1944: The new Public Health Service Act lifts limitations on promotions and pharmacists can now be promoted to the director grade (O-6, the equivalent of the rank of Captain). The Public Health Service has formal designations within the Commissioned Corps, but according to tradition when referring to commissioned officers, they are referred to by the equivalent U.S. Navy rank. Reference

1945: Penicillin, resurrected for study by Howard Florey and his team at Oxford and the focus of a major collaborative development endeavor in the U. S. and U. K. during World War II, becomes widely available. Reference 1 / Reference 2

1946: The establishment of Center for Disease Control and Prevention in a small building in Atlanta, Georgia, “With the main focus of fighting malaria by killing mosquitoes.” Reference

1947: George F. Archambault becomes the first commissioned pharmacist appointed as pharmacy branch chief of Public Health Service Division of Hospitals (1947 – 1965). He is later appointed pharmacy liaison to the Surgeon General—a position that is currently called the Chief Pharmacy Officer. Reference

1947: There are 32 pharmacists in the Commissioned Corps, 17 in the Regular Corps and 15 in the Reserve Corps of the United States Public Health Service. Reference

1947: Raymond Kinsey becomes the first Public Health Service pharmacist to attain the rank of Pharmacy Director (Captain/O-6). Reference