Happy Birthday Navy Hospital Corps

Celebrating the history and heritage of military tradition is important to all branches of the armed forces. The following speech was given at a 106th birthday celebration of the Navy Hospital Corps by Lieutenant General Wallace C. Gregson, Jr. who currently serves as the Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific/Commander, Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific/ Commander. It's an excellent overview of why Marines hold Navy Corpsman in high esteem.

Good evening. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here with you tonight as we celebrate the 106th birthday of the Navy Hospital Corps. Thank you for allowing me to share in this auspicious occasion, and for allowing me a few moments to speak to you tonight.

The Navy and Marine Corps share a long history – and we each have a rather checkered heritage. The Marine Corps was founded in a bar, and we've been fighting ever since. An itinerant Scottish sea captain, on the run from the British, founded the Navy. Our first medical and dental personnel were drawn from those aboard ship deemed unsuitable for other shipboard tasks.

In spite of these humble beginnings, the respect for corpsmen is evident throughout the sea services.

On April 6th of this year, Hospitalman 3rd Class Fernando Mendezaceves was serving with the 3rd Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. After completing a patrol, the platoon was returning to their base when they were ambushed and their small convoy of Humvees was split up by heavy small-arms fire. Mendez' Humvee came under particularly deadly fire, and by the time the remaining Marines had beaten back the ambush, it was too late for all but one Marine from that vehicle.
HM3 Mendez' body was found alongside that of the 3rd Platoon's platoon sergeant. By all accounts, it appeared that this brave Corpsman died trying to treat the mortally wounded staff sergeant.

I'd like to ask you all to please stand and join me in observing a moment of silence in memory of 27-year old Hospitalman 3rd Class Fernando Mendezaceves of Ponce, Puerto Rico; killed in action April 6, 2004, in Iraq, while trying to save the life of a Marine.

Thank you.

I'm going to try to be brief tonight; after all, you're here to celebrate more than 100 years of history, tradition and service, not listen to me ramble on.

In that one hundred plus-year history, the Navy Hospital Corps has seen more than its share of heroes. It was 205 years ago, in 1799, that Congress recognized that the Navy needed to care for the sick and injured, and made provisions to assign surgeons to Naval vessels. Some 15 years later, Navy regulations first referred to the "loblolly boy," who served the ship's surgeon and surgeon's mate. In 1843, that position became known as the "surgeon's steward."

In 1863, the Navy Department began allowing the deployment of male nurses, and in 1866 they added the requirement for an apothecary, or pharmacist. In 1873, the designation was changed from steward to "baymen."

It finally took an act of Congress on June 17, 1898, to officially create the Navy Hospital Corps we know today, and establish the Hospital rating.

During the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, Hospital Apprentice Robert Stanley became the first member of the Hospital Corps to receive the Medal of Honor. Three other Sailors were likewise awarded Medals of Honor prior to World War I. During the first World War, there were 94 officers and some 16,000 enlisted men in the Hospital Corps. Of them, 15 corpsmen were killed in action, and another 146 were wounded or gassed. There were two Medals of Honor and 55 Navy Crosses awarded to corpsmen in that conflict.

The Hospital Corps continued to distinguish itself during the second World War, with seven enlisted Corpsmen receiving the Medal of Honor, while other members of the Hospital Corps received 820 major awards and citations, including Navy Crosses, and Silver and Bronze Stars.

What makes these awards for valor so unique is that they went to men who did not bear arms – their only purpose was to save the lives of their fellow Sailors and Marines.

One of the most visible examples of the Hospital Corps' service with the Marines in combat is indelibly burned into our nation's vision. Often cited as the most recognized picture in history, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured Pharmacist's Mate John Bradley and five Marines raising the United States' flag over Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, on February 22, 1945. If you didn't know which of the six was Bradley, you'd be hard pressed to tell which wasn't a Marine. This photograph captures in an instant the unbreakable bond our two services share.

