When the 62nd Medical Battalion—formed in 1942—became a Medical Group on October 8, 1957, its duties changed along with its re-designation. No longer a collecting and clearing company as it was during its four campaigns in World War ll (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe), it was now charged with providing full medical care to its assigned troops and possibly local civilians. A medical group has numerous subordinate units whose many responsibilities include: field hospital, medical transportation, trauma, surgery, entomology, epidemiology, wellbeing care, dental, psychological and sanitation.
The unit’s Combat Service Identification Badge reflects these changes. The maroon and white diagonal split signifies the unit’s transition from a Group to a Battalion, and the maroon and white are the colors of the Army Medical Department. The red cross symbolizes aid and comfort, and the gold border is embodies the aid and comfort given by the medical personnel. The fleur-de-lis on the cross signifies the unit’s heritage of being a collecting company in World War ll.
As a medical group, the 62nd was involved in the Gulf Wars in the 1990s, Operation Restore Hope in Somalia from December, 1992 to May, 1993, where it was awarded a Meritorious Achievement Commdndation thus living up to its motto: “Proud and Steadfast”.
When the unit was reorganized and redesignated as a Medical Brigade from a Medical Group on October 16, 2001, its duties were expanded again as it is now in charge of command and control of all medial forces and operations in a theater. Its duties now included: organize, train, equip, and deploy medical forces in support of global contingencies. It also responsible to provide full health protection services in support of forces engaged in any operations and often times civillians in the region.
Related Items
62nd Medical Brigade Patch (SSI)
62nd Medical Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)