▁almost ▁immediately , ▁but ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁invasion ▁force ▁did ▁not ▁material ize ▁until ▁early ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 5 ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Head quarters ▁Al lied ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁( SH AE F ) ▁was ▁created ▁with ▁the ▁mission ▁to ▁in va de ▁Europe ▁and ▁destroy ▁the ▁German ▁armed ▁forces . ▁ ▁Re ports ▁from ▁Europe ▁indicated ▁that ▁the ▁public ▁health ▁situation ▁was ▁dire , ▁and ▁that ▁prompt ▁action ▁was ▁imper ative . ▁ ▁A ▁highly ▁qualified ▁medical ▁officer ▁was ▁needed ▁to ▁direct ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Affairs ▁Branch ▁( G - 5 ) ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁headquarters . ▁ ▁Because ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁senior ▁Army ▁medical ▁officers ▁with ▁compet ence ▁in ▁this ▁field ▁were ▁already ▁holding ▁highly ▁important ▁positions , ▁the ▁Army ▁turned ▁to ▁Dr . ▁Par ran , ▁the ▁Sur geon ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Service , ▁who ▁agreed ▁to ▁release ▁his ▁deput y , ▁Dr . ▁Dra per , ▁for ▁assignment ▁to ▁S HA EF . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Dra per ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁General ▁D w ight ▁Eisen h ower ' s ▁staff ▁as ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Branch ▁and ▁the ▁top ▁public ▁health ▁advis er ▁for ▁S HA EF ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁brig ad ier ▁general . ▁ ▁He ▁reported ▁with ▁his ▁new ▁assistant , ▁Colonel ▁William ▁Wilson , ▁to ▁London ▁on ▁May ▁ 8