In 1944, a new chapter was added to this growing history, when women were first allowed to serve in the Hospital Corps. The "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service," the WAVES, joined the ranks of the Hospital Corps that year as 230 women reported for training at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Four years later, they were fully integrated as a regular part of the United States Navy.

Also in 1948, the ratings were created for the Dental Division of the Hospital Corps, and the red cross logo was replaced with the caduceus still in use today.

The 1950's saw America facing down Communism on the Korean Peninsula, and once again, Navy Corpsmen were more than up to the task.

During the Inchon-Seoul Campaign, corpsmen attached to the First Marine Division cared for nearly three thousand casualties during just three weeks of September and October of 1950. Corpsmen serving on Hospital ships treated more than 20,000 battlefield casualties, 30,000 non-battle casualties, and another 80,000 outpatients. Side-by-side with the Marines throughout the Korean War, Navy Corpsmen accounted for five of seven Medals of Honor bestowed upon Navy personnel during that conflict.

Corpsmen once again answered their nation's call throughout Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. This was a truly bloody time for the Hospital Corps, as 620 corpsmen were killed, and another 3,353 were wounded in action. This time around, Corpsmen accounted for an astounding 3 Medals of Honor, 29 Navy Crosses, 127 Silver Stars, 290 Bronze Stars, and more than 4,500 Purple Hearts.

Since the fall of Saigon some 29 years ago, hospital corpsmen have continued to serve with honor and distinction. Among the more than 200 killed in October of 1983 in the bombing of the Marine Barracks, Beirut, Lebanon, were 15 corpsmen.

In Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, more than six thousand active duty Sailors deployed to provide medical support to coalition forces. More than 10,000 additional naval medical reservists were called to active duty to support the war effort. Of these more than 16,000 corpsmen, nearly six thousand served side-by-side with Marines. All told, they treated more than 32,000 patients, including coalition forces, enemy prisoners-of-war, and Kuwaiti refugees.

Once again, our nation is fighting the enemies of peace and freedom, and once again, the Navy Hospital Corps has risen to the considerable challenge of caring for the ill and injured. More than 8,000 Navy corpsmen participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom during late 2003 and early 2004. Three of them, HM3 Michael Johnson, HM3 David Moreno, and Hospitalman Joshua McIntosh made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our great nation.

Two Sailors were also honored with the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for heroic action while serving with Marines. HM2 Alan Dementer was with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines last March when the Command Operations Center came under intense attack near An Nassariyah. Wounded himself, Dementer scaled a wall to reach six wounded Marines.

After stabilizing their condition, and with disregard for his own injuries, he directed the movement of these men back over that same wall and to safety. His courage under fire that day led to the treatment and safe evacuation of 31 Marines.

HM3 Kenneth Ball was assigned to 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines during that same time. With complete disregard to his own safety, he moved into a mined area to treat and retrieve a wounded Marine. His efforts stabilized that Marine's condition – were it not for his selfless actions, that Marine would have almost certainly had his foot amputated.

These are only the first of what are certain to be many, many stories of heroism to come out of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as you and your brother and sister corpsmen continue daily to add to your illustrious history.

Today, nearly 2,000 corpsmen are again deployed to the Central Command region in support of ongoing operations there, including some friends of many of you in this room tonight:

HM1 Richard Torres, HM3 James Dill and Hospitalman Jamar Bing are with the 1st Light Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion.

HM3 Joseph Santos and Hospitalman Joseph Collins are with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines.

HM3 Hugh Powell is with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. These are all Hawaii-based Sailors, doing what you do best – caring for and treating our Marines.

Which brings us back full circle to HM3 Mendez. Even in death, he stands a shining example of what it means to be a Navy corpsman, especially those we Marines have the privilege of serving alongside: putting all others before himself, serving selflessly, caring ceaselessly, he goes into harm's way with only one thought: saving the life of his fellow man. He has carried Marines from the battlefield, and has himself been carried reverently by Marines who mourn his passing like that of a brother or sister. We know him simply as "Doc," and we love him.

