Disturbing and Disturbed: Navy Corpsman Shoots Two Sailors and Dies, Shot by Police

Our fraternity will be shaken over this — I certainly am. But please know that most Corpsmen would sooner die that actually hurt or kill another.

I am a proud member of a storied fraternity: former and current members of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps. I cannot understand how one of our own could do such a thing as has been reported; and although it’s early days wonder if this is another instance of the severe mental and emotional distress weighing on many in these uber-stressful times. I hope it is nothing more sinister.

But a Corpsman…to discharge a weapon if not protecting a comrade on the field of battle? I am bumfuzzled. My service was long ago — and although during a time of peace (except for one or two crazy situations), I knew some Corpsmen who would not even consent to carry a firearm (myself included), though that would often change in the field with the Marines in a time of conflict.

It’s all about intentions, you see. Like doctors and nurses, we all got into health care because we wanted to help people; to keep them healthy; and to fix them when things went wrong. Injuring or killing people, even the so-called enemy was not our business or concern. The True Believers among us (and there were many) would not hesitate to try to save any human life — even that of an enemy.

That said, Corpsmen are fiercely protective of their comrades, especially of Marines (part of the Department of the Navy), with whom we have always shared a special bond. You see, Marines do not have their own medics — this is a specialty of the Hospital Corps rating (NEC 8404), and there is a long history of affection, service and sacrifice by Marines for “Doc” and by Doc for Marines. When you pass 8404 training, and then serve in the field with them, you are henceforth looked on as part of the Marine fraternity.

There are other Marines, though, and these were my special care. I never got to do the 8404 training and serve in the field with Marines (another story, another time perhaps). My own close connection was with the Marine Air Wing aboard ship. Even though not in the “field,” those Marines watched out for me, and there were few things I would not face or dare for them.

I still keep in touch with some Marines I knew back in the day, though sadly the group has been shrinking over time, as one might expect. So has the group of Corpsman — and now we have lost another. It makes me sad.

When I started writing this article I thought I might end it with a poem about the Hospital Corps by Henry Miller, but decided to leave that for another time. Instead, I dug around a little and came up with some data that I believe more accurately reflects the true nature and character of the U.S. Navy Corpsman.

For Valor (under all iterations of rating classification)

Medal of Honor awardees — 22, unless one counts the most recent, Edward Byers, who was and is a Navy SEAL (SWO) and had medical training as part of his SEAL career; then it is 23

Navy Cross awardees — 179

Silver Star awardees — 959

Bronze Star (with Combat V for heroism) — 1600

Oh, and Hospital Corpsman have had 22 ships named after them.

I don’t have any of those things. But I am proud of the Corps and was honored to serve as one.