,” with the relative rank of CommodoreCommodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
.” At the helm of this “revitalized” organization stood the first Surgeon General, William M. Wood (1809-1880), a man entering his 42nd year of a naval service as unusual and varied as could be. Dr. Wood had served aboard , one of the first steam vessels of the Navy, and designated flagship during the “expedition for the suppression of Indian hostilities on the coast of Florida” (a.k.a. the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
). Wood served shore duty at Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 19th century.The Village of Sackets Harbor is within the western part of the...
, Baltimore, Maryland, had duty as Fleet Surgeon of the Pacific Fleet, and served under Commodore John D. Sloat
John D. Sloat
John Drake Sloat was a commodore in the United States Navy who, in 1846, claimed California for the United States.-Life:...
in California during the Mexican-American War. However fitting he may have been as the first Navy Surgeon General, he served less than two years.
In November 2011, VADM Matthew L. Nathan
Matthew L. Nathan
Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan is the 37th Surgeon General of the United States NavyNathan received his Bachelors of Science from Georgia Tech and his M.D. from The Medical College of Georgia in 1981. He completed Internal Medicine specialty training in 1984 at the University of South Florida...
, took office becoming the 37th Surgeon General of the U.S. Navy, and 41th Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Chief of BUMED
! Dates of Tenure
|-
| William P.C. Barton
William P.C. Barton
William Paul Crillon Barton , was a medical botanist, physician, professor, naval surgeon, and botanical illustrator.-History:...
| 1842-1844
|-
| Thomas Harris
| 1844-1853
|-
| William Whelan
William Whelan
Dr. William Whelan was the third Chief of the US Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.He was born September 1808, in Philadelphia, PA. Upon his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1828, Dr. Whelan was commissioned a surgeon’s mate in the U.S. Navy...
| 1853-1865
|-
| Phineas J. Horwitz
| 1865-1869
|-
| William M. Wood
| 1869-1871
|-
Chiefs of BUMED and Surgeons General of the Navy
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Surgeon General
! Date(s) of Tenure
|-
| William M. Wood
| 1869–1871
|-
| Jonathan M. Foltz
| 1871–1872
|-
| James C. Palmer
| 1872–1873
|-
| Joseph Beale
| 1873–1877
|-
| William Grier
| 1877–1878
|-
| J. Winthrop Taylor
| 1878–1879
|-
| Phillip S. Wales
| 1878–1884
|-
| Francis M. Gunnell
| 1884–1888
|-
| J. Mills Browne
| 1888–1894
|-
| James Rufus Tryon
James R. Tryon
James Rufus Tryon was a medical doctor serving in the United States Navy during and after the American Civil War, who went on to become Surgeon General of the United States Navy.-Biography:...
| 1894–1897
|-
| Newton L. Bates
| 1897
|-
| William K. Van Reypen
| 1897–1902
|-
| Presley M. Rixey
Presley Marion Rixey
Rear Admiral Presley Marion Rixey was a Surgeon General of the United States Navy and personal physician to Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.-Biography:...
| 1902–1910
|-
| Charles F. Stokes
| 1910–1914
|-
| William C. Braisted
| 1914–1920
|-
| Edward R. Stitt
| 1920–1928
|-
| Charles E. Riggs
| 1928–1933
|-
| Percival S. Rossiter
| 1933–1938
|-
| Ross T. McIntire
| 1938–1946
|-
| Clifford A. Swanson
| 1946–1951
|-
| H. Lamont Pugh
| 1951–1955
|-
| Bartholomew W. Hogan, M.D.
Bartholomew W. Hogan, M.D.
Bartholomew W. Hogan was born in Jan. 29, 1901Quincy, Massachusetts.Psychiatrist, professor and Naval officer. Hogan graduated from Boston College in 1923 and received a M.D. from Tufts University in 1925. In the thirties, he taught at Georgetown University School of Medicine and at the U.S. Naval...
| 1955–1961
|-
| Edward C. Kenney
| 1961–1965
|-
| Robert B. Brown
| 1965–1969
|-
| George M. Davis
| 1969–1973
|-
| Donald L. Custis
| 1973–1976
|-
| Willard P. Arentzen
| 1976–1980
|-
| J. William Cox
| 1980–1983
|-
| Lewis H. Seaton
| 1983–1987
|-
| James A. Zimble
| 1987–1991
|-
| Donald F. Hagen
| 1991–1995
|-
| Harold M. Koenig
| 1995–1998
|-
| Richard A. Nelson
| 1998–2001
|-
| Michael L. Cowan
| 2001–2004
|-
| Donald C. Arthur
| 2004–2007
|-
| Adam M. Robinson, Jr.
Adam M. Robinson, Jr.
Adam Mayfield Robinson, Jr. is a United States Navy vice admiral who currently serves as the Surgeon General of the United States Navy.-Biography:...
| 2007–2011
|-
| Matthew L. Nathan
Matthew L. Nathan
Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan is the 37th Surgeon General of the United States NavyNathan received his Bachelors of Science from Georgia Tech and his M.D. from The Medical College of Georgia in 1981. He completed Internal Medicine specialty training in 1984 at the University of South Florida...
| 2011–Present
|-
|}
See also
- Surgeon General of the United States Army
- Surgeon General of the United States Air ForceSurgeon General of the United States Air ForceThe Surgeon General of the United States Air Force is the senior-most Medical Service officer in the U.S. Air Force. In recent times, this has been a Lieutenant General who serves as head of the United States Air Force Medical Service...