Thank you all for everything you do for us, for our brothers- and sisters-in-arms, and for our families. We could not do the job we do without you, nor would we ever want to try. Happy Birthday, and Semper Fidelis!

While the Marines have a good-natured rivalry with other branches of the armed forces, they consider the "Docs" assigned to their battalions as equals. Lt. General Gregson commented, "If a Marine gets wounded in combat, the unit continues to go forward. If a corpsman gets wounded all the Marines stop, because you’re not going to go forward without a corpsman. We learn a lot from the corpsman, and it enriches the whole organization. It makes it one cohesive whole."

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June 22, 2004

Guard Duty

Photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Fosco

PFC Christopher M. Brennan, a rifleman with the 1/4 Marines stands post guarding the various MEU vehicles on the well deck of the USS Denver on June 19, guarding the MEU’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, Assault Amphibian Vehicles and Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement or 7-ton trucks.

“It’s my job to make sure no one messes with the vehicles and to make sure Marines have the proper authority to be down here,” the Northville, Mich., native said. “It’s also good practice for us so when we get to Iraq we're used to standing post and our bodies are adjusted to that.”

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Update from the 11th MEU

Here's the latest from on board the USS Belleau Wood and Denver, both en route to to Iraq this summer where they will replace elements of the Army’s 1st Armored Division.

Training as usual continues aboard the USS Belleau Wood. Marines spend their time practicing skills they will need during their tour in Iraq. In one area of the ship, the hangar deck, you can see Marines practicing Marine Corps Martial Arts while young corporals practice sword manual for the Corporals Course. Other Marines practice rapidly changing magazines on their rifles and pistols during immediate action drills and yet others unobtrusively clean their weapons in secluded corners.

Here's a picture of an immediate action drill:

Photo by Cpl. Dick Kotecki

Staff Sgt. Ian W. Bonnell shows Pfc. Jeremy A. Smith, mortarman, what to do with his weapon during an immediate action drill class in the hangar deck on board the USS Belleau Wood.

Immediate action drills, designed to train Marines to reload their magazines quickly and efficiently from any shooting position, are conducted for one hour every day in order for them to maintain their combat skills.

“It’s really designed to take them out of the rifle range mindset and put them in a quick reaction, combat mindset,” said 1st Lt. Lamar D. Breshears, platoon commander.

The update continues:

The ship is a hotbed of activity.

If you climb up topside in the early morning you'll see Marines in body armor jogging around the outskirts of the flight deck while groups of Marines in green on green do calisthenics near CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters and AV8B Harrier jump jets that sit silently on their chained down positions. To you at home all this may sound somewhat strange, but to us it's a daily routine.

Aboard the USS Denver, Marines huddle together learning Arabic during language classes. They shuffle from place to place in full gear with blank-loaded rifles. Their physical training (PT) is no less vigorous, when the ship isn't rocking too much, and the Marines pass their spare time playing card games and bingo.

We will be acclimated to doing strenuous activity in the heat before we even get to the Middle East. Preparing for the mission ahead is a never-ending job.

No matter how much training we do or how busy we are we haven't forgotten our friends and loved ones at home. Happy Father's Day!

And a slightly belated Happy Father's Day to all Marines who are separated from their children as they protect and defend the rest of us.

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A columnist's reaction to The Green Side

Mike North is a columnist for 6 papers in the northwest GA, southeast TN, and northwest AL area. After reading Major Dave Bellon's letters to his father on The Green Side, he wrote a two part editorial. Below is an excerpt from the first installment.

Maj. Bellon writes his Dad regularly. In his letters, we get a glimpse of the conflict not described by the media. In a letter dated April 14, 2004, Bellon writes, “The real story here that the media is ignoring is how brutal the enemy has been on the Fallujans and other locals who have chosen not to fight. I cannot tell you how many reports I have gotten about insurgents threatening civilians at gunpoint telling them that they will be killed if they try to leave the city or do not let the enemy use their land/homes for attacking us. The enemy takes over houses at gunpoint and tries to draw fire hoping that we will kill innocents so they can exploit it.”

