44th Medical Brigade


The 44th Medical Brigade is a US Army unit located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, providing health care and medical services to the Fort Bragg community, and continuing training in its combat support mission. It was the US Army's second operational medical brigade and, when deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in 1966, the first to support ground combat operations. It has since participated in every major ground combat operation of the United States Army.

Command group

  • Commander: COL Caryn Vernon
  • Command Sergeant Major: CSM Scott Dinse

    Lineage and key dates

  • Constituted 30 December 1965 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 44th Medical Brigade.
  • Activated 1 January 1966 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas
  • Advance Party arrived in Vietnam on 18 March 1966, and was located in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam.
  • Brigade became operational on 1 May 1966 in Saigon, Republic of Vietnam..
  • Brigade headquarters relocated to Long Binh Post, Republic of Vietnam in September 1967.
  • 44th Medical Brigade was consolidated with the United States Army, Vietnam Surgeon's Office to form the US Army Medical Command, Vietnam on 1 March 1970 at Long Binh Post, Republic of Vietnam and reduced to zero strength.
  • 44th Medical Brigade colors redeployed to Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, 14 December 1970; 18th Medical Brigade reflagged as 44th Medical Brigade.
  • Inactivated 18 March 1973 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
  • Activated 21 September 1974 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
  • Redesignated 21 June 1976 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 44th Medical Brigade.
  • Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 44th Medical Command on 16 October 2001 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
  • Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 44th Medical Brigade on 24 April 2010 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

    Honors

Campaign participation credit

  • Vietnam:
  1. Counteroffensive;
  2. Counteroffensive, Phase II;
  3. Counteroffensive, Phase III;
  4. Tet Counteroffensive;
  5. Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
  6. Counteroffensive, Phase V;
  7. Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
  8. Tet 69/Counteroffensive;
  9. Summer-Fall 1969;
  10. Winter-Spring 1970;
  11. Sanctuary Counteroffensive;
  12. Counteroffensive, Phase VII
  • Southwest Asia:
  1. Defense of Saudi Arabia;
  2. Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

    Decorations

  • Meritorious Unit Commendation for:
  1. Vietnam 1968–1969
  2. Vietnam 1969–1970
  3. Southwest Asia 1990-1991
  4. Iraq 2004-2005
  5. Iraq 2008-2009
  1. Vietnam 1969–1970

