United States Army Hospital Corps
United States Army Hospital Corps | |
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Field medics |
United States Army Hospital Corps was organized in 1886 in order to recruit and retain competent medical enlisted personnel in the
Background and Formation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Private%2C_Hospital_Corps_US_Army%2C_field_equipment.jpg/220px-Private%2C_Hospital_Corps_US_Army%2C_field_equipment.jpg)
The hospital corps was organized in order to enlist and retain competent medical personnel below officer rank. Hospital Stewards belonged to the Army Medical Department, performing tasks within the fields of
Organization and Ranks
Strength of the Hospital Corps 1888-1902 | ||||
In service, June 30 | Hospital Stewards | Acting Hospital Stewards | Privates | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
1888 | 155 | 36 | 681 | [4] |
1889 | 141 | 50 | 588 | [5] |
1891 | 124 | 71 | 530 | [6] |
1893 | 122 | 72 | 585 | [7] |
1894 | 117 | 75 | 585 | [8] |
1899 | 189 | 287 | 2,892 | [9] |
1900 | 167 | 381 | 3,548 | [9] |
1901 | 246 | 388 | 3,702 | [10] |
1902 | 271 | 405 | 3,366 | [11] |
The Hospital Corps as created in 1886 was to be composed of Hospital Stewards, Acting Hospital Stewards and Privates, the number of which were to be decided by the
Recruitment and Promotion
Strength of the Hospital Corps 1903-1915 | ||||||
In service, June 30 | Sergeants First Class | Sergeants | Corporals | Privates First Class | Privates | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1903 | 279 | 313 | 10 | 1,668 | 762 | [19] |
1904 | 274 | 269 | 19 | 1,490 | 1,028 | [20] |
1905 | 275 | 277 | 16 | 1,159 | 1,333 | [21] |
1906 | 290 | 267 | 18 | 1,467 | 1,154 | [22] |
1907 | 266 | 289 | 20 | 1,468 | 1,276 | [23] |
1908 | 277 | 297 | 17 | 1,480 | 1,460 | [24] |
1909 | 299 | 290 | 18 | 1,358 | 1,345 | [25] |
1910 | 274 | 339 | 44 | 1,295 | 1,266 | [26] |
1911 | 285 | 333 | 40 | 1,270 | 1,330 | [27] |
1912 | 262 | 341 | 39 | 2,654 | [28] | |
1913 | 295 | 336 | 38 | 2,560 | [29] | |
1914 | 300 | 399 | 41 | 3,135 | [30] | |
1915 | 299 | 408 | 42 | 3,057 | [31] |
The Hospital Corps was recruited from enlisted men who had served one year in the line. The accepted candidate then received instruction at a detachment of the Corps, before being transferred to a post where he would be assigned duties as nurse, cook or attendant. Privates having served twelve months in the Corps, or graduates in pharmacy having served six months, could be recommended for promotion. Thus recommended were promoted to Acting Hospital Stewards after having passed an examination. Promotion to full Hospital Steward was possible after one year's service in an acting capacity, and after having passed a second and more rigorous examination.[12][32]
In 1909, privates and privates firs class recommended for promotion could be detailed as lance corporals to test their ability to perform the duties of a non-commissioned officer. An examination was required in order to be promoted to Sergeant. Sergeants with one year time-in-grade, as well as other members of the Corps having served at least six months as Hospital Stewards of Volunteers during and since the Spanish–American War, could be promoted to Sergeants First Class after having passed a detailed and extensive examination.[33]
Although the desertion rate of the Hospital Corps was only 2% annually, compared to the rest of the Army's 10%, the Medical Department found it difficult to recruit and retain a sufficient number of men in the Corps. Two years after its formation, the Corps still had 135 of 739 slots unfilled. It was especially difficult to find competent cooks. Experienced members also transferred to the line, where pay and promotion was better. A pay increase in 1892 led to better quality among the candidates for promotion to Hospital Steward. However, those passing the examination were the most intelligent men, rather than the best leaders.[34]
Training
Monthly pay of Enlisted Men 1898 [35] | ||||
Rank | First year of enlistment | Fifth year of enlistment | Sixth and subsequent years of enlistment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hospital Stewards | $45 | $48 | $50 | |
Acting Hospital Stewards | $25 | $28 | $30 | |
Privates, Hospital Corps | $18 | $21 | $23 | |
First Sergeants, Infantry | $34 | $37 | $39 | |
Sergeants, Infantry | $18 | $21 | $23 | |
Privates, Infantry | $13 | $16 | $18 |
In spite of the objective behind the creation of the Hospital Corps, its members were mainly trained for peacetime tasks. Instructions were given in
Disbandment
The National Defense Act of 1916 disbanded the Hospital Corps, its members becoming members in the corresponding grades of the enlisted force of the Army Medical Department.[39][40]
Gallery
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Hospital Steward, 1886.