He continues, “I could go on and on about the treachery of our enemy here, smuggling weapons in humanitarian rations under Red Crescent banners, moving arms and ammunition via ambulances, bombing civilian vehicles in order to alienate the people from the coalition....However, the worst are reports that these foreign fighters have snipers in the city that engage the women and children as they try to escape the fighting. It sounds too horrific to be true but nothing is off the table to this enemy. Daily, they fire unguided rockets into the city and then get on the mosque loud speakers to blame the US. On, and on and on....”

I wonder if the reporters and writers back home understand how they undermine the efforts of these soldiers and Marines. Do they even care? Their reportage isn’t going unnoticed. Maj. Bellon told his father, “I sincerely doubt that the Marines have passed by a mosque/minaret where they have not taken fire. We return fire and it is the lead story. The hypocrisy and lies are exasperating. Almost as exasperating as some of our own media's seeming eagerness to believe it or at least report it as fact. I can hardly bear to read CNN as it just disappoints me to know when the heroism and suffering of the Marines in that town has been twisted for political agendas.”

The picture painted for us at home by the networks and major market newspapers may be bleak, and our forces are sometimes portrayed as callous and trigger happy. But Maj. Bellon describes a different picture. “Many people have died during this offensive and during the moments when the adrenaline/anger dies down, it is clear that we have an obligation as human beings to spare as many lives as possible. We also have an obligation to encourage the Iraqis to take some responsibility and ownership of their own destiny.”

These do not sound like the words of a man whose sole goal is to kill Arabs, as some critics have stated.

To the contrary, this is a man who along with his fellow Marines, is risking his life to help the Iraqi people help themselves. The Major also believes that a democratic Iraq means a safer America. “There has been so much bantering,” he writes, “over the past two years about whether or not we should be involved in Iraq as ‘it has nothing to do with Terror.’ Nonsense. Terrorism is what is going on right now, today in Iraq. Al Qaeda and other extremist/terrorist organizations are active in Iraq making it their primary battleground.”

The second part will be published next week. It's refreshing to read a columnist who gets it.

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June 21, 2004

"I ain't got time to bleed"

Via Cassandra, here's another day in the life of a Marine. Corporal Billy Wallis was on patrol with the 3/24 Marines, Weapons Company when

Insurgents attacked a squad from the reserve infantry battalion with roadside bombs, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire.

The unit, which provides security for 1st Force Service Support Group here, was patrolling the area around the camp.

The mission was not new. The Marines were familiar with the task and the road; they had traveled down it numerous times on the same kind of mission.

The routine suddenly changed when a homemade bomb exploded next to the lead vehicle, thrusting Weapons Company into its first of two firefights since it arrived here in March.

The bomb blast knocked Wallis, who was manning a grenade launcher mounted on the roof of his humvee, back inside the vehicle.

Unaware of the shrapnel lodged in his face, neck and arm, the 22-year old from Springfield, Mo., popped back up and continued firing grenades at the attackers.

When other Marines told him he was losing blood, he replied, "I ain't got time to bleed."

Wallis, who was also awarded the Purple Heart, insisted he did no more than any other Marine in the fight.

"Everybody out there reacted the same way," he said. "We just did our job."

Well, yes. But most jobs don't involve being shot at with RPGs.

Immediately following the explosion, the Marines darted from their vehicles, took cover behind a house and fired at a nest of insurgents inside two houses about 400 meters away.

When an enemy bullet punctured the helmet of 20-year-old Aurora, Mo., native Lance Cpl. Curtis Hensley, Cinelli, 33, a corpsman from Haverhill, Mass., braved the fusillade and put his own safety aside to bandage the injury before Hensley, with the bullet lodged in his brain, was medically evacuated.

