Bio
Brigadier General (BG) Crawford F. Sams’ Public Health successes helped foster the creation of the U.S. Army Reserve Civil Affairs (CA) branch on 17 August 1955.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1929 and was commissioned a First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Medical Corps.
During WWII, he served in North Africa and the U.S. before deploying to the Philippines in July 1945 as the Chief, Health, Education, and Welfare Division, Military Government Section, U.S. Army Forces Pacific.
In September 1945, Colonel (COL) Sams was assigned to Japan as Chief, Public Health and Welfare Section, General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. He reformed the medical profession, established vaccination programs, and improved the Japanese diet to prevent nutrition-based diseases. When the Korean War broke out, BG Sams became Chief, Health and Welfare, United Nations Command, Korea, and commander, UN Public Health and Welfare Detachment.
To counter enemy propaganda alleging allied use of biological warfare against civilians, BG Sams infiltrated into North Korea to refute the claims. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. CA success in the Korean War, much due to BG Sams, led to its preservation as an Army capability.