Warren L. Carpenter (August 12, 1931 in Little Rock, Arkansas – July 7, 2003 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the Air Force,[1] including serving as the Department of Defense's Chief Medical Officer for military space shuttle missions,[2] flying 297 combat hours,[2] serving as one of six Residents in Aerospace Medicine selected to fly on medical evacuation aircraft to bring home the U.S. prisoners-of-war from North Viet Nam on the final repatriation leg of Operation Homecoming,[2][3][4] and earning six Service awards for marksmanship.

[6] Carpenter attended Virginia Military Institute from 1950–1952 and briefly in 1953,[5][7] with an interruption in his education to serve an active duty tour in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.

[5] In 1965, he received his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences[4] and interned at St. Vincent's Infirmary, then entered private practice in Little Rock.

During the Vietnam War, Dr. Carpenter served as Chief of Aeromedical Services at the 11th USAF Hospital, U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand from August 1968-August 1969.

[5] In 1973, he was one of five Residents in Aerospace Medicine selected to fly on medical evacuation aircraft to bring home the U.S. prisoners-of-war from North Viet Nam on the final repatriation leg of Operation Homecoming.