Corpsmen celebrate 111th year of lifesaving

[thedrifter]

Corpsmen celebrate 111th year of lifesaving

6/19/2009 By Lance Cpl. James W. Clark , II MEF

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines and sailors gathered here, June 17, to celebrate the U.S. Naval Hospital Corps’ 111th Birthday.

The rate of hospital corpsman is the largest rate in the Navy, as well as the most decorated – a total of 23 Medals of Honor have been awarded to corpsmen, most of them posthumously, since the rate was created in 1898.

“Marines are able to charge into combat because we know that corpsmen will run in after us,” said Col. David Fuquea, chief of staff, 2nd Marine Division. “The life saving skills that corpsmen have honed is why Marines are the premiere fighting force.”

Corpsmen are an intrinsic part of any Marine unit and are an invaluable asset on the battlefield.

“Every Marine knows that a doc has his back,” Fuquea the Jamestown, R.I., native said. “Since the founding of the Hospital Corps, our success has been inextricably tied to having corpsmen with us.”

The birthday celebration included a cake cutting ceremony, where a piece of cake was given first to the oldest sailor present - signifying the respect of those who carry the heritage of the rate, and the second was given to the youngest - symbolizing the future of the rate.

The birthday is a celebration in the traditions of the Hospital Corps, which is incredibly important to all corpsmen, said Petty Officer 1st Class Jackson L. Tuggle, (Fleet Marine Force), a corpsman with 2nd Marine Division, who celebrated his 17th Hospital Corps birthday.

“Being the most decorated rate in the Navy means that many corpsmen gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said the Morgan Town, W.Va., native.

All present paid respects to the Hospital Corps and its corpsmen, who time and again risk serious injury and death to bring aid to wounded Marines and sailors.

“The Hospital Corps provided us with someone who will come and try to save you no matter the cost, when you cry out for a corpsman or doc,” said Cmdr. Harry W. Griffith, division chaplain, 2nd Marine Division.

“The Marines of 2nd Marine Division pay tribute to all corpsmen, past, present and future,” Griffith said.

Ellie

[DocGreek]

ELLIE....thank you! Why is it that this morning...I FEEL 111 years old?? HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES FROM ALL THE "DOCS" HERE, ON LEATHERNECK!!!!.....SEMPER FIDELIS....Doc Greek

[thedrifter]

"You guys are the Marine's doctors; There's no better in the business than a Navy Corpsman...." Lieutenant General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, U.S.M.C

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/corpsman.jpg

From the early days of the Republic the Navy has had enlisted medical personnel known variously as “Loblolly Boys”, Surgeons Stewards, Pharmacists Mates and, most recently, Hospital Corpsmen. Established 17JUN1898 by an Act of Congress, the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps is the only wholly enlisted corps in the Navy. The Hospital Corps is the largest rating in the Navy, comprising approximately ten percent of the Navy’s enlisted personnel.

They were originally called Loblolly Boys in Navy records on the 1798 muster roll of USS Constitution. As the requirements of this job expanded, in 1839, the Navy established the Surgeon's Steward Rating, which in turn became Apothecary in 1866. Navy regulations of 1870 refer to the rating as Bayman (possibly sick-bay-man), and in 1898 it became Hospital Steward, in turn becoming Pharmacist's Mate in 1917. After World War II, the name of the rating was changed to Hospital Corpsman.





Corpsmen have distinguished themselves in battle, being awarded 22 Medals of Honor between the Boxer Rebellion and the present:

Hospital Apprentice Robert H. Stanley, USN (Boxer Rebellion)
Hospital Apprentice First Class William Zuiderveld, USN (Veracruz Incursion)
Hospital Apprentice Fred H. McGuire, USN (Philippine Insurrection)
Hospital Steward William S. Shacklette, USN (Boiler Explosion in San Diego)

World War I:

Pharmacist's Mate First Class John H. Balch, USN
Hospital Apprentice First Class David E. Hayden, USN

World War II:

Hospital Apprentice First Class Robert Eugene Bush, USN
Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class William D. Halyburton, Jr., USNR
Hospital Apprentice First Class Fred F. Lester, USN
Pharmacist's Mate First Class Francis J. Pierce, USN
Pharmacist's Mate Second Class George E. Wahlen, USN
Pharmacist's Mate Third Class Jack Williams, USN
Pharmacist's Mate First Class John H. Willis, USN

Korean War:

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Edward C. Benfold, USN
Hospital Corpsman Third Class William R. Charette, USN
Hospitalman Richard D. Dewert, USN
Hospitalman Francis C. Hammond, USN

Vietnam War:

Hospital Corpsman Second Class Donald E. Ballard, USN
Hospital Corpsman Third Class Wayne M. Caron, USN
Hospital Corpsman Third Class Robert R. Ingram, USN
Hospital Corpsman Second Class David R. Ray, USN

In addition, Hospital Corpsmen have been awarded a host of lesser decorations, including 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Army Distinguished Service Crosses, 946 Silver Stars and 1582 Bronze Stars.

Women in the Hospital Corps

Starting in January of 1943, women were permitted to enlist into the Hospital Corps. A year later, the first Hospital Corps School for WAVES was commissioned at the U.S. Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland. The first class consisted of 230 enlisted women. Women in the Hospital Corps had previously been WAVES, or members of the Women’s Reserve, U.S. Naval Reserve. New legislation permitted women to enlist in the Regular Navy, and HM1 Ruth Flora became the first hospital corpsman to do so on 12 July 1948. Women have served in the Hospital Corps ever since in most of the jobs performed by men. Women are assigned to most ships and field medical support units of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). Women are not assigned to submarines, with the SEALs, or some units of the FMF.





