MAJOR GENERAL L. RENDER BRASWELL

Maj. Gen. L. Render Braswell is currently assigned as surgeon, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. This assignment was effective Dec. 30, 1959 when he was transferred to AFLC (then Air Materiel Command) from Headquarters Military Air Transport Service, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where he held the position of command surgeon.

General Braswell was born in Georgia in 1907. He attended the University of Georgia (Athens) and received a degree in pharmacy in 1925. He took his premedical training at the same school and was awarded a bachelor of science degree four years later. An alumnus of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., he received his doctorate of medicine from there in 1932.

After completing postgraduate (intern) training at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Ga., in 1933, he was initially assigned to the station hospital, Fort McPherson, Ga., where he later became chief of surgery.

The first military school General Braswell attended was the Medical Field Service School, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., in 1935.

In March 1938, he was reassigned from the station hospital, Fort McPherson, Ga., to the Sternberg General Hospital, Manila, Philippine Islands, as assistant chief of surgery. Upon returning to the States in August 1940, he completed 22 months of special training in surgery and became chief of the General Surgery Section, Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, D.C., and in 1941, was named a fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

General Braswell transferred from the Army to the Air Corps in 1942. He then attended the School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where he earned his first aeromedical designation of Aviation Medical Examiner. He became commander and chief of surgery, Air Force Hospital, Big Springs, Texas, and in September 1943, became commander, Air Force Cadet Center Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. In 1943, he also attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

General Braswell returned overseas as command surgeon, VII fighter Command, Iwo Jima, in the spring of 1945 and was named command air surgeon, 20th Air Force, Guam, shortly after V-J Day.

In May 1946, following his return to the States, he was assigned as commander and chief of surgery, Keesler field hospital, Miss. In July 1947, General Braswell was reassigned to Maxwell Air Force base, Ala., and assumed the duties of hospital commander and chief of surgery. He served there nearly five years.

In 1952, he was assigned as air surgeon, Third Air Force, near London, England. Upon returning to the United States in September 1954, he became acting surgeon, Headquarters Military Air Transport Service, and succeeded Brigadier General Kennard as the MATS Surgeon in April 1955.

In recognition of his professional attainment in the field of aviation medicine, General Braswell was certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (Aviation Medicine) Jan. 23, 1955. He is a member of the American College of Preventive Medicine. In addition, he is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social and Alpha Kappa Kappa medical fraternities.

General Braswell was awarded the Legion of Merit for services on Iwo Jima during World War II. In 1959, he was awarded the oak leaf cluster to the Legion of Merit for duty as command surgeon with the World-wide Military Air Transport Service. He has been awarded the Commendation Ribbon for services as hospital commander and chief of the surgical service at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala., and was awarded the oak leaf cluster to the Commendation Ribbon for meritorious service as senior American medical officer in the United Kingdom (England), 1952-1954. He earned three battle stars to the Asiatic-Pacific Medal during World War II.


(Current as of March 1962)