CORPSMAN UP!

What makes me look back to things I did 25 years ago and feel so proud and good about myself?  When I read this column on Military.com last night, I was reminded of the guy in the picture below.  Sure as hell looks nothing like me now. In a ville on Green Beach, Luzon, Republic of the Phillipines.  One of the few pictures not lost by transfers/moves and time.

 

from the Marine Corps News Service

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan  — Not every battle can be won. Not every Marine comes out of the fight unscathed. When a Marine finds one of his brethren down on the battlefield, he lets loose a call that has been sounded for decades. "Corpsman up!"

It was no different for two Navy corpsmen with 3rd Medical Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, who were awarded medals Monday for their actions while deployed with Marines in Afghanistan.

Hospitalman Russel Crabb, a corpsman with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Medical Bn., received a Navy Achievement Medal with a combat distinguishing device for his quick reaction following an improvised explosive device attack.

Hospitalman Michael Bergeron, a corpsman with Company C, 3rd Medical Bn., was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his efforts to provide medical services to Coalition and Afghan forces while attached to an embedded training team during combat operations.

Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph, which depicts five Marines and a corpsman working together to raise a flag on Iwo Jima, captures the spirit and bond that forms between the corpsmen and Marines in combat.

Bergeron and Crabb see their awards as a result of that bond, one that begins long before the battlefield.

After completion of recruit training, corpsman move on to their military occupational school, known as the Naval Hospital Corps School. There, they receive their basic medical training. Unlike most other Naval occupational fields, corpsmen must go to one more school, the Field Medical Service School at Marine Corps Camp Pendleton, Calif or at Camp Lejuene, NC. There, they learn advanced field techniques they can expect to use when embedded with Marines. Skills include communications, land navigation, fighting positions, fire-team movements, patrolling, weapons familiarization and other tactics used in combat.

"This is where we get our first taste of the Marine Corps and what we'll actually be doing out in the field," said Crabb.

The mind set of the Marine Corps begins to take control of the corpsmen in the field service school and continues to grow as they spend day-after-day with the Marines. The relationship growth is mutual among the Marines as well, prodded along by friendly teasing and close-quarters-living.

The bonds remain as the corpsmen move on to their units. However, Crabb says being accepted into a new unit is not always easy.

"Some Marines are hesitant at first, but once you do missions with them, eat with them, break down weapons with them, sleep next to them and hike with them, you just kind of become one of them," Crabb said. "We do what they do as well as the medical stuff so they respect that."

Cpl. Ruben Vasquez, a motor transport operator for the 4th Marine Regiment who was deployed with Bergeron and Crabb said it didn't take long for them to become a part of the Marine brotherhood in Afghanistan.

Working side-by-side produces a transformation in the sailors where Navy blue mixes with Marine Corps green, forging a corpsman of Marines.

"We kind of get corrupted by the Marine Corps, and I like it," Crabb said. "The Marines are so geared towards getting out there and fighting the fight, it gives us a little more ruggedness."

Vasquez said the corpsmen pick up on their new life quickly and sometimes take the lead on the tactical side.

"When they're able to correct us on Marine Corps stuff, like radios and weapons, and at the same time take care of us on the corpsman side, it's impressive," Vasquez said. "We grow with them, because we share experiences and emotions with them."

While in the field, corpsmen are essentially Marines as they patrol, engage in fire fights, clean weapons and do all the things the Marines do on an everyday basis. The difference is the additional care the corpsmen provide for the Marines they fight with.

"While in Afghanistan, we provided medical aid to Marines, Afghan Army, coalition forces and Afghan locals and detainees," Crabb said. "We were doing what Marines do until someone was in medical need."

In combat situations, corpsmen are life-savers, and at the same time can be life-takers. They take and return fire. But most importantly, they listen for the words, "corpsman up."

"My mind set is on the patrol and if a situation occurs and medical assistance is needed you just switch modes," Crabb said.

"We had an IED go off, and Bergeron just grabbed his bag and took off," said Vasquez. "It's things like that, which show the closeness we have out there,"

During combat, a corpsman becomes not just a "doc," but a brother as well.

"If someone is shooting at my Marines I'm going to shoot right back at them," Crabb said. "That's like shooting my family members."

Being a corpsman is arguably the most dangerous job in the Navy, and is by far the most decorated occupation specialty. More than 20 Medals of Honor were awarded to Navy corpsman for actions during battles such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Whether it's in the jungles of Vietnam or Okinawa, the deserts of Iraq or the mountains of Afghanistan, at least one thing has remained the same. Marines know who to call on when they need help in garrison or on the battlefield.

