The Real Heroes
The mortar shell lobs its way in;
It lands with its usual thud.
The crack of a sniper’s rifle,
Makes you wish you were buried in mud.
The exploding shell does it damage;
The Marine in the sniper’s sights lies shot.
Suddenly, frantically, the call goes out,
"Corpsman! Corpsman! DOC!"
He knows he must enter the target area,
Where his chances of survival are thin;
But he never hesitates to answer the call,
Knowing a Marine’s life depends on him.
An FMF Corpsman is a Navy man,
Trained to help the wounded and sick;
He may be called to treat a private or colonel,
For am amputation or just a nick.
Many times he is completely unarmed,
With only medicine and bandages in his kit;
His "secret weapon" is his courage,
Which brings him to wherever a Marine is hit.
Fourteen corpsmen have received the Medal of Honor,
Seven of them, their lives they did give;
They lingered where no one else would go,
So that other Marines might live.
But for the capture of Iwo Jima,
Airman fatalities would have continued to mount;
Thus, the number of lives saved by corpsmen’s dedication,
Perhaps, are too numerous to count.
I know a corpsman, who after the heat of the Pacific,
The bitter cold Chosin Reservoir became his "beat";
He continued to attend the wounded and suffering,
Until, he too, was hospitalized with frozen hands and feet.
Hollywood has portrayed as heroes,
Pilots, submariners and commanders of tanks;
But to combat Marines, the real heroes are the corpsmen,
And it’s about time we all said thanks!
We thank you for patching us up;
Some of us might not be here today without you.
We thank you also for our buddies you tried to save;
We know, with each one who died, so did a part of you...
PFC John Murphy
3rd MarDiv, WWII
Marine Corps Green
From the halls of Montezuma –-
First words of a famous song.
When Marines go into battle,
A Navy corpsman goes along.
From its very beginning
The Corps has steadily grown,
And the attitude of Marines is,
"We take care of our own."
Marines may give up their water
Or even their last bean,
But never their Navy corpsman
Wearing Marine Corps green.
When Marines and their corpsman
Are standing side by side,
The first thing you notice
Is the sharing of their pride.
If you are looking for trouble
Of a kind you’ve never seen,
Attack their Navy corpsman,
The one in Marine Corps green.
Why we are called to stand along-side "My Marines"
Standing full pack at the line with that brother dressed in diga-green. Providing care, treatment; and being that friend or brother they so direly need.
In times of disparity look left and look right, As they shout "Doc, can you fix me?" or "Doc, man down!" and with God as my witness I will always reply with quickest of my ability. I will fix, care and provide with the utmost extreme patient treatment.
For that Marine allows that no one cross enemy lines, US soil without a doubt, whimper or pout. They kill or be killed. As a USN corpsman it is expected to save a life but in turn regardless of walk of life; be it 8404, quad-0, or IDC you as a doc may have to take a life.
Cravates, o2 therapy, and tape are priority but the life of my Marines comes first. He ensures that when he shoots, he shoots to kill. My Marines reassure my children, and my loved ones can lay their head on a pillow at night.
Fight and fight to WIN, bring them home one family, one love, OEF, OIF, and all our current ops. should one day finally come to an end....
HM3 (FMF) R.R. Porro USN
(8-28-06)
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