Bernhard T. Mittemeyer

Bernhard Theodore Mittemeyer (October 30, 1930 – January 25, 2023) was a United States Army lieutenant general who served as Surgeon General of the United States Army between 1981 and 1985.^[1]

Bernhard T. Mittemeyer
Born	(1930-10-30)October 30, 1930 Paramaribo, Suriname
Died	January 25, 2023(2023-01-25) (aged 92) Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1957–1985
Rank	Lieutenant general
Commands	Surgeon General of the United States Army 326th Medical Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division
Battles / wars	Cold War Vietnam War
Awards	Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star with V Device (with Oak Leaf Cluster) Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Army Commendation Medal National Defense Service Medal Combat Medical Badge Senior Parachutist Badge Vietnam Service Medal with Three Campaign Stars Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (Vietnamese) Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class (Vietnamese) Medical Meritorious Award, First Class (Vietnamese) Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class (Vietnamese) Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Other work	Chief of urological surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Early life, education, and career

Mittemeyer was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, on October 30, 1930.^[2] At the age of 14, Mittemeyer emigrated to the United States during World War II.

While attending college at Moravian College and medical school at Temple University School of Medicine, he was deferred from the draft. However, after graduation, he was drafted into the Army in 1957. Following initial accession training, he volunteered for the airborne forces since the 101st and 82nd had liberated his home country of the Netherlands during the war. He was assigned to the 101st. After six months, he became the division surgeon for General Westmoreland.

Soon thereafter, however, Mittemeyer announced his resignation to Gen. Westmoreland. When Gen. Westmorland inquired why he was leaving, Mittemeyer pointed out that he was not in the regular army since he was not a citizen. Westmoreland arranged his citizenship so that he could become part of the regular army. Mittemeyer then accepted an Army urological residency. In 1968, he deployed to Vietnam, where he commanded the 326th Medical Battalion (Airmobile) from 28 July 1968 to 27 February 1969.^[3]

During his tenure as Surgeon General of the Army and working in Military District of Washington (MDW), he instituted Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), later adopted by MDW-wide and now simply called Physical Fitness Test (PFT), a set of fitness tests including push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed two-mile run that now applies to all 85,000 military employees of MDW.^[4]

After serving as Surgeon General of the Army, he retired on February 28, 1985.^[1] He served as the chief of urological surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and retired on August 31, 2010.

Death

Mittemeyer died in Lubbock, Texas, on January 25, 2023, at the age of 92.^[5][6]

Awards and decorations

	Combat Medical Badge
	Senior Parachutist Badge
	101st Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge
	Vietnam Master Parachutist Badge

	Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Distinguished Flying Cross
	Bronze Star with "V" device and oak leaf cluster
	Meritorious Service Medal
	Air Medal with bronze award numeral 1
	Army Commendation Medal
	Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
	National Defense Service Medal
	Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 1
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star
	Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class
	Vietnam Civil Actions Medal, First Class
	Vietnam Meritorious Medical Award, First Class
	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
	Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation
	Vietnam Campaign Medal

References

1. "RESUME OF SERVICE CAREER of BERNHARD THEODORE MITTEMEYER". Office of Medical History, Office of the Surgeon General. Archived from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
2. Biography and Genealogy Master Index. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, Cengage Learning. 1980–2011.
3. Harry D. Johnson, "326th Medical Battalion (Airmobile) Army Medical Department Activities Report, 1969," (National Archives II at College Park, Maryland: Record Group 112, Entry A1 1012, Box 90, Folder "USARV - 101st Airborne Division", 1970). Page 2.
4. Mary T. Sarnecky. A Contemporary History of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Government Printing Office. pp. 278–. ISBN 978-0-16-086913-6.
5. "Friends, colleagues remember Dr. Bernhard Mittemeyer".
6. "LTG Bernhard T. Mittemeyer Obituary (1930 - 2023) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com.