This Memorial Day, we would like to showcase a couple of Houston Methodist’s veterans.
In the early 1940s, Dr. Michael DeBakey took a leave of absence from the Tulane faculty and volunteered for military service, joining the Surgeon General’s staff and rising to Colonel and Chief of the Surgical Consultants Division. This led to the development of Mobile Auxiliary Surgical Hospital (MASH) units. MASH units were first established in 1945 by Dr. DeBakey and used until 2006. These mobile units were fully self-contained, working medical hospitals. The use of the MASH units allowed experienced medical personnel to remain closer to the front, minimizing the wounded’s transport time. This greatly increased the wounded soldiers’ chances for survival – some estimates say as high as 97%, once treatment was received at a MASH unit.
At the end of the war, DeBakey recommended creating specialized medical centers in different areas of the U.S. to treat wounded military personnel returning from war. From that recommendation evolved the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) system. In addition, he proposed the systematic medical follow-up of veterans, which led to the establishment of the Commission on Veterans Medical Problems of the National Research Council and an extensive VAMC research program to enable follow-up studies on the health of veterans, using the vast medical records resources generated during the war. His contributions earned him the Legion of Merit in 1945.
In 1948, through his work with the Hoover Commission, Dr. DeBakey was instrumental in the conversion of the old Houston Navy Hospital to the Veterans Administration Hospital on April 15, 1949. Dr. DeBakey provided the medical staff, established the Dean’s Committee, and as chief surgeon at the Houston Veterans Administration Hospital, Dr. DeBakey also created an accredited residency program for the facility.
Houston Methodist continues to have a strong veteran community. William (Eddy) Schedule, Sr. Organizational Development Consultant at Houston Methodist The Woodlands, served 20 years in the Navy. He retired as Chief Aviation Electrician Mate. Schedule has two sons who followed the tradition of serving. His oldest Casey Schedule served 10 years and retired as Logistics Specialist Second Class and his youngest, Dallas, is currently serving in the Navy. Dallas has actually beat big brother’s and father’s record and reached Second Class in two years. Dallas is now on the USSA Abraham Lincoln where his dad served six years on. Eddy says the Navy’s values of honor, courage and commitment perfectly align with Houston Methodist ICARE values. Eddy and his wife are actively involved in different veteran support organizations. Eddy is also excited in helping to start Houston Methodist Veteran ERG. He views this as a continued way to build fellowship and traditions.
Thank you for your service!
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