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Our History

Military medicine has a long and celebrated history. We apply lessons from our past to improve the care of military personnel and their families today and in the future. New surgical techniques, powerful painkillers, antibiotic drugs, and triage and evacuation procedures have revolutionized military medicine.

In this section, you'll find featured stories and information about the history of military medicine.

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Article Around MHS
Jun 27, 2024

Corpsmen, the Cutting Edge of Navy Medicine, Celebrate 126 Years

Military personnel cutting cake at  DHA Headquarters

The 126th birthday of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps was celebrated with great pride and tradition at the Defense Health Headquarters on June 17. The ceremony, attended by distinguished guests and personnel, honored hospital corpsman's rich legacy and invaluable contributions to the United States Navy and beyond.

Article Around MHS
Jun 11, 2024

Stories of Valor and Sacrifice: Navy Medical Heroes at Midway

historic photo of military personnel on the USS Yorktown 1942

The Battle of Midway stands as a pivotal moment in World War II, a turning point that decisively shifted the balance of power in the Pacific. For the Navy, June 4, 1942, remains a sacred date, one that not only celebrates a historic victory but also encourages us to look back on the tremendous courage and sacrifice of all who served. This includes the ...

Video
Jun 5, 2024

D-Day Medic Waverly B. Woodson, Jr.

DDay Medic Waverly Woodson

World War II medic Waverly B. Woodson, Jr. was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest U.S. military honor, for saving countless lives during the Allied Invasion of Normandy of World War II. Waverly was only 21-years-old, serving in the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, when he was deployed to France. He spent over 30 ...

Article
Jun 4, 2024

The Heroic Nurses of D-Day: ‘I Could Not Sit Idly By’

The Heroic Nurses of D-Day: ‘I Could Not Sit Idly By’

U.S. Army Corps nurses played a pivotal role in the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, the largest sea, air, and land invasion in history. Eighty years ago, the allied forces, including nearly 160,000 American, British, and Canadian service members, landed on the beaches at Normandy and began pushing inland. Nurses were deployed soon ...

Article Around MHS
May 27, 2024

Revolutionizing Mental Health Support: The Game Changing Role of the U.S. Navy Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Team

Navy Medicine graphic

Seven sailors died, and 48 others were injured when the guided a missile frigate and the aircraft carrier collided while performing nighttime exercises on Nov. 22, 1975. For years, the traumatic experience of that collision scarred many sailors who escaped physical injury but carried the invisible weight of the tragedy. The psychiatrists involved in ...

Video
May 24, 2024

The Nurses of Normandy

The Nurses of Normandy

Military nurses were saved many lives during WW2. 1LT Marian Charlotte Jones and 1LT Edna Nina Statman both served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War 2. They share their stories of caring for our military men after D-Day in Normandy, France. Watch their full interviews via the Library of Congress: Jones: https://www.loc.gov/collections ...

Video
May 22, 2024

Nurses of Vietnam - The Women of Vietnam

Nurses of Vietnam - The Women of Vietnam

Three nurses recount their experiences during the Vietnam War, stationed both on land and sea. From deployment to the lasting bonds they created, these women tell a story of heroism, perservierence, and lifelong friendship. Interview Courtesy of the Library of Congress: Lt Col Frances Liberty: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.02548/ LCDR ...

Video
May 22, 2024

Nurses of Vietnam - Liberty's Rosary Beads

Nurses of Vietnam - Liberty's Rosary Beads

Lt Col Frances Liberty, with the US Army Nurses Corps, recounts the heartwarming story of a soldier she cared for during the Vietnam War, the lasting impression they made on each other, and the keepsake he recieved from her, an item which he still holds dear to this day. Interviews courtesy of the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item ...

Article
May 9, 2024

Heroes of Military Medicine Honored for Providing Exceptional Care

Heroes of Military Medicine Honored for Providing Exceptional

United States military medical personnel were honored during the annual Henry Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Heroes of Military Medicine awards ceremony held on May 9, 2024, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. 

Article Around MHS
May 6, 2024

U.S. Navy Medicine Announces Sailor of the Year

Military personnel with award

U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Peter Munoz from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms, California, was announced as Navy Medicine's 2023 Sailor of the Year, on April 24, 2024.

Last Updated: March 06, 2024
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