Naval History and Heritage Command

Before the title of Surgeon General was established in 1869, the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery was conducted for twenty-seven years by four Chiefs, with the title of Surgeon, in succession from 1842.

1.	1842-1844	Surgeon William P.C. Barton
2.	1844-1853	Surgeon Thomas Harris
3.	1853-1865	Surgeon William Whelan
4.	1865-1869	Surgeon Phineas Horowitz
5.	1869-1871	CDR William M. Wood
6.	1871-1872	COMMO Jonathan M. Foitz
7.	1872-1873	COMMO James C. Palmer
8.	1873-1877	COMMO Joseph Beale
9.	1877-1878	COMMO William Grier
10.	1878-1879	COMMO J. Winthrop Taylor
11.	1879-1884	COMMO Philip S. Wales
12.	1884-1888	COMMO Francis M. Gunnell
13.	1888-1893	COMMO John M. Browne
14.	1893-1897	COMMO James R. Tyron
15.	1897-1897	COMMO Newton L. Bates
16.	1897-1902	COMMO Williams K. Van Reyper
17.	1902-1910	RADM Presley M. Rixley
18.	1910-1914	RADM Charles F. Stokes
19.	1914-1920	RADM William C. Braisted
20.	1920-1928	RADM Edward R. Stitt
21.	1921-1933	RADM Charles E. Riggs
22.	1933-1938	RADM Percival S. Rossiter
23.	1938-1946	VADM Ross T. McIntire
24.	1946-1950	RADM Clifford A. Swanson
25.	1951-1955	RADM Herbert L. Pugh
26.	1955-1961	RADM Bartholomew W. Hogan
27.	1961-1965	RADM Edward C. Kenney
28.	1965-1969	VADM Robert B. Brown
29.	1969-1973	VADM George M. Davis Jr.
30.	1973-1976	VADM Donald L. Curtis
31.	1976-1980	VADM Willard P. Arentzen
32.	1980-1983	VADM John W. Cox
33.	1983-1987	VADM Lewis H. Seaton
34.	1987-1991	VADM James A. Zimble
35.	1992-1995	VADM Donald F. Hagan
36.	1995-1998	VADM Harold M. Koenig
37.	1998-2001	VADM Richard A. Nelson
38.	2001-2004	VADM Michael L. Cowan
39.	2004-2007	VADM Donald C. Arthur, Jr.
40.	2007-2011	VADM Adam M. Robinson, Jr.
41.	2011-2013	VADM Matthew L. Nathan
41.	2013-2014	RADM Alton L. Stocks
42.	2014-	RADM Clinton F. Faison, III

Note: CDR = Commander, COMMO = Commodore, RADM = Rear Admiral, VADM = Vice Admiral.