DWalt
Member
Medics from all services are now trained through the same joint services training program here in San Antonio.
Medics and Corpsmen
- Thread starter 7shooter
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model70hunter
Member
A guy i went to high school with was an Army dental tech. No pressure here, right?
In Nam they sent a team of Dentists and techs in to a village to do dental work on the locals. Good publicity.
Their chopper was shot down and attacked. He and the survivors fought off the enemy until gunships came in and saved them. Yep a Dentist and tech fought with M16s and Colt 45s
My older cousin Mike has passed on due to cancer. He was an Air Force medic. He saved several lives and received a commendation. Shortly his chopper was shot down while going in to extract a pilot. He was severely wounded. They all did not make it. He faught like a banshee until some of our military saved them. He was in the hospital for 4 or 5 months and spent 3 months at home till he was declared fit to return to duty. He had 11 months in Nam and was told he would not have to go back. His or gers put him right back in Nam for a year.
They had offered him OCS if he would extend to 6 years active duty. He had told them no. As soon as he hit Nam he reapplied for OCS and spent 20 in and retired.
His sister and I have kept contact. She was super proud of her older brother.
He is a hero in her eyes. I will not break her beliefs. I saved 8 lives at multiple times and was written up in two trade magazines and a news paper. I received our companies 2nd highest life saving award.
I was a reservist but went thru the med tech school. Every thing I learned there saved a life here. I know medics from all branches. They exist similar traits, bravery when needed, they will expose themselves to fire to save someone and will do it everyday.
In Nam they sent a team of Dentists and techs in to a village to do dental work on the locals. Good publicity.
Their chopper was shot down and attacked. He and the survivors fought off the enemy until gunships came in and saved them. Yep a Dentist and tech fought with M16s and Colt 45s
My older cousin Mike has passed on due to cancer. He was an Air Force medic. He saved several lives and received a commendation. Shortly his chopper was shot down while going in to extract a pilot. He was severely wounded. They all did not make it. He faught like a banshee until some of our military saved them. He was in the hospital for 4 or 5 months and spent 3 months at home till he was declared fit to return to duty. He had 11 months in Nam and was told he would not have to go back. His or gers put him right back in Nam for a year.
They had offered him OCS if he would extend to 6 years active duty. He had told them no. As soon as he hit Nam he reapplied for OCS and spent 20 in and retired.
His sister and I have kept contact. She was super proud of her older brother.
He is a hero in her eyes. I will not break her beliefs. I saved 8 lives at multiple times and was written up in two trade magazines and a news paper. I received our companies 2nd highest life saving award.
I was a reservist but went thru the med tech school. Every thing I learned there saved a life here. I know medics from all branches. They exist similar traits, bravery when needed, they will expose themselves to fire to save someone and will do it everyday.
Dennis The B
US Veteran
I knew several Corpsmen when I first went on active duty in the Naval Reserve. My first assignment was in H Company, MCB7. H Company had all the "fleet rates" plus the Engineering Aides. We had deep respect for the Corpsmen, and being in disbursing, we insured the corpsmen and DT's got their paychecks early. By the same token, we got preferential treatment in sick bay for non-emergency treatment.
However, one did not want to cross those guys, since they were wielding very sharp and pointy instruments at times. Since they were battalion corpsmen, they usually just had hypodermics, and not injection guns. One time, a particularly mean equipment operator gave one of the corpsmen a really hard time over his shot record. Seems he thought he didn't need a gamma globulin shot. Long story short, the doc tapped the needle on the stainless steel table, and the combination of the thick GG serum, and the barb, gave the EO a real quick, positive, attitude adjustment.
As to medics/corpsmen in general, it's a MOS/Rate that people must aspire. They have a different calling, and not just anyone can do it. My son is a long-time civilian paramedic, and he would have made a great medic or corpsman.
They sometimes get a bit of a "God complex", similar to doctors. It's a rush when someone doesn't have a pulse or breathing, and the paramedic or corpsman brings them back from death. It's a very heady experience.
However, one did not want to cross those guys, since they were wielding very sharp and pointy instruments at times. Since they were battalion corpsmen, they usually just had hypodermics, and not injection guns. One time, a particularly mean equipment operator gave one of the corpsmen a really hard time over his shot record. Seems he thought he didn't need a gamma globulin shot. Long story short, the doc tapped the needle on the stainless steel table, and the combination of the thick GG serum, and the barb, gave the EO a real quick, positive, attitude adjustment.
As to medics/corpsmen in general, it's a MOS/Rate that people must aspire. They have a different calling, and not just anyone can do it. My son is a long-time civilian paramedic, and he would have made a great medic or corpsman.
They sometimes get a bit of a "God complex", similar to doctors. It's a rush when someone doesn't have a pulse or breathing, and the paramedic or corpsman brings them back from death. It's a very heady experience.
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Top three individuals that walk on water:
1.Jesus
2. Combat Corpsmen/Medic
3. Your backup officer who is responding code 3 before com center repeats your call for assistances
1.Jesus
2. Combat Corpsmen/Medic
3. Your backup officer who is responding code 3 before com center repeats your call for assistances
REM 3200
US Veteran
We all started as combat medics, MOS 910 & 911 -later changed to 91A & 91B. With promotion comes the admin and training role. Supervisory positions follow with more promotions to the SNCO levels.
18 months in country as a flight medic on a Dust-off and as a company medic and finally in the Bn aid station as a Jr NCO.
I would do it all over again if I could.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Most of the Medics I encountered were standing around, usually in the Flight Surgeon's office.
I'm sure these folks would have stepped up if they were sent to a forward location.
