Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

Skip subpage navigation

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.

You also may be interested in...

Article Around MHS
Aug 5, 2024

Medal of Honor Monday: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Wayne Caron

Photo of Wayne Caron, Medal of Honor Recipient

As a hospital corpsman, U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Wayne Maurice Caron took his duty to care for the men around him so seriously that, during a firefight in his first month in Vietnam, he ignored his own wounds to tend to everyone else. Caron never returned home from that mission, but his valor and selflessness led him to receive a posthumous ...

Video
Jul 23, 2024

The History of the Purple Heart

The History of the Purple Heart

Purple Heart Day is celebrated annually on August 7th to honor and remember U.S. military members who were wounded or killed in action while serving their country.

Article Around MHS
Jul 8, 2024

Celebrating 75 Years of the Air Force Medical Service

Soldier stands next to a Curtiss JN-4 air ambulance.

On July 1, 2024, the Air Force Medical Service celebrated its 75th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its long history of providing medical support to the U.S. Air Force. Established in 1949, the AFMS has played a crucial role in ensuring the health and readiness of airmen and Guardians, evolving through the decades to operate in dynamic ...

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 ...

Last Updated: March 06, 2024
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery