Corpsman in Denial!?!?

[redman1]

Morning Robert I do understand both sides
Its amazing how we misunderstand each other sometimes and how post somehow don't turn out to say what you mean.
I was stationed at Camp Smith Hawaii and was inspecting troops and as a Sgt E-5 I wasn't getting respect from anyone that had returned from a tour in Nam because I only had a fire watch ribbon so I volunteered to go to Nam to earn ribbons. I got my wish but never earned a Purple Heart and I'm glad I didn't but if I had I would have taken it and wore it with pride. For a long time I felt guilty that I didn't get wounded or even die in Nam because I felt like I didn't deserve to come home in one piece when others didn't. I'm over it these days because I know I did my job to the best of my ability and was lucky. Again I salute all of you that weren't so lucky.
Thanks to all of you that have earned your Purple Heart and gave your all for our country and the Corps.
I'm sure Doc did his part and earned all his ribbons but I think sometimes his post don't come out like he meant although I can't speak for him.
Doc has a good heart and will do and did anything he could for anyone.
I'm glad we all can speak our mind without getting mad at each other and it helps us learn about each other and the problem we all came back with.
NO WAR IS FUN AND WE ALL STUCK TOGEATHER THEN AND WE ALL SHOULD SITCK TOGEATHER NOW BECAUSE ANY WAR AFFECTS ALL OF US DIFFERENT
Semper Fi Redman

[Phantom Blooper]

I won't get into the debate about the Purple Heart as I don't have one and glad that I didn't receive one.

I will say this though....I had a squad leader SGT that received shrapnel wounds in Beirut to his leg....the corpsman was able to control the bleeding and he didn't need medvac.

He turned down his Purple Heart due to his NOK would be notified and his mother was elderly and he didn't want her to be upset and possibly have a heart attack.

It has been almost 27 years and i have been trying to find him to give him his due.....his mother is probally deceased and the platoon commander,CO,Plt Sgt and corpsman are still living so if we can find him he may receive his just award.

So what I am saying is some people may have reasons for not wanting to pursue something.....the day it happened is still as vivid in my mind and dreams as if it was yesterday....there were more than him that was wounded.....JMO

[fasteropr]

Yo redman, I'm inquisitive; what unit were you with while at Camp Smith? When I returned from Nam in '66 1st ANGLICO had been transferred to Kaneohe. When I was at Smith I thought we were the only Marine unit on the base. The rest were field grade types. As I recall there were certain areas/floors within our barracks,(which were plush comparatively speaking) that were restricted because it was only for top brass. Again just wondering!! Thanx SF Airborne

[Alpha1Devildog]

A grateful nation, and your peers, wish to thank you for your sacrifice. The corpsman that came to assist me, stepped on a land mine and lost both of his limbs, I/we were able to move ourselves to a safer location, and were tended to. We both thought each other had died from our wounds after the copters were finally able to get in to get us out. It was 30 years later when I received a call from our company clerk, and he said someone wants to talk to you. . . . . It was a wonderful reunion.

Despite your feelings about the circumstance in which you found yourself, and your feelings about that situation, you deserve the recognition. Allow for it to happen, and know those that you aided wish to honor you, despite our feelings one way or the other about the war we found ourselves embroiled.

Semper Fi Doc. . . And thank you.

[sfthog]

Also include chaplains like Father Capodanno who died saving Marines.

[Mongoose]

Who in their right Mind would want a Purple Heart "AKA.John Wayne Medal" all our Corpsmen were Dead in the NVA.Bunkers.My surviving Buddies patched Me up the best they could.I almost Bled out,thank God for the Heroics of The Purple Foxes they pulled Me up in a Basket Litter under Heavy Enemy Fire!!! S/F Heres too Ya' Sky Grunts

Jack, sounds like you may have bought it along route 4, at Dodge City. Those damn bunkers were made with railroad ties and rails. think we had close to a hundred wounded and killed if I remember right.

