PHYSICIANS ON THE FRONT LINE
REFLECTIONS FROM SERVICE
"I was drafted during the Vietnam War. While in service, I received credit for
my third year of pediatric residency and completed my pediatric hematology/
oncology fellowship at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Denver, Colo. This
program was in conjunction with the University of Colorado Medical School
program at Denver Children’s Hospital. I served as adjunct on faculty at
University of Colorado in the department of neurosurgery during this time.
I was awarded the Army Commendation Medal." - Salvatore Bertolone, MD
"Served as General Medical Officer with the 1/36 Infantry of the 3rd Armored
Division in Germany." - George Gataky, MD
"Following my year as a rotating intern at St. Joseph Infirmary I couldn’t begin
my OBG residency as the one place was already filled. Following a promise
that my place there would be assured in two years, I elected to fulfill my two
year military obligation and joined the Air Force as a General Medical Officer.
I was assigned to Offutt AFB in Omaha, which then was SAC Headquarters.
Disregarding some advice that I had received to “never volunteer” to take
on any other duties, I asked to join the OB nighttime rotation! Shortly before
discharge I was asked if I wanted to know how many deliveries that I had
done. I was told “704!” I couldn’t do C-sections and had to call in someone
once. Approaching the time for discharge I spent all day doing physicals on
personnel going over to Vietnam! SO many memories!" - Michael Hamilton, MD
"I spent three years in Europe. I spent three years in Residency, sponsored
by the Air Force at Will’s Eye Hospital. I then spent three years at Wilford
Hall Hospital in San Antonio, Texas." - Kenneth Jaegers
"After completing my internship (1961) at Parkland Memorial Hospital in
Dallas, I was sent to Fussa, Japan home of Yokota Air Force Base (AFB) and
Bomber Squadron 139 - about one and a half hours west of Tokyo. It was a
large active military base. The Yokota AFB was home to the WAC weather
reconnaissance planes, many different fighter planes, and the B-52 Strato
Fortress, which carried the nuclear bombs. These bombers were kept in the
air 24 hours a day and flew continuously to the Russian border. This was a
SAC operation. I lived off base with some GI’s among the Japanese people. My
job was to do general medicine for the GI’s and their families. We saw the GI’s
every 10 minutes from 7am-9pm and the dependents every 15 minutes from
9am- 5pm. Japan was beautiful and intriguing. They loved their gardens and
festivals. The Japanese people were friendly, and all wanted to do deals with
the Americans. There was mutual respect. I saw much of Southeast Asia. The
world is big, varied and interesting. Most people want the same thing-peace,
happiness and security. God Bless America." - Charles Oberst, MD
US Navy - 1961-1965: National Naval Medical Center,Bethesda, Md., Georgetown
Hospital, and Naval Medical Research Institution, Internship and Residency.
1965-1967: Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., Anesthesia Staff. 1967-1969: Naval
Hospital, Camp LeJeune, N.C., Chief of Anesthesia. - Jerry Phelps, MD
"I served in the Marine Corps Artillery in Pacific-Guam in the 10th 155mm
Gun Battalion. I was scheduled to be in the invasion of Japan at Kyushu,
November 1, 1945. This was canceled with the dropping of the Atomic Bomb.
The 10th Gun Battalion did go into Japan for occupation. I was included in
the one hundred selected to return to USA to form a peace time gun battal-
ion." - Clinton Potts, MD
"Rotating intern at Walter Reed, general surgery at Ft. Campbell, 1st infantry
division surgeon Vietnam, then reserves for three years. I received the Air
Medal and the Bronze Star for combat aerial assaults." - Russell Rice, MD
"I was on Active Duty as a Reservist at the Naval Regional Medical Center,
Naples, Italy when our liberties were canceled when I was on-call for an-
esthesiology, the week they extricated the Air Force pilot in Bosnia and
Herzegovina during the civil war many years ago. The pilot was successfully
rescued but he did not need any surgery." - Benjamin Rigor, MD
"My best memories were being part of the Band of Brothers regiment of the
101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky. Go Army, BEAT NAVY!" Braden
Robbins
"Camaraderie and a sense of purpose in caring for those heroes who served
our country permeated my years in active duty and reserve status. I will
never forget the elderly retired soldier who had to endure painful dressing
changes for a deep chest infection refusing narcotics and without flinching.
His answer to my inquiries regarding his pain endurance still gives me chills:
“Well, Doc, it’s not nearly as bad as what my captors put me through during
my captivity in Bataan.” - John Rumisek, MD
"I was a Senior Medical Officer at home port in Dahlgren, Va.. We test fired
all the ammunition for the fleet. The 16 inch guns were capable of hitting
a target 25 miles downstream, landing within 100 feet of the object. I had
top secret clearance in chemical, biological and radiological warfare, all my
missions were classified." - Robert Schiavone, MD
"I served in “Operation Just Cause” in Panama, Central America, as a combat
medic in the 1/508th Airborne Infantry Unit. I served in “Operation Desert
Storm/Shield” in Iraq as a combat medic with the 475th Mobile Army Surgical
Hospital (M.A.S.H.). After returning from Iraq and going to college, I became
an officer and served as the platoon leader of a tank platoon in the 1/123rd
Armor Battalion in Brandenburg, Ky." - Brian Sosnin, DO
"Please do not tell anyone in the Pentagon, but I had a really great time!"
- Stuart Urbach, MD
THANK YOU TO ALL
GLMS MEMBERS AND
FAMILIES OF MEMBERS
WHO HAVE SERVED.
NOVEMBER 2019
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