MAJOR GENERAL (DR.) THOMAS H. CROUCH Major General Thomas H. Crouch is the deputy surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force. General Crouch was born in Douglas, Ariz., in 1915. He graduated from Douglas High School in 1933 and entered the University of Arizona where he was a member of the ROTC In 1934 he entered Tulane University, New Orleans, La., for premedical study and graduated from the School of Medicine in 1939. He served his internship at the City-County Hospital, El Paso, Texas, during 1939-1940. In June 1939 General Crouch received his commission as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps Reserve. After competitive examination, he entered active duty July 1, 1940, as a first lieutenant Medical Corps, Regular Army and was assigned to the First Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. In September 1940 he was accepted for training at the School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph Field, Texas, and graduated as an aviation medical examiner in October 1940. General Crouch was then assigned as base surgeon, Biggs Army Air Base, Texas, and maintained a flying cadet examining station in William Beaumont General Hospital. In 1942 he was assigned to Pueblo Army Air Base, Colo., as base surgeon and hospital commander. In 1943 he was assigned as base surgeon, Fairmont Army Air Field, Geneva, Neb. During the period August 1944 to September 1946, General Crouch served as surgeon, 315th Bombardment Wing, Peterson Field, Colo.; VII Bomber Command, Saipan, Mariana Islands, and Hawaii; surgeon, Seventh Air Force, Okinawa; and as deputy surgeon, Fifth Air Force at Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan. He served as chief, Medical Division, Office of Flying Safety, Langley Field, Va., (Sept. 1946 - July 1947); resident, orthopedic surgery, Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colo., (July 1947 - Aug. 1950); chief, surgical services, USAF Hospital, Clark Air Base, the Philippines, (Sept. 1950 - Aug. 1952); commander, USAF Hospital, and surgeon, Atlantic Division (MATS), Westover Air Force Base, Mass., (Sept. 1952 - June 1955); commander, USAF Hospital, and surgeon, 7100th Support Wing, Wiesbaden, Germany, (June 1955 -July 1959); commander, USAF Hospital, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, (Aug. 1959 -Aug. 1961); surgeon, Second Air Force, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., (Aug. 1961 Sept. 1962); deputy director, Directorate of Medical Staffing and Education, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., (Sept. 1962 - Sept. 1963); and director of that office (Sept. 1963 - June 1965). He was appointed commander of Wilford Hall USAF Hospital, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in June 1965, and in January 1966 became commander of the Aerospace Medical Division, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. In May 1966 he again assumed command of Wilford Hall USAF Hospital. He was assigned as director of professional services, Office of the Surgeon General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in November 1968. General Crouch became deputy surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force in May 1970. General Crouch is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has served as consultant in orthopedic surgery to the Air Forces in the Pacific and in Europe, and has been named consultant to the surgeon general in that specialty. He is a chief flight surgeon, certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in the specialty of aviation medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine, and a member of the Military Affairs Committee of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and past president of the Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons. In 1964 he was elected a fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and on Oct. 5, 1967, General Crouch was elected a member of the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. He is an Air Force delegate to the American Medical Association and a past president of the Alumni Association Federal Hospital Institute. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. His hometown is Douglas, Ariz. He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective Jan. 24, 1969, with date of rank Oct. 19, 1964. (Current as of May 1, 1970)