In today’s Navy, the Hospital Corps serves in a number of capacities. In hospitals, dispensaries and clinics, Corpsmen serve as nursing assistants on the wards, as laboratory technicians, operating room technicians, x-ray technicians, and in a variety of other roles most medically related but also some administrative in nature. On board ships throughout the Fleet, Corpsmen assist the ship’s surgeon in all manner of ways. Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent duty aboard ships and submarines; Fleet Marine Force, Special Forces and Seabee units, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available. Corpsmen continue to serve with Marines in the Fleet Marine Force. In their second century of service, the Hospital Corps continues to go above and beyond the call of duty both at sea and ashore to prevent and treat illness and injury to members of the Naval Service.

Ellie

HM/3 Vernon Wike, Khe Sanh, 1967 1st Bn. Ninth Marines "Walking Dead"

[DocGreek]

Bill Charette was one of my instructors, at Hospital Corpsman School in San Diego, 66' to 67'.....a very FINE Gentleman. I won't forget you, Bill!....DOC

[MontezumaCpl]

Happy Birthday to all of our Docs! My dad was a FMF Doc!!! D. Perry, former Enlisted FMF Corpsman-Korea, and retired navy officer.

[jennifer]

Happy Birthday to all the Corpsmen attached to any Marine unit!! Oooorah!! Semper Fi!

[thedrifter]

Corpsmen aboard Al Asad celebrate 111 years of saving lives

6/24/2009 By Cpl. Jo Jones , Multi National Force - West
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq



In June 1898, Congress passed a bill that established a hospital corps for enlisted medical personnel in the United States Navy. Since then, Navy corpsmen have been taking care of Marines and sailors, and tending to illnesses and injuries in stateside hospitals and on the battlefield of every major conflict.

One hundred and eleven years later, corpsmen gathered together to celebrate the birthday of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, June 19, 2009.
“Over the past 111 years, sailors of the hospital corps have dedicated and offered their lives for Marines and sailors so that they might live,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Freddie Mawanay, a corpsman with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 and the event coordinator. “It’s also part of our heritage for our hospital corps to be celebrated every year, whether it’s in a combat zone or a garrison situation.”

The sailors started off the celebration recognizing the 22 corpsman Medal of Honor recipients and rendering honors to all the corpsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice in every conflict from World War I to present-day Iraq and Afghanistan. They also heard birthday messages from prominent military members like Vice Adm. Adam M. Robinson Jr., surgeon general of the Navy, and Gen. James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, and listened to guest speaker, Maj. Gen. R.T. Tryon, commanding general of Multi National Force - West.

Tryon offered his respect and gratitude to these medical professionals, affectionately known to Marines as “docs,” for their hard work and dedication.

“I have yet to ever be in a position where a corpsman wasn’t front and center to take care of whatever emergency may have been unfolding,” said Tryon. “It’s greatly appreciated, and it’s a tribute to the core values that we share as a Navy - Marine Corps team – core values of honor, courage and commitment.”

Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Munn, command master chief of MNF-W, cut the birthday cake. As a tradition, Munn presented the first piece to Tryon, the guest of honor, and the second piece to 50-year-old Senior Chief Petty Officer Ruben Dean, the oldest corpsman present. Dean then passed it to 19-year-old Seaman Ryan McAbee, the youngest corpsman present.

McAbee, a corpsman with II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward), has worked with the Marines for about a year and said he has built strong professional and personal relationships by helping them out in times of need.

“[The Marines] trusted in me and my medical knowledge, and they knew that if something were to go wrong, they would be alright,” said McAbee. “Being a corpsman is a very humbling job, knowing that you have the talents and the tools to save lives.”

Ellie

[Danny C Smith]

My 2 best friends are both Docs.
One old enough to be my father.
The other young enough to be my Son
These men are the best.
Semper Fi Doc!

[DocWho]

Ellie and all Devil Dogs,

There are only two birthdays I celebrate: The Hospital Corps and the Marine Corps.

Now retired and disabled - I would never let you Dogs see my pain - I this small town I live in, I was the only 'squid' (to which I will only let a Marine get away with that statement) invited to the Marine Corps Birthday last year at the Legion.

The only thing that I would like to add to the history is that a dozen ships have been named after Corpsmen, one Marine Corps Base (Camp Lester), and the medical clinic at MCRD SD, Johnson Hall.

Since the creation of the Hospital Corps, over 2000 Doc's have given the ultimate sacrifice for 'their' Marines. As much as a Marine has pride in being the best, us "long haired, bearded, Marine-hatin' sailor with a certain medical skills..." (Maj. Dunan, USMC Ret,) have made sure 93% of wounded Marines gotten home. To that, people wonder why I get PO'd when I am called a medic !!! We are the only, solely enlisted Corps in the military. There may have been doctors in my battalions; however, every Marine was MY MARINE and my responsibility. I love you guys!

HM1(FMF), SF-IDC
0311/Doc

[Waveslide]

Happy belated birthday to all of my brothers and sisters!
HM3(FMF) 'Ski 93-99.