49 Facts About Spurgeon Neel

Major General Spurgeon Neel, MD, was a United States Army physician who pioneered the development of aeromedical evacuation of battlefield casualties.

Spurgeon Hart Neel Jr, was born on September 24,1919, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Spurgeon Neel's parents were Spurgeon Hart Neel and Leola Pearl Neel.

Spurgeon Neel graduated from the Memphis State University in 1939, majoring in pre-med.

Spurgeon Neel earned his Doctorate of Medicine in 1942 from the University of Tennessee.

Dr Neel was a member of Phi Chi medical fraternity's Alpha Beta chapter.

Spurgeon Neel completed an internship at the Methodist Hospital in Memphis in 1943.

Spurgeon Neel then entered military service, completing his residency in radiology at Santa Ana Army Air Base in California in 1944.

Spurgeon Neel commanded a medical company in Europe during World War II.

From 1949 to 1951, Spurgeon Neel served as Division Surgeon of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In 1949, Spurgeon Neel chaired a board that tested, evaluated, and recommended the use of the helicopter in medical evacuation roles.

However, helicopters were still a novelty in 1949 when Spurgeon Neel began examining the idea of flying wounded soldiers out of war zones.

In March 1951, Spurgeon Neel became the first Army graduate of the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Spurgeon Neel spent most of the war in the US, first in Washington, DC, and then in San Antonio, Texas.

From 1952 to 1953, Spurgeon Neel served as Chief of the Field Medical Service Branch of the Medical Field Service School at Fort Sam Houston near San Antonio.

Spurgeon Neel led the establishment of helicopter ambulance units and supervised the activation, training, and deployment of five helicopter ambulance detachments at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Spurgeon Neel transferred to Korea in 1953 before the armistice ended active hostilities on July 27.

Spurgeon Neel served as commander of the 30th Medical Group in Korea from 1953 to 1954.

Spurgeon Neel established the Eighth Army aviation medical program in 1954, which became the prototype for the Army-wide aviation medical program.

The aeromedical evacuation doctrine espoused by Spurgeon Neel called for medical control of evacuation and the need for pilots and aircraft dedicated to that mission alone.

In 1954, Spurgeon Neel became the Army's first Aviation Medical Officer.

In 1956, Spurgeon Neel established the Aviation Branch within the Office of the Surgeon General and became its first chief, later designing the Aviation Medical Officer Badge and becoming its first recipient.

Spurgeon Neel established a formal program for Board Certification of Army Medical Officers in Aviation Medicine and laid the groundwork for the Army Aviation Medical Training and Research Program.

From 1957 to 1958, Spurgeon Neel was a student at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, where he received the degree Master of Public Health.

Spurgeon Neel assumed command of the US Army Hospital at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in 1961.

Spurgeon Neel established the Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory at Ft.

Spurgeon Neel initiated construction of the Lyster Army Hospital, a modern facility with specialized aviation medicine capability.

Spurgeon Neel was awarded a Master's of Science in Business Administration from George Washington University in 1965.

Spurgeon Neel established the Saigon office of the Far East Joint Medical Regulating Office to manage patient movements within and from the Republic of Vietnam during the war.

Spurgeon Neel coordinated US Army aeromedical evacuation in support of US and South Vietnam forces and Vietnamese civilians.

In recognition of his role in the development and execution of combat zone medical operations, Neel was awarded the Major Gary P Wratten Award of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States in 1967.

Spurgeon Neel returned to the US in 1966 and was assigned to the US Army's Office of the Surgeon General in Washington, DC, as Director of Plans, Supply, and Operations.

Spurgeon Neel served a second tour in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.

Spurgeon Neel served as Commanding General of the 44th Medical Brigade and as Surgeon of the United States Army, Vietnam.

Spurgeon Neel attributed the lowering mortality rate to the helicopter, whole blood, hospitals, and highly trained personnel.

Spurgeon Neel attributed this improvement to the swiftness of helicopter evacuation and the advances in medical technology.

Spurgeon Neel served as Deputy Surgeon General of the US Army in Washington, DC, from 1969 to 1973.

Spurgeon Neel moved to San Antonio in 1973 to become the first Commanding General of the US Army Health Services Command.

Spurgeon Neel advocated civilian air ambulance systems and oversaw formation of the 507th Medical Company, which provided military assistance to safety and traffic.

Spurgeon Neel retired from the US Army in 1977 with the rank of Major General.

Spurgeon Neel served as honorary colonel of the Army Medical Department Regiment from 1986 to 1994.

Primarily a ceremonial position, Spurgeon Neel's role was to enhance morale and esprit de corps through the perpetuation of the regiment's traditions and customs.

Spurgeon Neel served on the Board of Directors at Eisenhower National Bank for 10 years.

Spurgeon Neel helped establish the Army Medical Department Museum at Fort Sam Houston.

Spurgeon Neel served as chairman of the museum board that was responsible for the expansion of the museum.

Spurgeon Neel died at the age of 83 on June 6,2003, in San Antonio, Texas.

Spurgeon Neel was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section A1, Site 526.

Spurgeon Neel was award the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with four oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster, and the Purple Heart.

Spurgeon Neel was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1976.