"Having a corpsman is a relief," said Vasquez. "I don't have one doubt in my mind that any of them would've taken care of me no matter what was going on."

Comments

[Chris]

That's a great shot Hank.

[Doc Bo]

I'd like to share with you my recent communication with the Marine Corps Museum. First, I have visited the Museum several times over the last few years and always come away with a feeling of sadness because Corpsman, I feel along with a few of my Marine buddies, are under represented there. My last visit I left a "Comment Card" with this feeling. This is the Museums response via an email and then my response.

----- Original Message ----
From: Sullivan CIV Robert J
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, June 27, 2011 10:43:28 AM
Subject: YOUR COMMENT CARD

Dear Mr Bobele,
I'm sorry your recent trip to the National Museum of the Marine Corps was
not as exciting as it should have been. We do in fact recognize US Navy
Hospital Corpsmen in our museum. Here are but a few examples:

-World War I Gallery: the film in the immersive exhibit shows Marines
crossing the wheat field into German machine gun positions. In one dramatic
scene, the Marine Lieutenant is hit by shrapnel from an exploding shell, the
Gunnery Sgt yells for the Corpsman, and the Corpsman runs to the fallen
Lieutenant.

-World War II Gallery: at the entrance to the gallery in the large glass
exhibit case are two static cast figures, a wounded Marine on a stretcher and a
Corpsman administering first aid to him. In the Iwo Jima exhibit, the USN
insignias on the panel near the Iwo flag represent Navy losses to include
Corpsmen. Lastly, Doc Bradley is included in the photo of the 2d flag raising.

-Korean War Gallery: the immersive exhibit shows Capt Barber's grunt company
holding their position against heavy Chinese attackers near the Frozen Chosin, a
cast figure of Capt Barber is shown, wounded in the thigh being treated by
another cast figure of a Corpsman.

-Vietnam Gallery: two areas, in the film of the Operation Box Score
(located in the hut behind the dog), "Doc" Steve Thompson is featured in film
(received Silver Star) and in an exhibit on Navy-Marine Team, images of Corpsmen
are included.

-Legacy Walk (timeline) Gallery: included in the Medal of Honor kiosk are
those USN Hospital Corpsmen who while serving with Marines received the Medal of
Honor. The kiosk includes the photo, award citation and bio of the awardee.

I'm sure if I searched the 1600 images in the museum's galleries, I could
locate additional images of Corpsmen doing their duty with great heroism.

Please visit us again and look for the above instances where the museum
recognizes their "Docs" performing in every clime and place.

Sincerely,
Bob Sullivan
Head, Curatorial Services

This is my response:

Dear Mr. Sullivan;

I am compelled to answer your recent response to my comment card. I live in
Orlando and on a recent trip to D.C. I took my family to see the Iwo Jima
memorial near Arlington National Cemetery. While there, I discussed the statue
with a small group next to us, as I was explaining things to my son. Part of the
discussion was I trying to clarify that there was 1 Navy Corpsman (an integral
part of the Marine Corps) in the group of 6 men raising the flag. One person
said “it is ridiculous to state that a Sailor is in the Marine Corps statue.” I
tried to explain but it was to no avail. My wife finally pulled me away saying
that maybe they would “Google” my details. This upset me.

A Marine rifle platoon usually consists of 13 men and 2 Corpsmen. In Vietnam, I
do not remember our platoon ever having a full complement of Marines.

1 of 6 or 2 of 15 men, we are an integral part of the Marine Corps.

Can you honestly say that Corpsmen are given equivalent merit at the Museum? I
do not think so! Ask Combat Corporals what they think of their Corpsmen.

I request that you spend a few moments reading the Corpsmen page at Vietnam 2/1
Regimental website:
http://libertyyes.homestead.com/Corpsman.html

So that you better know me, see my page at:

http://libertyyes.homestead.com/Corpsman4.html

During Vietnam, Corpsmen received more meritorious awards, including four Medals
of Honor plus the highest W.I.A and K.I.A’s than any other rating (M..O.S.) in
the entire Navy. Three guesses as to why.

I do not want to answer each one of your examples of Corpsmen currently at the
Museum except for one. Your statement “Lastly, Doc Bradley is included in the
photo of the 2d flag raising.” This makes my point. Show me where this is
explained (that Doc Bradley was a Corpsman) to the average person viewing this
display. The Flag that flew that day is a part of the TRUE symbol

of the Corps; however, it is given more prominence than the men who raised it …
and one was a Navy Corpsman!

"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

I'm curious to hear your feeling about this subject.

Semper Fi

Ron Bobele Doc Bo
Echo 2/1, 1969
1st Med Batt, 1970

Orlando, Fl