What kind of man is this?

What kind of man would volunteer to put himself in harm’s way? What kind of man would put the safety and well-being of his comrades above that of his own? What kind of man plays the ultimate game of tag with Old Man Death? 

When others seek cover from an enemy fusillade, what kind of man will continually expose himself to murderous fire to minister to fallen comrades? Marines need to consider this fleetingly because in our hearts, we already know the answer. It can only be a Corpsman! 

When asked why he would do such a thing, to a man they will answer, “It was my job.”

Well, we all had jobs to do over there. But it took extraordinary circumstances to make us leave the safety of our rice paddy dikes or the high berm shielding us from a rain of death. Corpsmen did it as an automatic response born from an inner drive that is still a mystery to their Marines.

Whatever sense of duty drove them, Corpsmen raced daringly over open spaces in free fields of fire to shield wounded men from further injury and to treat wounds already received. Sadly, many grievously wounded Marines were too far gone when he got there. Even then, he would not abandon them. He stayed with his Marine to the very end, even when all he could do was hold a hand or speak comforting words to ease a passage to the dark side.

So many of us owe our lives to the Combat Corpsman. And all of us, to a man, respect and honor them.

2/1 is blessed with many such men. Nothing could separate them from their Marines and true to their tradition, they have stayed with us to this day to celebrate the brotherhood born of war.

We are proud of our Combat Corpsmen, and dedicate this page in their honor.

Memorial Sculpture To Navy Hospital Corpsman Who

Served With The Fleet Marine Forces In The Lobby of

The Naval Hospital Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.