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Hospital Steward's quarters, Fort Yellowstone.
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Hospital Steward's service coat, 1898.
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Rank insignia for Sergeant First Class, 1902–1909.
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Rank insignia for Sergeant, 1902–1909.
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Hospital Corpsmen in Hawaii, 1908.
References
- ^ This lead is a summary of the text in this article. Citations are found in the main text below.
- ^ Toby, James A. (1927). The Medical Department of the Army. Its History, Activities and Organization. The Johns Hopkins Press, p. 24.
- ^ Gillet, Mary C. (1995). The Army Medical Department 1865-1917. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army, pp. 18-19.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1888). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1888. Surgeon General's Office, p. 142.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1889). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1889. Government Printing Office, p. 10.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1891). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1891. Government Printing Office, p. 11.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1893). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1893. Government Printing Office, p. 15.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1894). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1894. Government Printing Office, p. 35.
- ^ a b Surgeon General's Office (1900). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1900. Government Printing Office, p. 22.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1901). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1901. Government Printing Office, p. 36.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1902). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1902. Government Printing Office, p. 25.
- ^ a b Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 20.
- ^ Toby 1927 op.cit., p. 24.
- ^ Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 330.
- ^ Emerson, William K. (2015). "The Evolution of Medical Chevrons, 1851-1903." The AMEDD Historian (11), p. 9.
- ^ Mason, Charles (1909). A Complete Handbook for the Hospital Corps of the U.S. Army and Navy. William Wood and Company, p. 3.
- ^ Toby 1927 op.cit., p. 26.
- ^ Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 122.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1903). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1903. Government Printing Office, p. 31.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1904). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1904. Government Printing Office, p. 19.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1905). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1905. Government Printing Office, p. 136.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1906). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1906. Government Printing Office, p. 115.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1907). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1907. Government Printing Office, p. 123.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1908). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1908. Government Printing Office, p. 107.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1909). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1909. Government Printing Office, p. 129.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1910). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1910. Government Printing Office, p. 128.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1911). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1911. Government Printing Office, p. 173.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1912). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1912. Government Printing Office, p. 179.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1913). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1913. Government Printing Office, p. 165.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1914). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1914. Government Printing Office, p. 157.
- ^ Surgeon General's Office (1915). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1915. Government Printing Office, p. 160.
- ^ Smart, Charles (1898). Handbook for the Hospital Corps of the U.S. Army. William Wood and Company, pp. 1-3.
- ^ a b Mason 1909 op.cit., p. 4, 375.
- ^ Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 21, 101, 331.
- ^ Paymaster General's Office (1898). Manual for the Pay Department. Government Printing Office, pp. 40-41.
- ^ Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 100.
- ^ Mason 1909 op.cit., p. 3-4.
- ^ Smart 1898 op.cit., p. 3.
- ^ Toby 1927 op.cit., p. 35.
- ^ Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 384.