Bradley, Alfred E. (Alfred Eugene), 1864-1922

General, U.S. Army Medical Corps; chief surgeon of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I.

Alfred Eugene Bradley (b. Nov. 25, 1864, Jamestown, New York-d. Dec. 17, 1922), U.S. Army officer, graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1887 and entered the Army medical corps the following year. During the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, he served on a hospital ship that traveled to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Gibraltar, Japan, and Hawaii. During World War I, he served in France as First Chief Surgeon with the American Expeditionary Force and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He retired in March 1920 following a long period of illness.

Alfred E. Bradley was born on 25 Nov. 1864 in Jamestown, N.Y. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to a nearby village, Frewsberg. He lived on a farm and was part of a large family. While attending the local school, Bradley won many honors. After graduating, he decided to study medicine and enrolled in Jefferson Medical School. He attended the school for three years, going an extra year to gain more experience as a surgeon. In 1887, he married Letitia Foley. In 1888, Bradley was appointed an assistant surgeon in the army. He moved around and served at forts in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. When the Spanish-American War broke out, Bradley served as major and brigade surgeon of the volunteer forces. Eventually he was discharged from the volunteer army and was promoted to major on the regular list. In the next few years he spent time at Manila, the Philippines, New York, and San Francisco. In 1917, the first World War started and Bradley was appointed chief surgeon of the U.S. forces in Europe. Shortly into his tour, Bradley fell ill with influenza and he later died on 22 Dec. 1922.

Alfred Eugene Bradley (1864-1922) was born in Jamestown, New York. He studied medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia graduating in 1887. That same year he married Letitia M. Follett (1867-1946). They had one son, Follett Bradley, born in 1890 who served in the U.S. Army Air Force and attained the rank of Major General, and a daughter Harriet born in 1893.

Dr. Bradley entered the Army Medical Corps in 1888 as a First Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon at David's Island (Fort Slocum) in New York Harbor. He later served at Fort Omaha, Nebraska and Fort Sully, South Dakota, with temporary duties at the Bellevue Rifle Range and the Sioux uprising at the Rose Bud Indian Agency in South Dakota. In 1893, he achieved the rank of Captain and moved on to commands Fort Custer, Michigan and Fort Yellowstone, Wyoming.