Qustion For you Vietnam Vets.

[BOOGIEMAN44]

I Thank All Who Came Be For Me, Went With Me And Those Who Came After Me. What Can Any One Say About The Navy Corpsman But You Gotta Love Them, There Always There To Patch Your But Up.

[ed kostiuk]

Actually the Navy Corpsman pre-dates all of us. During WW II they served right beside my Uncle an Island Hopper from Okinawa to Iwo Jima and all the small islands in between.

During the Korean conflict, many of my training NCO/SNCO were combat veterans from that era and told me the stories of Navy Corpsman who sacrificed so much to bring them home alive.

My generation saw many of them die right along side our buddies in Vietnam. These gents were brave and never flinched during their struggles to rescue us. Under intense enemy fire these “fellow Marines” would crawl out from a protected area to grab a wounded Marine and drag him to safety.

As a young enlisted Marine I would witness the Navy Corpsman get a standing ovation during our Birthday Ball when they were introduced. Mostly the older Marines (the Korean Vets) remembered how they saved their ass during intense firefights. Many of us during the later part of Vietnam also would “applaud” those gentlemen for their courage under fire.

During the early to mid 80’s the standing ovation’s ceased since most of the Corps was made up of Non-Combat veterans. Again, we saw their heroism during the 1st Gulf War and it brought back the faith that many us remember from Vietnam.

The Navy Corpsman continue to play a vital role in the Marine Corps and when you see one please remember they have saved many a Marines Ass over the years.

While I have the floor I would like to say a special prayer to all the WW II vets whom I had the honor of serving under. As Marines you should also remember the “forgotten War” (Korea) Marines. Recently I have received e-mails to attend more and more of their funerals. Some of my Vietnam piers are now starting to pay the ultimate price as well. You young Marines have a tradition and honor to uphold and I would ask you continue to do the work of US Marines.

As you get older you will realize what a true honor it really is to serve in the Corps. If God would grant me one more life, I would be at that recruiter’s office all over again. Two years ago Gunnery Sergeant Britton died of cancer…he was one hell of a Recruiter and one man I will never forget.

In response to your e-mail coming home from Vietnam...it was bad but we held our heads up like true Marines. They refused to rent apartments to us, refused to serve us beer at the local water hole…when I went to purchase my motorcycle they refused to wait on me....but we never showed how much it hurt…..we held our head-up, puffed out our chest with those combat medals and acted like Marines who wore that uniform with pride.

NEVER call a Navy Corpsman a wanna-be to my face. Every combat veteran owes a them total respect.

SEMPER FI

[firefox2]

we are and will always be a marine and we have what no one can ever enjoy we are brothers of an elite force best of the best and no one can take that from us.
i miss my brothers wish i could find them and say hello and lets just spend some time together now and reflect on how great it is to be here and give a prayer to the ones we knew that is not,and will always be remembered in our hearts.
if you was there with me please call check my profile and god bless all of yous and semper fi.
rick