    History

Vietnam War

1966

Activation and deployment activities
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 44th Medical Brigade was constituted in the Regular Army on 30 December 1965 and activated at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on 1 January 1966 for future service in Vietnam. The unit was organized under Table of Organization and Equipment 8-112E, with an authorized strength of 20 officers and 47 enlisted.
1st Lieutenant Byron L. Evans, a Medical Service Corps officer, was the first officer to report to the 44th's headquarters at Fort Sam Houston and assumed command on 7 January 1966. On 25 January, Lieutenant Colonel John W. Hammett, MSC, assumed command. He was succeeded by Colonel Thomas P. Caito, MSC, on 7 February. In Vietnam, Colonel James A. Wier, a Medical Corps officer, was assigned as Director of Medical Services, 1st Logistical Command on 26 January, and was designated as the Commanding Officer of the 44th Medical Brigade, to join the unit in-country.
Orders for the April movement of the Brigade Headquarters from Fort Sam Houston were issued on 31 January. The unit would be assigned to the United States Army, Pacific upon debarkation. Readiness dates were set at 1 April for equipment and 21 April for personnel.
Personnel for the brigade headquarters reported to Fort Sam Houston throughout January and February. Preparation for overseas movement training was conducted in cooperation with the 67th Medical Group and the United States Army Medical Training Center, Fort Sam Houston-an organization separate and distinct from the Medical Field Service School that was charged with initial entry training of combat medics. The Fort Sam Houston Post Headquarters provided logistical assistance to the 44th to help meet the equipment readiness date. Other activities at Fort Sam Houston included the preparation of Standing Operating Procedures; assembly and packing of supplies, equipment, and administrative and professional references; and arranging transportation.
On 18 March, an advance party from the 44th Medical Brigade, composed of 8 officers and 10 enlisted arrived in Vietnam to establish the Medical Brigade, which became a working unit of the Medical Directorate of the 1st Logistical Command. Colonel Caito commanded the advance party en route while Colonel Herbert R. Faust, Veterinary Corps, Staff Veterinarian, remained in Texas to command the main body. On 24 March Colonel Wier assumed command of the Medical Brigade and Colonel Caito became the executive officer.
The main body of the 44th touched down at Tan Son Nhut Airport on 21 April 1966. The Medical Brigade was immediately discontinued while the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 44th Medical Brigade established its offices and billets at 24/8 Truong Quoc Dung, a group of rented villas in suburban Saigon. The Brigade Headquarters, assigned to the 1st Logistical Command, became operational on 1 May and assumed command and operational control of all medical units assigned to the 1st Logistical Command.
Mission and organization
When the advance party of the 44th arrived in Vietnam in March to establish the Medical Brigade, the 1st Logistical Command had command and control of those medical units in country which were not organic to divisions, separate brigades, or similar units. The 43d and 68th Medical Groups were the principal subordinate medical commands within the 1st Logistical Command.
The Medical Directorate, 1st Logistical Command, was staffed to develop, coordinate, and supervise medical plans and operations, medical supply and maintenance policies, medical statistics and records, professional medical and dental activities, preventive medicine, and medical regulating activities.
The Medical Brigade served as a vehicle of transition in transferring the direct command and control of medical support units from the 1st Logistical Command to the 44th Medical Brigade. Colonel Wier continued to direct his staff in the Logistical Command's Medical Directorate while also serving as Brigade Commander.
The mission of the Headquarters, Medical Brigade was to "Provide medical service to the United States Army, Vietnam through command and control of operating units of the 1st Logistical Command medical service system; developing; refine and implement operations; reinforce the medical service of the Army divisions, separate brigades and other units having organic medical support, as required; provide staff and technical supervision over religious activities of assigned and attached units; and perform the overall medical service support operations which include patient evacuation, care and treatment; medical supply and maintenance; and the dental, veterinary, preventive medicine and laboratory services."
The Brigade Commander was to "Direct the medical service of the 1st Logistical Command and as the Medical Director, 1st Logistical Command is responsible to the Commanding General, 1st Logistical Command for the accomplishment of the overall medical service mission."
During the time that the Provisional Brigade was functioning, some of the personnel of the Logistical Command's Medical Directorate were transferred to the Brigade Headquarters; others were transferred elsewhere; and some rotated, so that when the 44th became operational, the only personnel left in the Medical Directorate other than Colonel Wier was a Field Army Support Command Staff Medical Section, consisting of two plans officers, a supply and maintenance officer, a chief medical non-commissioned officer, a typist and a driver.
The Medical Directorate was physically located at Headquarters, 1st Logistical Command throughout the period, but on 1 October 1966 all functions of the section were absorbed by staff sections of the 44th, and the office at the Logistical Headquarters was retained for liaison purposes only. The supply officer continued working in the Brigade S-4, the assistant plans officer became the S-3 of the 43d Medical Group, while the plans officer, the medical NCO, the typist, and the driver remained at the Logistical Command for liaison.
After the 44th Medical Brigade became operational on 1 May, the mission remained essentially the same as it had been for the Medical Brigade. A more detailed account of the mission stated that the Commanding Officer, 44th Medical Brigade, in support of USARV elements, would:
  1. Provide area medical support to units without an assigned organic medical support capability
  2. Provide dental service on an area basis
  3. Provide a system of hospitalization and evacuation
  4. Supervise professional medical services of subordinate units
  5. Exercise custody of medical records and render reports on patients treated
  6. Collect, evaluate, interpret, and consolidate required medical statistical data from assigned or attached units and submit to this headquarters, as required.
  7. Provide technical inspection and maintenance support of medical equipment and supplies
  8. Provide medical supply for US Forces and for designated Free World Military Assistance Forces as directed by the 1st Logistical Command
  9. Provide veterinary food inspection and animal veterinary service
  10. Provide preventive maintenance support
  11. Provide medical laboratory support
  12. Provide medical equipment maintenance and repair facilitation
  13. Support the medical equipment status reporting system
  14. Provide for medical regulation of patients intra-army or as directed by 1st Logistical Command
  15. Provide for the security of personnel, equipment, facilities, and billets of elements of the 1st Logistical Command assigned or attached to the Brigade
The Brigade Commander retained his other role as Medical Director, 1st Logistical Command. The staff organization of the Brigade continued to function along similar lines, though with expanded activities and responsibilities.
Colonel Wier became USARV Surgeon on 10 June 1966. On 13 June 1966 a change of command ceremony was held within the 44th Medical Brigade compound where Colonel Wier turned command of the Brigade over to Colonel Ray L. Miller, MC.
Major Stuart A. Chamblin, Jr., MC, served as Deputy Commander of the Provisional Brigade during the time of its existence. He rotated to the United States in early May and the position remained vacant until 6 June, when Lieutenant Colonel Lewis VanOsdel, MC, became Deputy. After he rotated on 12 September the position remained vacant until Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Miller filled the position on 14 November 1966.
There were 58 medical units in the 1st Logistical Command on 1 January 1966, and 65 under the 44th Medical Brigade when it became operational on 1 May. On 31 December 1966 the Brigade had command and control of 121 units. The veterinary, dental, medical laboratory, and preventive medicine units, the medical depot, and the medical group headquarters were organized directly under the Brigade Headquarters, while the remaining units were organized under the medical groups by geographic area.
The overall strength of the Brigade was 3,178 on 1 May 1966 and 7,830 on 31 December.