The United States Navy Hospital Corps has provided over 121 years of selfless service to Sailors and Marines around the world and through peace time and at war. In this episode I share my history as a Corpsman, the history of the Corps through the decades and the parallel advancements in military medicine that were spawned through the process of trial and error in war. Godspeed to all the men and women who have served and are currently serving as Corpsmen. Hooyah Navy!
“The Hospital Corps is the most decorated rating in the Navy and one of the most decorated in the military. Navy corpsmen have earned 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 959 Silver Stars and more than 1,600 Bronze Stars. 20 ships have been named in honor of corpsmen. – USO.org”
7 Things You Didn’t Know about the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps
- Hospital Corpsmen (HM) make up the largest rate in the Navy
- HMs were originally three rates (listen to hear what they are)
- Corpsmen are Combat Medics for U.S. Marines
- HMs were originally appointed as Head Pharmacists (1898)
- The Hospital Corps is the most decorated rate in the U.S. Navy
- In 1942 a Pharmacist Mate performed an appendectomy aboard ship
- The first woman Hospital Corpsman enlisted in 1948
Listen to this episode to hear the details from the USO.org list above. Additional reference documents are available at the links below.
Episode Resources:
- NAVEDTRA 14295B
- https://www.navy.com/careers/medical-support
- http://navylog.navymemorial.org/stanley-robert-8
- https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/1726086/the-navy-corpsman-carrying-the-legacy/
- https://www.fpri.org/article/2018/02/advances-in-medicine-during-wars/
- www.uso.org/stories/2378-7-things-you-didn-t-know-about-the-navy-hospital-corps
#usnavy #hospitalcorpsmen #militarymedicine #TCCC #combatmedic #usmilitary