The Surgeons General of the U.S. Army and Their Predecessors*
Benjamin Church
Born: 24 Aug 1724
Died: 1776
Served as Surgeon General
27 July 1775 - 17 Oct 1775
John Morgan
Born: 10 June 1735
Died: 15 Oct 1789
Served as Surgeon General
17 Oct 1775 - 9 Jan 1777
William Shippen Jr.
Born: 21 Oct 1736
Died: 11 July 1808
Served as Surgeon General
11 Apr 1777 - 3 Jan 1781
John Cochran
Born: 1 Aug 1730
Died: 6 Apr 1807
Served as Surgeon General
17 Jan 1781 - 3 Nov 1783
Richard Allison
Born: 1757
Died: 22 Mar 1816
Served as Surgeon General
1792 - 1796
James Craik
Born: 1730
Died: 6 Feb 1814
Served as Surgeon General
19 July 1798 - 15 June 1800
James Tilton
Born: 1 June 1745
Died: 14 May 1822
Served as Surgeon General
11 June 1813 - 15 June 1815
Joseph Lovell
Born: 22 Dec 1788
Died: 17 Oct 1836
Served as Surgeon General
18 Apr 1818 - 17 Oct 1836
Thomas Lawson
Born: 29 Aug 1789
Died: 15 May 1861
Served as Surgeon General
30 Nov 1836 - 15 May 1861
Clement A. Finley
Born: 11 May 1797
Died: 8 Sept 1879
Served as Surgeon General
15 May 1861 - 14 Apr 1862
William A. Hammond
Born: 28 Aug 1828
Died: 5 Jan 1900
Served as Surgeon General
25 April 1862 - 18 Aug 1864
Joseph K. Barnes
Born: 21 July 1817
Died: 5 April 1883
Served as Surgeon General
22 Aug 1864 - 30 June 1882
Charles H. Crane
Born: 19 July 1825
Died: 10 Oct 1883
Served as Surgeon General
3 July 1882 - 10 Oct 1883
Robert Murray
Born: 6 Aug 1823
Died: 1 Jan 1913
Served as Surgeon General
28 Nov 1883 - 6 Aug 1886
John Moore
Born: 16 Aug 1826
Died: 18 March 1907
Served as Surgeon General
18 Nov 1886 - 6 Aug 1890
Jedediah H. Baxter
Born: 11 March 1837
Died: 4 Dec 1890
Served as Surgeon General
16 Aug - 4 Dec 1890
Charles Sutherland
Born: 29 May 1829
Died: 10 May 1895
Served as Surgeon General
23 Dec 1890 - 29 May 1893
George M. Sternberg
Born: 8 June 1838
Died: 3 Nov 1915
Served as Surgeon General
30 May 1893 - 8 June 1902
William H. Forwood
Born: 7 Aug 1838
Died: 11 May 1915
Served as Surgeon General
8 June - 7 Sept 1902
Robert M. O'Reilly
Born: 14 Jan 1845
Died: 3 Nov 1912
Served as Surgeon General
7 Sept 1902 - 14 Jan 1909
George H. Torney
Born: 1 June 1850
Died: 27 Dec 1913
Served as Surgeon General
14 Jan 1909 - 27 Dec 1913
William C. Gorgas
Born: 3 Oct 1854
Died: 4 July 1920
Served as Surgeon General
16 Jan 1914 - 3 Oct 1918
Merritte W. Ireland
Born: 31 May 1867
Died: 5 July 1952
Served as Surgeon General
5 Oct 1918 - 31 May 1931
Robert U. Patterson
Born: 16 July 1877
Died: 5 Dec 1950
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1931 - 31 May 1935
Charles R. Reynolds
Born: 28 July 1877
Died: 2 Dec 1961
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1935 - 31 May 1939
James C. Magee
![Major General]()
Born: 23 Jan 1883
Died: 15 Oct 1975
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1939 - 31 May 1943
Norman T. Kirk
Born: 3 Jan 1888
Died: 13 Aug 1960
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1943 - 31 May 1947
Raymond W. Bliss
Born: 12 May 1888
Died: 12 Dec 1965
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1947 - 31 May 1951
George E. Armstrong
Born: 4 Aug 1900
Died: 9 June 1979
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1951 - 31 May 1955
Silas B. Hays
Born: 18 Feb 1902
Died: 24 July 1964
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1955 - 31 May 1959
Leonard D. Heaton
Born: 18 Nov 1902
Died: 10 Sept 1983
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1959 - 30 Sept 1969
Hal B. Jennings Jr.
Born: 26 Aug 1915
Died: 12 Feb 2008
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 1969 - 30 Sept 1973
Richard R. Taylor
Born: 21 Nov 1922
Died: 8 Nov 1978
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 1973 - 30 Sept 1977
Charles C. Pixley
Born: 8 Aug 1923
Died: 31 Dec 2005
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 1977 - 30 Sept 1981
Bernhard T. Mittemeyer
![Lieutenant General]()
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 1981 - 31 Jan 1985
Quinn H. Becker
Served as Surgeon General
1 Feb 1985 - 31 May 1988
Frank F. Ledford Jr.
Born: 22 Apr 1934
Died: 15 May 2019
Served as Surgeon General
1 June 1988 - 30 June 1992
Alcide M. LaNoue
Born: 02 Nov 1934
Died: 20 Feb 2021
Served as Surgeon General
8 Sept 1992 - 1 Oct 1996
Ronald R. Blanck
![Lieutenant General]()
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 1996 - 30 June 2000
James B. Peake
Served as Surgeon General
22 Sept 2000 - 8 July 2004
Kevin C. Kiley
![Major General]()
Served as Surgeon General
1 Oct 2004 - 11 March 2007
Eric B. Schoomaker
Served as Surgeon General
12 Dec 2007 - 5 Dec 2011
Patricia D. Horoho
![Lieutenant General]()
Served as Surgeon General
5 Dec 2011 - 3 Dec 2015
Nadja Y. West
![Lieutenant General]()
Served as Surgeon General
11 Dec 2015 - 16 Aug 2019
R. Scott Dingle
Served as Surgeon General
27 Sep 2019 - present
*The permanent position of The Surgeon General was not created until April 1818 along with the Medical Department as one of the three first permanent staff departments. For more information on the early Army Medical Department see The Army Medical Department 1775 - 1818 by Mary C. Gillett.
