Almost every Marine who spent time in Vietnam has heard the cry,
"Corpsman Up !!!!" The circumstances varied widely, but the result was a constant. A U.S. Navy Corpsman, wearing the same dirty, torn, and smelly green utilities worn by his Marine brothers and "armed" with his B-1 medical kit, went to the aid of
wounded Marines. Usually under enemy fire, these "angels in green" performed lifesaving miracles with complete disregard
for their own safety.
THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO THEM
Medics Prayer
Dear Lord,
I pray to you asking for three things Lord. I ask for Strength, Wisdom, and Courage. I ask for the Strength to perform my duties Lord, to keep my brothers alive during the fight during any weather, day or night. Lord, give me the Strength to do my duties right no matter what the struggle, nor length of fire fight. I ask for Wisdom Lord to remember what I've learned, To improvise, when needed, to see your guiding light. Oh, Lord, I need the wisdom, to do my duties right To know when to keep on treating, or when to give up the fight. Dear Lord I'm asking you for Courage, To put my fears behind me, to do my duties right. To keep my smile, to hold their hand, To tell them they'll be all right. I really need the Courage Lord, to give them their last flight. Dear Lord, if you grant me Strength, Wisdom and Courage, I will have known Honor Lord, I'll know I did it right.
I had just turned twenty-one a few days before I entered Nam, never dreaming that all my beliefs would be left there on the fields while endless nightmares even though buried would come back to haunt me without relief . . . . . . . MEMORIES
I remember thinking as I entered the country, foolheartily that I only had twelve months to do before I would be back to the world Never dreaming that my life would be changed forever . . . .MEMORIES
The Good, the bad, some you remember; some you bury; trying to hold onto your sanity. You remember the events when you joined your platoon of why you're out in the field so that a marine won't take a life that would result in him having . . . . . . MEMORIES
You attempt to do what is right in order to save all lives. You risk your life putting to work all that you've learned, so that others would not be harmed. You save most and get them out so that they won't
have . . . . MEMORIES
After the first fire fight you know that you did prevent when they came up to you, pounding you on the back, telling you what a good job you did only to compound the problem when in reliving the fight they mentioned things that you never thought about resulting in you having . . . .MEMORIES
You thought that you could save the world or at least that's what you were taught. You tried to do what was best while you were there trying only to remember the good and attempting to forget the rest. But when you least expect it something comes along . . . .MEMORIES
Days pass some good, some bad, you make new friends and experience that comradeship that guys that had been under fire get as you wonder about the greenies wondering if they would be there in the heat of battle protecting your back as you attempted to patch them up to get them to survive to get them home to their loved ones in the real world . . .MEMORIES
Yet the day finally comes that makes you face the truth you are only a mortal attempting to bring a little compassion and act of kindness leaving you to question God after you get wounded watching a marine friend take his last "Why God, oh why do you insist on leaving me alive . . . ?"....MEMORIES
To this day I still remember that last "Corpman Up!" cry running up as I always did attempting to save another life never dreaming that this would be my first. His name I can't remember, even though I have it written down. His face haunts me today questioning me with a puzzled stare . . . .MEMORIES
Questions of hope because "Old Doc's here" that things will be all right that he'll treat me right. "But Doc how did you get wounded, you weren't suppose to get hurt, after all we looked out for you now who is going to take care of us, better yet, who is going to save me? . . . ."MEMORIES
Watching him die breathing his last knowing that all your training could not stop his fate. Yet you and three others are now wounded wondering your fate as you hear again that cry of "Corpman Up!" coming from your own throat still trying to do your job . . . .MEMORIES
Now almost Thirty years later thinking that you had put it all behind you, you find yourself being put in a similar situation which subconsciously reminds you of Unfinished business that you have to get straight of that fateful day when you lost your first and only one . . .MEMORIES
You almost lost it yet realized before you did that you needed the help that you had given to others in order to get through those . . . MEMORIES
Charles David Bunner
1st Mar. Div., 1st Batt, Alpha Company, 1st Platoon
This site does not represent the views of the United States Marine Corps,
The Department of Defense or any other persons or organizations.
These pages are copyrighted © 1997
Neither the U.S. Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense
has approved, endorsed, or authorized this website
