THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE & SACRIFICE
GLMS is proud to recognize and honor these physician members who have served our country through their
service in the Armed Forces. *The following names and information were self-reported.
Michael Alt, DO Paul Arena, MD US Navy
Lieutenant Commander
1982-1996 US Air Force
Captain
1966-1968 Larry Griffin, MD Anthony
Hubbuch, MD David E. Townes,
MD, MSc.
US Air Force
Captain
1970-1972 US Navy
Lieutenant Medical Core
2 years
John Conner, MD
Army National Guard
Captain
8 years
REFLECTIONS FROM SERVICE
"I went to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on a naval
scholarship. I was active-duty from 1982-1996. My internship was at Camp
Pendleton Naval Hospital in California. I then served as a general medical
officer onboard the USS Kittyhawk and Naval Hospital, Philadelphia. During
my neurology residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center,
I served in the Naval Reserves until 1990 as a Lieutenant Commander."
- Michael Alt, DO
Dr. Paul Arena was a Captain in the United States Air Force from 1966 to 1968.
He received the Air Force Commendation Medal for his service in Southeast
Asia, and worked on a top-secret project called 'Rivet Top'.
"Absolutely loved every minute of it. I was stationed in Alexandria, La, and
part of an air transportable hospital unit for extreme weather, such as
Alaska." - Anthony Hubbuch, MD
summoned to Division Surgeon office. I was told “Pack your bags. You’ve
been reassigned to First Battalion Seventh Marines” to depart out of phase
from San Diego in early May 24 to “Southeast Asia, points undetermined?”
Reassuringly, LBJ spoke on national TV saying “We will not be escalating
the war in Vietnam!??” Nonetheless, after eight weeks of grueling training
on Okinawa, as part of the 15,000 man Regimental Landing Force, we landed
at Chu Lai, Vietnam on August 14. Obviously, just to have tea and crumpets
with the natives!? However, Commanding General Walt decided that ‘if
we’re in Vietnam to fight a war…. Let’s fight a war!!’ On August 18 ensued
“Operation Starlite - the first force-sized American offensive of the Vietnam
War.” My Battalion Aid Station was the primary evacuation center, with one
under-trained doctor, not the proscribed two, through which came most
of the 245 wounded, and all of the 47 KIA!! Welcome to War!! The rest of
the year’s tour was fortunately much less stressful, but enough to make
me lifelong proud to be an adopted member of the United States Marine
Corps." - David E. Townes, MD, MSc.
"Finishing internship in 1964, I was drafted into US Navy Medical Corps, by
choice assigned to US Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, Calif. I served as
Battalion Surgeon, 1/5 until May 20, 1965. On that day all 32 doctors were
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