What is an FMF Corpsman?

Reprinted from "The Fighting Third", a 1968 publication presented as a momento for members of the
Third Marine Division serving in Vietnam in 1968. (I did not see a copyright).

Call Them Marines

You've seen the Civil War movies on the late-late show. When a man was wounded,
he was carried by a friend, or else draped over a horse or caisson. The ride back
was rough on the wounded.

They considered themselves lucky if they could be treated by the town's blacksmith, who also doubled as the horse doctor and the town's dentist.

During World War I, with the advent of automatic weapons, heavier artillery, fragmentation-type projectiles and gas attacks, casualties ran higher. Chances of survival grew slimmer.

The Navy acted. On June 17, 1898, the Navy Medical Corps was founded. Though established prior to the First World War, doctors and corpsmen didn't dash out into the field of battle to begin saving lives. They served, primarily, on ships.

During World War II casualties from a cunning enemy, firmly entrenched, a master
at the art of camouflage and deception, caused a need for corpsmen with each unit. Marines were proud to have, instead of the "village smithy", a brave, well-trained corpsman in their ranks.

Percentagewise, more corpsmen were killed or wounded during the battle for
Iwo Jima than Marines!

With the advent of the helicopter in Korea, the corpsman took to the air as well as
to the rice- paddy- type of warfare.

Today, here in Vietnam, the relationship of chopper and corpsman has become
almost legendary. A wounded man is treated, medevaced to an aid station, hospital ship or land-based hospital for additional treatment generally in a matter of minutes.

Today's corpsman...reluctantly we'll call him a "sailor", is the man who gets up when the others hit the deck to dodge enemy incoming.

"He might be the ugliest 'mother' in the valley," a grunt claimed, "but when you're wounded and need help, he's there...with the touch of a mother caring for her
newborn baby; with the determination and bravery of a bulldog, and the knowledge
and experience to do his job."

"He can't afford a 'goof'," the grunt continued, "He's the lifeline between a bandage
and a cast...or a box."

Some call him "DOC", the Vietnamese call him "Bac Si".

He deserves better than that....call him "MARINE!"

On lighter side... (Remember these?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspite of the horrors of being a FMF Corpsman in a combat situation, I wouldn't have changed my MOS for anything. It was truly an honor to be called a Marine Corpsman. The Marines I served with were awesome! They are definetly "America's Finest"! Ooorrahhh!