I was moved to create this site - actually this page on my home site - in January, 2005, when I marked the loss of Petty Officer John House in a helicopter crash.
Corpsmen have a special relationship with, and a special responsibility for, the sailors and marines under our care. When I read about an action involving a Marine unit I know that one or more Corpsmen were out there, too, probably taking care of a Marine. I am mindful that one of the six Marines depicted in the Marine Corps Memorial was a PhM2.
I used to mark the passing of a Corpsman on my Blogger site, and I may continue to do so, but my preference is to develop this site specifically and entirely for the Corpsmen who have fallen in OEF and OIF.
For myself, I'm a retired HMC IDT (HM-8425) who spent the best twenty years of my life (1965-1985) as an O.R. Tech, Air Wing Staff HM, General Duty HM and IDT. I did seven deployments in five ships. My only experience in greens was six months with a surgical team in 1981. In all honesty I couldn't have done what these men and women have done, if only because my feet are flat, flat, flat, and I never would have cleared Field Med School.
I sincerely hope that there will be no more additions to this site. In the unhappy event that there are, I'd like to learn how to allow comments. My thinking as of this moment is to open it as a blog site but I don't know enough to know if that's the best idea or just the best idea of mine.
Your e-mail comments to Harold at hmbabb.net are invited and encouraged.