108th Hospital Corps Birthday Celebration

Hospital Corpsmen in Djibouti Celebrate 108th Birthday
Story Number: NNS060620-09 Release Date: 6/20/2006 1:19:00 PM
By Chief Journalist Robert Palomares, Commander, Joint Task Force Horn of Africa Public Affairs

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti (NNS) -- A small but enthusiastic gathering of hospital corpsmen and their Marines and Sailors gathered in the small chapel aboard Camp Lemonier here June 17 to celebrate the 108th anniversary of the establishment of the Hospital Corpsman rate.

It also was a time to recognize the bond between the corpsmen and Marines and Sailors they care for.

A special bond exists between the corpsman and the Marines they serve with, "and we’re here to celebrate and reinforce that bond," said Marine Col. Gerard W. Fischer, commanding officer of the Marine Corps Forces, Central Command, Djibouti at Camp Lemonier.

"All Marines love their ‘Docs,’" Fischer said. "They give us inspiration and confidence to do our job. During this long war we are currently in, Marines know there are IEDs (improvised explosive devices) waiting, and without the confidence of knowing they are going to be taken care of by you corpsmen, they can’t do the job."

Most times, the corpsmen are right beside the Marines, and if not, they’re in front of the Marines going into battle, Fischer said.

"Just this last week, 54 Marines were injured in fighting in Iraq. And without you with us, we wouldn’t have that sense of confidence we need to do the job," he said. "That’s the real gift you give the Marine Corps and the Navy."

Although the Navy rate was officially established in 1898 when President William McKinley signed the bill into law, the Hospital Corps has been around since 1799, when Congress mandated that all Navy ships provide an area where sick and injured men could be brought an cared for by other crew members.

The Hospital Corps is the most decorated branch of the U.S. Navy and has been on the front lines of every battle in the U.S. history. There have been 22 Medal of Honor award recipients from the Hospital Corps - half of all Medals of Honor awarded to the Department of the Navy. In addition, there have been 174 Navy Crosses, 31 Distinguished Service Medals, 943 Silver Stars, and 1,553 Bronze Stars awarded to Navy Hospital corpsmen, since the establishment of the rate.

As part of the ceremony, the newest Hospital Corpsman Third Class was frocked. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kari McCleaf, of the Camp Lemonier Expeditionary Medical Force, was officially recognized.