A week ago, President Obama had a very Bush-like gaffe. Three different times in a speech during the National Prayer Breakfast, he made reference to Navy “Corpse-men.” In my mind, this is akin to Bush talking about “nucular” weapons, but I take a special affront to the Commander in Chief not grasping the correct pronunciation of the members of the United States Navy Hospital Corps.
I take special affront because I was one.
Officially established in 1898, the Navy Hospital Corps is unique in that it is the only all-enlisted corps in the United States military. The term Corpsman is used for every member who wears the caduceus, the winged staff with snakes twisted around it that is synonymous with medical care. However, for a select few, they’re just “Doc”.
The Navy Corpsman is, in addition serving Naval personnel, the medical personnel of the United States Marine Corps. Corpsmen often are honored in a manner that no other non-Marine ever is. I, who never had the opportunity to serve with a Marine unit, once had a Marine threaten to kick my butt because I called myself a “squid”. I was no “squid” to him, but a “Doc”. I was to never refer to myself as a mere sailor ever again.
The most famous image of the Marine Corps is, hands down, the flag raising on Mount Suribachi. Pharmacist Mate Second Class John Bradley was serving with the Marine Corps during the invasion of Iwo Jima, and was one of only three men who took part in the flag raising to return to the United States. Bradley is one of the men depicted on the Marine Corps Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Navy Corpsmen are often a special breed. During the campaign on the Soloman Islands in August of 1942, a Corpsman was found dead. On his back, written in blood, was this:
Where angels and Marines fear to tread, there you’ll find a Corpsman dead.
He had treated three Marines and was going after a fourth without ever treating his own wounds. He took intense fire and kept going to save Marines.
Corpsman have been recognized for valor. Twenty-two Medals of Honor have been awarded to Corpsman, as well as 174 Navy Crosses, 946 Silver Stars and 1582 Bronze Stars. Most of the 22 who were awarded the Medal of Honor were awarded it posthumously. It calls for valor “above and beyond the call of duty”. What most get Medals of Honor for, Corpsman do as part of their job. To get that medal, most had to go beyond even their routine valor.
The United States Navy has named 20 ships after Corpsman. That’s the same number of President’s who have had ships named after them (though Presidents have been used on multiple ships). It’s considered one of the greatest honors the Navy can bestow on someone.
Truly, I’m humbled to be one of their numbers. Frankly, I’m a little ashamed at my own accomplishments when I look at what all my brother and sister Corpsman have done. I am nothing compared to these men and women, but I can use what pulpit I have to remind people who they are and what they do.
I think the President of the United States should take the time to learn how to pronounce these brave men and women’s name correctly. In addition to taking care of the United States Marine Corps, they also provide services at Bethesda Naval Medical Center. That’s the same place President Obama gets his medical treatment from.
Funny how that works, ain’t it?
Being the daughter of a retired marine (RIP), I couldn’t agree with you more. I was delivered by a Navy Corpsman in Beaufort, S.C., while my dad was a DI at Parris Island. He always spoke very highly of the Corpsman. I agree with you that it is insulting.
Also, may I personally commend and thank you for your service to this country? Somehow mere words don’t seem adequate, though.
You’re welcome, but frankly I did very little during my time in. I was ready to go, but was never called on to go, so I’m definitely not the guy who really deserves the thanks. There are far to many out there who have given far more than I.
I was an Army grunt. With one very short exception, my term of service did not include a “hot” deployment. We used the term “medic” instead of “corpsman” for our field medical aid guys. But we referred to them by the nickname of “doc” as well. Whenever someone was injured, you knew your brothers would not leave you and doc would come see about you. Someone would yell, “Medic!” and tell you that doc is coming ASAP. Doc always knew what to say. Doc always knew what to do. In peace or war, every grunt has a special place in their hearts for doc. A feeling the President will never understand.
Thanks for the thread, Doc.
Maybe you don’t view it as a deserved thanks, but I certainly do. You said it yourself — you were ready to go. Had duty called, you would have gone. Be proud of that. I realize that some have given the ultimate sacrifice; however, you were willing to do the same. Thank you again for your service.