"If it had been one inch lower, there would have been nothing I could do about it," said Cinelli.

Cinelli directed his comrades, who were distracted by Hensley's injury, to keep their focus on suppressing the enemy attack.

He and two others dragged Hensley to a vehicle and rushed him back to the base. After dropping him off at the battalion's medical station, Cinelli "turned around and went right back out there," rejoining the Marines in the fight.

Meanwhile, reinforcements arrived.

One of the company's mobile quick reaction forces was in the vicinity of the patrol and rushed over to assist the ambushed Marines.

Woodward, 25, a squad leader with the reaction force, ordered Smith to move to a position that would enable him to kill insurgents in a nearby field and also put the Marines in place to attack the house from the side.

To accomplish this, Smith, 26, dauntlessly led his four-man team across about 500 meters of farmland with very little cover from enemy fire.

The task wasn't easy, Smith said, adding that the enemy fire was uncharacteristically accurate for insurgents.

"It was getting pretty hairy there for a little while," said the Springfield, Mo., native.

The worst part was slithering on his back across a shallow ditch to reach a nearby berm for cover while enemy rounds impacted all around him and his assistant fire team leader, Lance Cpl. Buckley C. Cain, a 22-year-old also from Springfield.

This firefight resulted in 14 insurgents killed and Purple Hearts for injuries to Lance Cpl. Patrick S. Henderson, Lance Cpl. John K. Tinsley Jr., Lance Cpl. Curtis Hensley, and Corporal Wallis.

Cpl. Zachary D. Smith received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a combat "V". Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Cinelli, Sgt. Jason D. Woodward, Cpl. Billy B. Wallis and Lance Cpl. Cody J. Wilson were all awarded Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, also with the "V."

Thanks, 3/24 - you are amazing!

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Welcome Home, Greyhawk

A warrior is home.

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Another update from the 3/7 - India Company

Here's the latest from India Company - congratulations to those promoted!

Your Marines out here in western Iraq are doing well and continue to do great things all around. This last month was a pretty rough one with a great deal of activity and some difficult losses in our Battalion. Through it all, our Marines have continued to remain focused on the mission at hand and are determined to stay the course.

Operations in our zone have continued to achieve great success and we are preparing ourselves for the long hot days ahead. Things around the camp are right in line with the upcoming summer heat. We have just gotten new living quarters constructed for the Marines that will include brand new air conditioners when finished. Not too many other changes to report with regards to camp life. We certainly will be glad to get home to a regular shower and a little more variety at meal time.

We were fortunate to receive four new NCOs into our company within the past few days. Corporals Smith, Gilbertson, Larsen and Wentworth joined us from Weapons Company 3/1 and are jumping right into the mix of things like true professionals. We are glad to have them aboard and welcome all the assets that they bring to the team. Additionally, 1stLt MacGregor joined the company from Headquarters Company, RCT 7, and has assumed command of 2nd Platoon.

We were able to recognize the achievements of several of our Marines this last month. Lance Corporal Jensen was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his action during an operation that netted several high value targets. PFC Barnett was also awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his contributions to the establishment of the company’s living quarters. We were also fortunate enough to deliver a combat meritorious promotion to now Sergeant Hirz of 2nd Platoon. Congratulations goes out to all these Marines and their families. Job well done!

The company saw a few other Marines promoted over the past few weeks. LCpl Spears and Stansbury from 2nd Platoon were promoted to their present rank this past month. Additionally, LCpl Tristan and LCpl Ordonez of our Headquarter and Service Platoon were also promoted on 1 May. These Marines have received the rank that their performance has indicated for some time now and are to be congratulated.

As always, I want to tell you all how much I appreciate the support that you give to us, while we are deployed. You all provide the foundation for our success. As we run this race marked out for us, we do so under the grace of a loving God and the support of loving families. Thank you all for what you do and who you are. Take care and God bless.

B. W. TIPPETT

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