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{"id":15555,"date":"2018-12-04T11:00:02","date_gmt":"2018-12-04T16:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/?p=15555"},"modified":"2024-10-21T10:59:28","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T14:59:28","slug":"detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/","title":{"rendered":"Detailing Michael DeBakey\u2019s War Years: Puzzle Pieces"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>By Sanders Marble ~<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In November 2017, I was fortunate to get an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/hmd\/get-involved\/debakey-fellowship.html\">NLM Michael E. Debakey Fellowship in the History of Medicine<\/a> to explore his wartime service and contributions. Like many, I knew he had been in the Army in WWII and wanted to find out more about what he had done.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15563\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15563\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbbz.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15563\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbbbz\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbbz.jpg?fit=5526%2C4214&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"5526,4214\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"FJBBBZ\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Michael DeBakey (front row, far right) with U.S. Army surgical consultants in North Africa, ca. 1943<br \/>\nCourtesy of Katrin DeBakey<br \/>\nNLM Profiles in Science<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbbz.jpg?fit=300%2C229&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbbz.jpg?fit=840%2C641&ssl=1\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-15563\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbbz.jpg?resize=300%2C229&ssl=1\" alt=\"A group of men in uniform pose outdoors for a group photograph.\" width=\"300\" height=\"229\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15563\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael DeBakey (front row, far right) with U.S. Army surgical consultants in North Africa, ca. 1943<br \/><em>Courtesy of Katrin DeBakey<\/em><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/profiles.nlm.nih.gov\/101743405X19\">National Library of Medicine Profiles in Science<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What I am finding is patchy, yet illustrative. First, a thumbnail of DeBakey\u2019s service: he was not yet a nationally-known surgeon\u2014he was 34 years old and a junior faculty member at the Tulane Medical School. He joined the Army in 1942, was briefly a surgeon at an Army hospital in Mississippi, then for the rest of the war (and into 1946) was at the Surgeon General\u2019s Office (SGO) as a staff officer in the Surgical Consultants Division.<\/p>\n<p>The Army ran a very large medical system and wanted to be both effective and efficient, so getting the right people in the right places, and providing good advice and control were important to those goals. The Surgical Consultants Division was a major element of that. (There were also medical consultants, and other varieties, but as a surgeon DeBakey was in Surgical Consultants.) DeBakey was part of that, but he was also the youngest, lowest-ranked member, although he was promoted during the war. Since the Boards were relatively new and residencies far less structured than now, the consultants evaluated doctors\u2019 credentials and capabilities. Throughout the war they also worked on policies\u2014for surgeons this involved whom to operate on and what techniques to use. The consultants also played a role in communicating, both to doctors (such as attending medical meetings) and the public through mass media. And they consulted on Army policies on what surgical capabilities were needed at the various steps in the treatment chain.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15558\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15558\" style=\"width: 207px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-1-crop1.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15558\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fig-1-crop\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-1-crop1.jpg?fit=827%2C1200&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"827,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 8","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1532948503","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"20","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Fig 1-crop\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Army policy on limiting surgical operations, 1942<br \/>\nCourtesy U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-1-crop1.jpg?fit=207%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-1-crop1.jpg?fit=706%2C1024&ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-15558 size-medium\" style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\" title=\"Circular Letter No. 167\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-1-crop1.jpg?resize=207%2C300&ssl=1\" alt=\"Photograph of circular letter no. 167 signed John A. Rogers, Colonel, Medical Corps, Executive Officer.\" width=\"207\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Army policy on limiting surgical operations, 1942<br \/><em>Courtesy U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So far, we know DeBakey spent much of the war at an important place in the Army medical system. But how do we find out what he was doing? Here, we run into problems of process and records. Policies were all officially issued by The Surgeon General, some sent out over his signature, some over the <a href=\"http:\/\/history.amedd.army.mil\/booksdocs\/wwii\/StandarizedCare\/TBMED147.pdf\">Chief of Staff of the Army\u2019s signature<\/a>, and doubtless some over other signatures\u2014but they were not signed by DeBakey. Correspondence from the SGO could be channeled through a liaison officer or some control element\u2014for instance, almost all Army correspondence with the National Academies of Science (which ran Advisory Committees to the Surgeons General of the War and Navy Departments and U.S. Public Health Service) was from Lt. Col. Roger Prentiss, presumably because he was coordinator of research and development at SGO. These procedures mask an individual\u2019s role.