Hughston Clinic orthopaedic surgeon Carlton G. Savory, MD, FACS, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009 in Columbus, Ga. The special ceremony honoring Dr. Savory and 10 other inductees was held in the Bill Heard Theatre at the Rivercenter for the Performing Arts.

     Dr. Savory was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame for more than 44 years of outstanding contributions to the United States as a Ranger leader and as a military and civilian orthopaedic surgeon. Dr. Savory graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1967 and was commissioned in the Infantry. Volunteering for the Vietnam War, Dr. Savory served in the 173rd Airborne as a Platoon Leader and with Company C Rangers as a Patrol Platoon Leader and operations officer where he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge. He later served in Germany as a Battalion Operations Officer with the 3rd Armored Division. He is Airborne, Ranger, Pathfinder and Flight Surgeon qualified.

     Dr. Savory graduated with honors from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 1974. Subsequently, he completed his Residency, Surgical Internship, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency, and Orthopaedic Fellowship.

      From 1979 to 1982, Dr. Savory served as the Chief of Orthopaedics at Womack Army Hospital in Fort Bragg, N.C. During this time, he was also the first Delta Force surgeon with the 1st Special Forces Operational Attachment. From 1980 to 1982, Dr. Savory served as the first JSOC surgeon for the Joint Special Operations Command. When he was tasked with establishing medical support for Delta Force, Dr. Savory developed the Forward Surgical Team, a concept that is now Army doctrine.

      In April 1980, Dr. Savory was on the Delta Force team that attempted to rescue 52 American hostages from the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. 

     Dr. Savory was the medical advisor to the Long Commission during the investigation of the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. He also served on the Vessey Commission to North Vietnam concerning MIA/POW issues. His several visits to North Vietnam contributed to the normalization of relations between the country and the United States. Dr. Savorys exemplary service has included his participation in many of the defining military, medical and civilian issues in the last 44 years.

     In 1990, Dr. Savory was part of a Presidential recall to active duty in support of the first Gulf War. During the invasion of Iraq, he was assigned to and supported the 274th Forward Airborne Surgical Team attached to the First Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division. 

      Dr. Savory continues to practice orthopaedic surgery at the Hughston Clinic where he has been for 22 years. 

     The Ranger Training Brigade and the 75th Ranger Regiment inducted the following 2009 class into the Ranger Hall of Fame: James J. Altieri, William T. Anton, Keith P. Antonia, A.J. "Bo" Baker, Alford M. Bukaty, Edwin L. Dean, Russell E. Dodge, Robert P. Gary, Steven J. Murphy, James B. Peake and Carlton G. Savory.

     Rangers have honored their own since 1992 to preserve the spirit and contributions of America's most extraordinary Rangers. Inductees are selected impartially from Ranger units and associations representing each era of Ranger history. Each nominee was subjected to the scrutiny of a selection board to ensure that the most extraordinary contributions are acknowledged. The photos and citations of the individuals inducted will be preserved in the Ranger Hall of Fame located at the Ranger Training Brigade headquarters at Fort Benning.