Brigadier General Fredrick W. Plugge IV Distinguished Surgical Lecture honors General Plugge who was born in Washington DC in January 1932 and who died 27 October 2010. He had a long and illustrious Air Force career having served as President of the Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons (SAFCS). Also, he was one of the first members of the Faculty in the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1976 and he served through the academic ranks retiring as one of very few Emeritus Professors in 2004. This Lecture developed from the long friendship General Plugge had with the first Chairman of Surgery at USUHS, Norman Rich, and was supported by the second Chairman, David Burris. The emphasis remains to share reports between the SAFCS and USUHS/Surgery.
General Plugge was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and he received his Medical Degree from the University of Maryland. His surgical training was at the University of Maryland and Yale University. During his residency he served as a reserve officer with the Air Force Reserve 628th Hospital in Baltimore. He entered in active duty in the Air Force in 1962 and he had multiple overseas assignments in England and Germany. It was during his assignment at Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Center, Andrews AFB, Maryland that he became involved with USUHS. General Plugge commanded the David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis AFB, California. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1987 and he served as Command Surgeon, U.S. Transportation Command and Military Airlift Command, Scott AFB, Illinois. He provided support for three real world contingencies: Hurricane Hugo Disaster Operations, Operation Just Cause, and Desert Shield and Desert Storm. General Plugge retired from the Air Force in 1991. His military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal. Academically, Dr. Plugge was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, the American College of Surgeons, the Royal Society of Medicine (London) and the USU Surgical Associates. He remained a loyal supporter of the USUHS Surgical activities for more than 30 years and his contributions provide the legacy of his lecture.