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15559\" style=\"width: 213px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-2-crop.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15559\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fig-2-crop\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-2-crop.jpg?fit=852%2C1200&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"852,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 8","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1533294671","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"40","shutter_speed":"0.0081967213114754","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"Fig 2-crop\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Letter from Dr. Loyal Davis to Dr. E.H. Cushing of the National Academy of Sciences, mentioning DeBakey and others working on trench foot, 1943<br \/>\nCourtesy National Academy of Sciences<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-2-crop.jpg?fit=213%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-2-crop.jpg?fit=727%2C1024&ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-15559 size-medium\" style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\" title=\""I have read the material on immersion foot written by Jim White and De Bakey and find nothing to add or to change in any way. De Bakey's material on fronstbite is alos quite good."\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fig-2-crop.jpg?resize=213%2C300&ssl=1\" alt=\"A letter from Dr. Loyal Davis commenting on the work of DeBakey, White, and Greene.\" width=\"213\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Letter from Dr. Loyal Davis to Dr. E.H. Cushing of the National Academy of Sciences, mentioning DeBakey and others working on trench foot, 1943<br \/><em>Courtesy National Academy of Sciences<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a large organization, many individuals can be involved. What is a particular individual\u2019s role\u2014did they start something? keep something moving through hurdles and amid distractions? get the final version approved? Which of those roles is the most important, or even provable? Human nature being what it is, if something important was done, many will claim to be important in the behind-the-scenes work. For some things, we can be confident who was (or was not) involved. For instance, DeBakey would not be involved in internal medicine, aviation medicine, dental, and other areas. But many things would come through Surgical Consultants Division, and knowing what DeBakey worked on is (so far) haphazard. He apparently worked on policy about treatment for trenchfoot, about treatment of the wounded, and about when to operate for pilonidal cyst\/sinus. Given his post-war involvement with vascular surgery, and the high profile of care for the wounded, those first two items got attention, while data-driven analysis of minimizing surgery for pilonidal cysts got little attention. They were important to the Army\u2014tens of thousands of soldiers developed pilonidal cysts or sinuses, and data analysis showed that early surgery caused extra time in hospital, away from duty. Thus telling surgeons <em>not<\/em> to operate was in the Army\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n<p>The way records are kept can also mask individuals. Official records tend to be focused on the organization, and final results, rather than an individual\u2019s work and the many steps along the way. A final policy is (or should be) a record, while the routing slip attached to the front of a report is not a record. Thus the National Archives has the annual reports from 1944 and 1945 of the Surgical Consultants Division, which contain information about the organization’s work. There are other documents about DeBakey\u2019s war years, for instance in the National Library of Medicine, at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, at the Countway Library, at the National Academy of Sciences. These are fragments\u2014letters to colleagues, and other informal mentions.<\/p>\n<div data-carousel-extra='{\"blog_id\":1,\"permalink\":\"https:\\\/\\\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/04\\\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\\\/\"}' id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-15555 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbblm_page_1-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_11.jpg?fit=231%2C300&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A letter writter during DeBakey's WWII service to a colleague discussing his army hospital and his writing and editorial work.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-15568\" data-attachment-id=\"15568\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbblm_page_1-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_11.jpg?fit=925%2C1202&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"925,1202\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}\" data-image-title=\"FJBBLM_Page_1\" data-image-description=\"<p> Dear Captain Hook:<br \/>\n I certainly enjoyed your recent letter and delayed writing to you with the hope that we would be going full blast and I could tell you about it. Unfortunately, all our supplies have not yet arrived and we are still waiting, which I am gradually learning to do with great proficiency since entering the service.