Since the creation of the U.S. Army Medical Department, Noncommissioned Officers and enlisted soldiers have been detailed from the line as Hospital Stewards (Medical Noncommissioned Officers) to assist physicians in providing hospital care and some dental care in war and peacetime. It was desired that selected personnel were required to have a background in chemistry, mathematics and the ability to read and write. In 1847, Surgeon General Thomas Lawson recommended that competent and trained personnel should be permitted to enlist as Hospital Stewards, however, these efforts would not be successful for many years. However, it was apparent the Army thought that Hospital Stewards would soon be authorized, as General Order #53, dated October 31, 1851, was published authorizing a half chevron with a caduceus for wear by individuals serving in these positions. Under the provisions of the Act of Congress, on 16 August 1856, individuals in the U.S. Army and civilians were authorized to transfer or enlist as Hospital Stewards and were placed under the sole control of the Medical Department. During the civil war, the medical NCO prepared and distributed medicine, assisted in surgical operations, supervised attendants and matrons, performed administrative duties and procured supplies for the hospital. On 1 March 1887, the Hospital Corps was established by Congress and consisted of Hospital Stewards, Acting Hospital Stewards and Privates of the Hospital Corps. In 1891, Companies of Instruction were established to provide field training for medical support on and off the battlefield. Members of the Hospital Corps proved to be invaluable in the Yellow Fever study led by Walter Reed. They volunteered to be bitten by mosquitoes know to be carriers of yellow fever, and slept on bedding of patients who had been infected with the dreaded disease as part of the research. On 2 March 1903, the Hospital Corps was discontinued, the NCO’s and enlisted personnel were given most the rank being used by the rest of the United States Army with the exception of a few and the chevrons continued to have a caduceus on them until 1921. During World War I, the Medical Department established a training school for NCO’s and enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, for specialized training in Dental, Veterinary, Radiology and other critical fields. In 1924, the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, conducted the first comprehensive class for NCO’s of the United States Army Medical Department. During World War II, the Women Army Corps was established and the vast majority of the enlisted served in the medical field. There have been 29 NCO’s and enlisted soldiers that have earned the nations’ highest award, the Medal of Honor. Only two NCO’s have been awarded the Combat Medical Badge with two stars for serving as medics in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.