[FistFu68]

Billy out of a T.O.Co. we had 17 Survivors.Those bunkers were in the Area where the River snaked through was an area called the Nook or Hook,it was the Regt.Hdq's of a NVA.Sapper unit.The Bunkers had never been taken by the French,the Japs or whomever made the mistake of wandering in that Area of DODGE CITY.They were made of Railroad Ties,Twisted Steel,Concrete,and covered with 10 ft of Earth.It too us 14 days of Hell and The USS.New Jersey and alot of Airstrikes.It was like our Iwo Jima but the Gooks paid a very Heavy price also We killed all of them and took their Regt.Colors.Fuc we didn't take one Prisoner,We even Killed the Ones that put on Dead Marines Uniforms and tried sneaking through Us.It was Like We went Too Hell and came out the other Side.S/F Your Brother Marine Jack

[Mongoose]

Jack, it was called the Hook I think. We took those bunkers a few feet at a time. Damn machinegun fire was horrifing. Constant rain, mud up to our ass. Hell of a Thanksgiving wasnt it? S/F MARINE BROTHER

[Quinbo]

This thread seems to have lost me a few brownie points so I feel it should be redressed and hopefully put to sleep. There is no reason for anyone to angrilly pull up stakes and I hope that none have done it over this.

A while back Doc G proudly displayed and claimed 5 purple hearts as well as a Navy and Marine Corps medal among other things. He rescinded that claim but later lamented that although he had put in a claim he did not have a purple heart listed on his DD-215 or DD-214. Wanted one very badly but was unable to provide any substantive evidence that he rated one, such as actual wounds inflicted by the enemy, med evac reports or anything else.

Now it is a story about rating a purple heart but the only reason he doesn't have one is he turned it down. Maybe the reason he doesn't have 5 is he turned all of them down.

I apologize to all that I tend to throw up the BS flag a little pre-maturely at times.

Montana if this this is the thread that caused you to cash in your chips then I also personnally apologize to you.

[bootlace15]

I don't understand.........DocGreek " Besides me,2 other docs REFUSED their Purple Hearts..."OUT OF SHAME." Being in the wrong place,at the right time,got us hurt. Well you get the idea."

I thought if you were a Corpman anywhere you are with a Marine is the right place all the time. No one knows when they will need you,or you will need him/her.

Not excepting the Purple Heart out of SHAME? WTF? It means you drew blood while in a combat situation for your COUNTRY. Those that think its for being an individual in the wrong place at the right time are wrong.

[buggoffextco]

Doc, using your line of reasoning about refusing the PH for wounds received while doing your job just sounds odd. The PH is awarded to everyone else wounded doing their job and you would be as deserving as they. God Bless you and all the corpsman who have served and saved just don't trivialize what you all did and do. I was fortunate to have not served when anyone was shooting at us hence I can't relate to the horrors of war like you and the other combat vets, but in my way of thinking, it takes an extraordinary man to leave cover to go to the aid of another in the face of fire.

[montana]

i was wia three times....i got 1 heart and only because a pice of shrapnel enterd between my left eye and my my eye swelled shut....im left handed and it interfeared with my ability to see the sights on my m14.....as i was walking point at the time i figured i needed to do that so went to the corpsman...Doc Andy Anderson...who sent me to the rear to make sure i wouldnt loose my eye....the other two times there were Bros who were wounded in lots wores shape the me.....just a few peases of shrapnel found me....werent nothing ti interfear with my job....was told later by Corpsman that i should of let them know and got the heart......didnt feel they were earned...i still had my arms legs ect ect...so didnt feel in the same catagory as those who were less fortunet.....only one Corpsman that i know of that i didnt feel earned his heart....after being breafed about boobytraps and old fighting holes.....shortly after third plt B 1/7 moved into an old location....the Corpsman walked strait to the center and jumped into the CP fox hole.....moste everyone in 3rd lost their eardrums....cant remember how many lost their lives....wasnt much left of the Doc...he was everywhere.....only reason more werent KIA was because most were bent over takeing off their gear...and getting ready to probe the old fighting holes for boobytraps...Doc found it...may he rest in peace

[montana]

hey ker my brother....i was like you, just tellin it ilke it was for me and my thoughts...same as you....no hard feeling towards you and no need to apoligise for sayin it strate as you see it.....i like your strate forwordness....and no hand for bs....hang in there bro....and be safe

[SlingerDun]

Accept the purple heart, it's not a food stamp, it's an award. If the injury(s) that seemed like nothing more than a blemish 50 years or 5 months ago someday returns to nag at you? Well, you all got some VA explaining to do

--->Dave

[montana]

lol slinger....every time they take Xrays of me they see the shiny little proofs in several parts of my anatomy....wish now back then i would of spoke up....could of gone home sooner....whos to say how the brain of a 19/20 year old works in such places....just didnt feel a few peaces of shrapnel rated the same as missing parts