Silas B . Hays Silas B . Hays ( February 18 , 1909 – July 24 , 1964 ) was a Major General who served as Surgeon General of the United States Army . Early life . Silas Beach Hays was born in Saint Paul , Minnesota on February 18 , 1909 , and was raised in Washington , D . C . and West Chester , Pennsylvania . He attended Iowa State University , received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Iowa in 1925 and graduated from the University of Iowa with a medical degree in 1928 . Early career . Hays completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps and received his temporary commission in 1928 as a First Lieutenant in the Medical Corps . He completed his internship at Letterman General Hospital in 1929 and received his permanent commission . Hays graduated from the Army Medical School in 1930 and the Army Medical Field Service School in 1931 . Hays specialized in urology and general surgery , and carried out assignments throughout the United States , including : Fort Dix , New Jersey ; Tripler Army Medical Center ; Walter Reed Army Medical Center ; the U . S Soldiers Home ; and the Brooklyn Army Terminal . He graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1940 and was assigned to the Finance and Supply Division in the Office of the Surgeon General . World War II . Hays became a recognized expert on the Army ' s medical supply process . During World War II he was assigned as Director of the Distribution and Requirements Division in the Surgeon General ' s Supply Service , with responsibility for the acquisition , storage and issue of Army medical supplies in the continental United States . In February 1944 , Hays began carrying out a study of the medical supply system in the European Theater of Operations . In May he was assigned as Chief of the Supply Division in the Office of the European Theater ' s Chief Surgeon , responsible for acquiring , storing and distributing blood , plasma , penicillin and other medical supplies American service members required during combat in Europe . He was promoted to Brigadier General in May , 1945 . In 1945 Hays returned to the United States and was appointed chief of the Supply Division in the Office of the Surgeon General . Korean War . In May , 1950 Hays was assigned as Chief Surgeon of United States Army Pacific , and the following September he went to Japan as Chief Surgeon of the Japan Logistical Command . In this assignment he coordinated medical activities for the Korean War , including conversion of facilities to accommodate general hospital units , training and assignment of medical personnel , acquisition and distribution of medical supplies and equipment , and evacuation of the wounded and return of soldiers to duty or transfer to the United States following recovery . Post Korean War . In August , 1951 Hays was appointed Deputy Surgeon General of the United States Army and returned to Washington , D . C . He was promoted to Major General in 1952 , and served until March , 1955 when he was appointed Surgeon General . As Surgeon General , he responded to advances in nuclear weapon s by supervising efforts to develop measures for protecting Soldiers against exposure to radioactivity and treating those exposed to it . He also expanded training in management of mass casualties , and planned for construction and renovation of Army medical facilities to accommodate an Army that had increased in size substantially since the 1930s . Hays served as Surgeon General until retiring in July , 1959 . Retirement and death . In retirement Hays resided in Arlington , Virginia and was employed as Director of the Eastern Area Blood Program for the American Red Cross . He died in Arlington on July 24 , 1964 , and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery , Section 4 , Grave 2914 - A - 1 . Legacy . Silas B . Hays Army Hospital at the now closed Fort Ord , California was named for him .