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Militarization of the PHS Commissioned Corps

The Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service has played a role in supporting wartime health requirements throughout its history. Soon after the formal establishment of the Corps in 1889, it was called upon to assist the military in the Spanish-American War of 1898. All of the Service's Marine Hospitals were made available for the care of the sick and wounded of the Army and Navy. The Corps also was given the major responsibility for the prevention of the introduction of yellow fever into the United States by troops returning from Cuba and Puerto Rico. Medical officers of the Service were assigned to Cuban and Puerto Rican ports, and some Service officers were assigned to transports carrying troops home. The Service also operated a temporary quarantine station for returning troops. A medical officer of the Service was also on duty aboard the Revenue Cutter McCullough with the fleet of Commodore Dewy at the battle of Manila Bay.

The Spanish-American War emphasized the need for defining the functions and status of the Service in wartime. As a consequence, the act reorganizing the Service that was approved on July 1, 1902 contained the following provision:

"That the President is authorized in his discretion to utilize the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service in times of threatened or actual war to such extent and in such manner as shall in his judgement promote the public interest without, however, in any wise impairing the efficiency of the Service for the purposes for which the same was created and is maintained."

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