Like - met a guy here in town who took 2 - 12.7s in the Central Highlands.
He managed to land -crash his O-1 at a dirt strip.
The Mecics there stabilized him until he could be evacuated to a hospital.
He was in hospitals over a year.
Everywhere he went, everybody said, two fifty caliber bullets is supposed to kill you!
Usually they do. But not always.
The medics were most likely Army.
Not many AF folks at that foward base.
I'm sure these folks would have stepped up if they were sent to a forward location.
Like - met a guy here in town who took 2 - 12.7s in the Central Highlands.
He managed to land -crash his O-1 at a dirt strip.
The Mecics there stabilized him until he could be evacuated to a hospital.
He was in hospitals over a year.
Everywhere he went, everybody said, two fifty caliber bullets is supposed to kill you!
Usually they do. But not always.
The medics were most likely Army.
Not many AF folks at that foward base.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
I read about one USAF paramedic who treated badly wounded men and sent them out in the chopper with no space left for him. He fought alongside the infantry until mortally wounded, treating men as needed and showing great valor. He got the Medal of Honor, alas posthumously.
BTW, a photo taken of him before the mission shows a S&W .38 Victory Model in his holster. He also had an M-16.
Another received the Air Force Cross for great valor. The look on the face of the awarding general was a mixture of admiration and envy.
BTW, a photo taken of him before the mission shows a S&W .38 Victory Model in his holster. He also had an M-16.
Another received the Air Force Cross for great valor. The look on the face of the awarding general was a mixture of admiration and envy.
As the proud dad of an Army E6 Flight Medic, who spent 10 years as a Combat Medic before that, I wholeheartedly agree! When my son first told me he was going to enlist I asked what MOS he was looking at.
Initially he was thinking of being an MP. The recruiter stated that they were in need of medical folks (this was in 2003) and asked my son if he ever considered that arena. At that time it was 91W, changed to 68W (now F added). The rest is history. Three combat deployments, 2 as a Combat Medic in Iraq and 1 as a Flight Medic in Afghanistan, he still loves emergency medicine. He's also licensed as a paramedic in the "outside" world. Taught last year at a paramedic academy administered by one of our large local hospitals.
Ironically my son as a youngster wanted to be a veterinarian but is highly allergic to cats. I told him he needed to be allergic to bullets and things that go boom as well.
Yes he was armed, each time was issued an M9 pistol as well as an M4. He qualified expert with both. On his first deployment he was at CSC Scania assigned to a QRF, second time he was assigned to PSDs at Ramadi.
Also there's a wonderful documentary about the history of Dustoff titled "When I Have Your Wounded". I have a dvd copy but it's on youtube as well.
Initially he was thinking of being an MP. The recruiter stated that they were in need of medical folks (this was in 2003) and asked my son if he ever considered that arena. At that time it was 91W, changed to 68W (now F added). The rest is history. Three combat deployments, 2 as a Combat Medic in Iraq and 1 as a Flight Medic in Afghanistan, he still loves emergency medicine. He's also licensed as a paramedic in the "outside" world. Taught last year at a paramedic academy administered by one of our large local hospitals.
Ironically my son as a youngster wanted to be a veterinarian but is highly allergic to cats. I told him he needed to be allergic to bullets and things that go boom as well.
Yes he was armed, each time was issued an M9 pistol as well as an M4. He qualified expert with both. On his first deployment he was at CSC Scania assigned to a QRF, second time he was assigned to PSDs at Ramadi.
Also there's a wonderful documentary about the history of Dustoff titled "When I Have Your Wounded". I have a dvd copy but it's on youtube as well.
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BTW, are medics ever armed? I read somewhere that some carried pistols in Vietnam and do now, to defend themselves and their patients from our savage enemy.
Texas Star, I'm sure this question would have many answers per time, location, and unit. In 1966 in Chu Lai we were issued sidearms, specifically the Colt 1911. We were classified as "non combatants" but we were permitted to carry any hand gun or shoulder weapon we could acquire. I had numerous weapons but I eventually got my hands on an M-14. Magazines and ammo were readily available for the .45 and for the M-14.
The Army had already been issued M-16s but at that time the Marines were still carrying the M-14 which, in my opinion, was a better, more effective, and more dependable weapon in every way that could be measured.
Texas Star, I'm sure this question would have many answers per time, location, and unit. In 1966 in Chu Lai we were issued sidearms, specifically the Colt 1911. We were classified as "non combatants" but we were permitted to carry any hand gun or shoulder weapon we could acquire. I had numerous weapons but I eventually got my hands on an M-14. Magazines and ammo were readily available for the .45 and for the M-14.
The Army had already been issued M-16s but at that time the Marines were still carrying the M-14 which, in my opinion, was a better, more effective, and more dependable weapon in every way that could be measured.
See my post above yours. My son is issued a M9 pistol in addition to a M4 carbine.
BLACKHAWKNJ
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In WWII medics had a big Red Cross on a white circle on their helmets, and were "supposed" to wear a large white vest with a Red Cross. That made a lovely target, a veteran of the 95th Infantry Division said a Hitler Youth/Volksturm type shot one of their medics-though he was a "Bolshevik".
Years of fighting enemies who don't adhere to the Geneva Conventions has obviously changed things....
Years of fighting enemies who don't adhere to the Geneva Conventions has obviously changed things....
model70hunter
Member
My cousin and the dental tech I went to US with both carried 1911s.
jeffsmith
Member
48 years Later Medic Receives MOH
Medal of Honor recipient recalls harrowing two days under fire | Fox17
Medal of Honor recipient recalls harrowing two days under fire | Fox17