<br \/>\n The physical set up of the hospital is complete and resembles any other army station hospital. We have facilities for about 900 beds and it is probable that this will grow to about 1200 in the near future. I have been quite fortunate in the organization of the surgical service. Three of the men heading the respective sections of orthopedics, septic surgery, and general surgery were trained at Tulane and were associated with us there before entering the service. This makes it not only pleasant but relieves me of considerable responsibility. Our G. U. and E.E.N.T. services are also headed by well trained specialists who are fine fellows. In fact our personnel in general consists of unusually well-trained and pleasant individuals. Our greatest difficulty seems to be getting supplies but we hope this will soon be corrected (in fact, I heard today that three carload of supplies have just arrived).<br \/>\n I was in Atlanta recently to attend a meeting of the Chiefs of Services of the Fourth Service Command and met a number of friends among whom were Colonel Morgan and Nick Carter. Seeing them again was most enjoyable and we indulged in pleasant reminiscences of our barn-storming tour. Only your presence could have made it more delightful.<br \/>\n I want to tell you again how much I regret that the meeting of the American College was called off, for I had made arrangements here to fly up and was looking forward to seeing you. If there is any possibility of you coming through here on your way to or from Virginia, I hope you can arrange to stop with us. In any event, I would like to get a copy of your paper for abstraction and translation into Spanish to publish in America Clinica. This, of course, will not prevent you from publishing it elsewhere in this country.<br \/>\n Fortunately since arriving here, I have had sufficient time to continue my writing and editorial work and have already completed several publications. However, I still have much to do with several articles, partially completed and one section on Surgical Anebiasis to be done for Lewis’ System of Surgery. These will keep me from getting rusty.<br \/>\n Christmas will soon to here so, in addition to my best regards, let me wish you and yours a most enjoyable Christmas.<br \/>\n Respectfully yours,<br \/>\n Michael E. DeBakey,<br \/>\n Captain, M.C.,<br \/>\n Chief of Surgical Service. <\/p>\n\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Letter from Michael E. DeBakey to F. R. Hook, December 8, 1942<br \/>\nCourtesy Katrin DeBakey<br \/>\nNational Library of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey Papers<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_11.jpg?fit=231%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_11.jpg?fit=788%2C1024&ssl=1\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-15568'>\n\t\t\t\tLetter from Michael E. DeBakey to F. R. Hook, December 8, 1942\nCourtesy Katrin DeBakey\nNational Library of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey Papers\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbblm_page_2-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"237\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_21.jpg?fit=237%2C300&ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A letter writter during DeBakey's WWII service to a colleague discussing his army hospital and his writing and editorial work.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-15569\" data-attachment-id=\"15569\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbblm_page_2-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_21.jpg?fit=951%2C1202&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"951,1202\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}\" data-image-title=\"FJBBLM_Page_2\" data-image-description=\"<p> Dear Captain Hook:<br \/>\n I certainly enjoyed your recent letter and delayed writing to you with the hope that we would be going full blast and I could tell you about it. Unfortunately, all our supplies have not yet arrived and we are still waiting, which I am gradually learning to do with great proficiency since entering the service.<br \/>\n The physical set up of the hospital is complete and resembles any other army station hospital. We have facilities for about 900 beds and it is probable that this will grow to about 1200 in the near future. I have been quite fortunate in the organization of the surgical service. Three of the men heading the respective sections of orthopedics, septic surgery, and general surgery were trained at Tulane and were associated with us there before entering the service. This makes it not only pleasant but relieves me of considerable responsibility. Our G. U. and E.E.N.T. services are also headed by well trained specialists who are fine fellows. In fact our personnel in general consists of unusually well-trained and pleasant individuals. Our greatest difficulty seems to be getting supplies but we hope this will soon be corrected (in fact, I heard today that three carload of supplies have just arrived).<br \/>\n I was in Atlanta recently to attend a meeting of the Chiefs of Services of the Fourth Service Command and met a number of friends among whom were Colonel Morgan and Nick Carter. Seeing them again was most enjoyable and we indulged in pleasant reminiscences of our barn-storming tour. Only your presence could have made it more delightful.<br \/>\n I want to tell you again how much I regret that the meeting of the American College was called off, for I had made arrangements here to fly up and was looking forward to seeing you. If there is any possibility of you coming through here on your way to or from Virginia, I hope you can arrange to stop with us. In any event, I would like to get a copy of your paper for abstraction and translation into Spanish to publish in America Clinica. This, of course, will not prevent you from publishing it elsewhere in this country.<br \/>\n Fortunately since arriving here, I have had sufficient time to continue my writing and editorial work and have already completed several publications. However, I still have much to do with several articles, partially completed and one section on Surgical Anebiasis to be done for Lewis’ System of Surgery. These will keep me from getting rusty.