Cartman, this President will never understand because he doesn’t seem to appreciate all of you that have served and those that are presently serving. Unless you serve or have served (or are related to those who have served), you just don’t understand the feeling of the honor and pride of military service. I thank you for your service as well.
Since it is Black History Month, this post makes me think about a floor statement I wrote for Rep. Hatcher back in the day. Henry O. Flipper from Thomasville was the first Black graduate of West Point but I wrote that he was a Calvary officer rather than Cavalry officer. Congressman said, “What you wrote is the hill where they crucified Jesus. Come on now.” Last month I visited Calvary or Golgotha in Israel (Jeff and Tom, pictures on my blog) and thought about Flipper and Hatcher. Flipper’s brother Joseph S. Flipper was an early bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and president of Morris Brown College.
At ASU, my friends made sure we talked with the guys in our department who didn’t look like us; wouldn’t play someone the way Flipper got play at West Point and during his military service. No one spoke to Flipper outside class for four years.
Come to think about it, I am going to put that old floor statement on my blog because it included Serviceman James Worthy of Albany who fell during the First Gulf War. When the Pentagon called and I had to tell the congressman, that was hard but of course harder on his family. Worthy is a hero and Lincoln was right at Gettysburg about the last full measure of devotion.
http://www.knowsouthernhistory.net/Biographies/Henry_Flipper/
please don’t take this wrong but most of the corpsman that I knew in the Navy seemed a little gay but that doesn’t excuse Obama’s misinterpretation! I think we need a Veteran as President and especially in Congress – that’s why I like Lee Ferrell for Congress – he is a Disabled Veteran who understands how to pronounce “Corps”
Brian,
The fact that you take Lee Ferrell seriously tells me that you’re not one to be taken seriously yourself.
Lee is a Disabled Veteran who ran a shoe string campaign in 2008 and garnered 71,000 votes – a record for a Republican in the 2nd District of Georgia. The man is down to earth and is not a politician; but 71,000 voters took him serious!
Checking back to Sanford Bishop’s race in 2006, I found that Bradley Hughes only got 41,000 votes against Sanford Bishop. Of course, the percentage was the same: 69% for Sanford. Sanford Bishop is doing a very good job of representing working folks. He is unfairly criticized for procedural votes on “Cap and Trade” and “Health Care Reform”. Neither made it into law so no harm no foul.
Many of those 71K were people who were sick and tired of Bishop and would vote for my dog if he was the challenger to Bishop. You also have to throw in the higher than usual turnout due to a particularly contentious Presidential election.
I’ve met Ferrell, and I can tell you without a doubt he is one of the craziest people I have ever met – and I’ve worked with quite a few people with severe mental disorders.
I pesonally think before someone can take pride as serving in the armed forces, they should at least be honorably discharged.
Tom Knighton, your record is questionable. Please come clean to all these folks who you stir up with your muckracking.
I was honorably discharged, but thanks for playing.
My employment with a defense contractor was dependent on an honorable discharge, as a matter of fact.
I wanted to add, for the record, while I post using my real name, this “noteaforme” is posting under an alias. Why would that be? Could they have something to hide? If I had anything other than an honorable discharge, I wouldn’t have my current job. I couldn’t have gone to school under the G.I. Bill. I couldn’t have enlisted in the Georgia State Defense Force. I couldn’t have joined the American Legion.
And yet, anyone can come on here and post an attack with no evidence to support their accusation. Honestly, it’s pathetic.
At ease Tom. Don’t feed the troll.
I am terribly sorry for “noteaform’s” post. Very tacky and he/she should be ashamed of themselves. As I mentioned to you before, I am most appreciative for your service, and everyone else who serves. I wonder how long and in what branch “noteaforme” served?
You could say that I hide behind a screen as well; however, I don’t believe in attacking someone particularly when you have nothing to back up your posts. Note to “noteaforme,” you really aren’t all that well hidden — the ISP address can give you away.
There’s a difference between hiding behind a screen and simply using an alias. Hiding behind the screen is when you hide your identity simply because you want to stir something up, which this individual did.