<br \/>\n Christmas will soon to here so, in addition to my best regards, let me wish you and yours a most enjoyable Christmas.<br \/>\n Respectfully yours,<br \/>\n Michael E. DeBakey,<br \/>\n Captain, M.C.,<br \/>\n Chief of Surgical Service. <\/p>\n\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Letter from Michael E. DeBakey to F. R. Hook, December 8, 1942<br \/>\nCourtesy Katrin DeBakey<br \/>\nNational Library of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey Papers<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_21.jpg?fit=237%2C300&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbblm_page_21.jpg?fit=810%2C1024&ssl=1\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-15569'>\n\t\t\t\tLetter from Michael E. DeBakey to F. R. Hook, December 8, 1942\nCourtesy Katrin DeBakey\nNational Library of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey Papers\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>With more research, we will have a better idea of what DeBakey did, certainly the things he (and the rest of the department) worked on. It may not be possible to detail what his personal involvement was\u2014there may not have been minutes of meetings, likely not memoranda of meetings and phone calls, and annotated drafts of policies are very unlikely to have survived.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15560\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15560\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbcb.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"15560\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2018\/12\/04\/detailing-michael-debakeys-war-years-puzzle-pieces\/fjbbcb\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbcb.jpg?fit=1600%2C1279&ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1279\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"FJBBCB\" data-image-description=\"<p>The Legion of Merit was established by an Act of Congress in July 1942, and it was the first U.S. decoration that could be awarded to citizens of other nations. It could be awarded for combat or noncombat services, and served to recognize those “who shall have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services.” DeBakey received the award for his contributions toward the development of auxiliary surgical groups, later called mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) units. Norman Thomas Kirk, a native of Maryland, graduated from the University of Maryland in 1910, and proceeded to become a well-known military surgeon. During World War I he worked at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington, DC, and is credited with having treated at least one third of major amputations performed during the war. He provided valuable service at various hospitals throughout the country and headed a hospital for specialized treatment of soldiers during World War II. In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Kirk Surgeon General, and under his guidance “the U.S. Army in World War II achieved a record of recovery from wounds and freedom from disease never before accomplished in history.” Many years later, in August 1960, DeBakey operated on Kirk’s aneurysm, but Kirk died a week later. Other individuals in this photo have not been identified. <\/p>\n\" data-image-caption=\"<p>Michael DeBakey receiving the Legion of Merit Award from Surgeon General Norman Thomas Kirk, 1945<br \/>\nCourtesy of Katrin DeBakey<br \/>\nNLM Profiles in Science<\/p>\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbcb.jpg?fit=300%2C240&ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbcb.jpg?fit=840%2C671&ssl=1\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-15560\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/fjbbcb.jpg?resize=300%2C240&ssl=1\" alt=\"DeBakey, in uniform, shaking hands with an older man.\" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15560\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael DeBakey receiving the Legion of Merit Award from Surgeon General Norman Thomas Kirk, 1945<br \/><em>Courtesy of Katrin DeBakey<\/em><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/profiles.nlm.nih.gov\/101743405X20\">National Library of Medicine Profiles in Science<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Michael DeBakey served his country well in WWII.\u00a0 He clearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/8990824\">relished his wartime service<\/a> and stayed involved with military medicine through various ways\u2014on the Board of Visitors of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, editing several volumes of the medical history of the war, and continued membership of the Society of Medical Consultants of the Armed Forces. By casting a wide net and assembling a variety of small pieces, I hope to help us better understand his contributions.<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; color: #303030;\">Sanders Marble, Ph.D., is Senior Historian at the U.S. Army Center of History and Heritage. He was an NLM Michael E. DeBakey Fellow in the History of Medicine in 2018. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>We invite interested individuals to learn more about the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/hmd\/get-involved\/debakey-fellowship.html\">Michael E. DeBakey Fellowship<\/a> program and about the new group of 2019 Fellows, <span style=\"color: #000000;\">which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/news\/NLM_Announces_2019_DeBakey_Fellows.html\">was announced<\/a><\/span> December 4, 2018.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Sanders Marble ~ In November 2017, I was fortunate to get an NLM Michael E. Debakey Fellowship in the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19605840,"featured_media":15565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"2018 Michael E. 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