Today I am remembering one of our "Special" Sailors. U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Aaron Ullom also affectionately known as "Doc".. Was killed Tuesday July 12, 2011 at war in Afghanistan.
He was just 20, yet so full of love and loyalty to his Family and Friends, his Country, his Community, his Sailors, and his Marines.
Today Aaron is arriving home in Midland Michigan. The community has been asked to line the drive from the airport to the funeral home. I know that will be a very long and very loving line. A wonderful tribute to such a wonderful young man.
I didn't know Aaron personally. Our Support group had just received his name to add to the list. We packed his box on Wed. night with our specially themed "Christmas in July" items. Notes and cards we also added. Our leader Cheryl heard the news while she was filling out the customs form for Aaron's box. What a shock. This is the first Troop in 8 1/2 years that has been killed.We have had a few of those on our list injured, but we have never lost one. The grief is heavy.
Aaron has a facebook page where you can leave your condolences for the family. http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Aaron-Ullom/146289338781713
There was a post there that I really enjoyed. Not knowing alot about Hospital Corpsmen, it gave me a look into what kind of man is needed for such a position. I know husband talks often about how much they all counted on their "medic".. Once the Medic was wounded and Ken got to play medic for a while. He didn't like it at all.
I am going to leave you with 2 posts that were made. The first by Larry who was a Hospital Corpsman during Vietnam, and the second was posted by Andrew. Please remember Aaron's family, friends, and fellow Sailors and Marines during this time.
The call if it meant saving your wounded of "Corpsman Up!" meant you had to overcome your fear of death, get up and rush to a wounded Marine's side and provide the best medical care one can -- all the time under fire. An unspoken bond between Doc and His grunts is that in spite of all official teaching, you would, without hesitation, take a bullet for a fellow Sailor or Marine
I AM A NAVY CORPSMAN.
I POSSESS THE STAMINA AND ENTHUSIASM OF YOUTH AND THE WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE OF AN OLD MAN.
I AM 3 PARTS DOCTOR, 1 PART NURSE, 2 PARTS MARINE,
1 PART YEOMAN AND 3 PARTS MOM,
YET I AM 100% SAILOR.
I AM UNEMPLOYABLE TO THE CIVILIAN WORLD IN MY GIVEN PROFESSION
YET HAVE BEEN THE VERY LIFE LINE FOR COUNTLESS MARINES,
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SINCE 1778.
I HAVE CARRIED MARINES FROM THE BATTLE FIELD …
AND HAVE BEN CARRIED REVERENTLY MYSELF BY MARINES WHO MORNED MY PASSING LIKE THAT OF A BROTHER OR SISTER.
I AM YOUNG. I AM OLD. BRAVE, SCARED AND SCARRED.
MY TITLE HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS:
LOB LOLLY BOY, SURGEONS STEWART, PHARMACIST MATE, HOSPITAL CORPSMAN, IDC, YET WITH ALL THE CHANGES I AM STILL SIMPLY KNOW AS "DOC".
I HAVE CELEBRATED PEACE;
YET FELT THE STING OF WAR ON THE SEAS, IN JUNGLES, IN FOREIGN CITIES, IN WASHINGTON D.C.
AND ON BEACHES OF EVERY SHADE OF SAND… WHITE, TAN, CORAL AND BLACK.
I HAVE RAISED HELL ON LIBERTY; HOPE IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE,
AND OLD GLORY ON IWO JIMA.
I HAVE REMOVED APPENDIXES ON SUBMARINES
AND LIMBS IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE AND
MANY OTHER PROCEDURES FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT I AM EXPECTED TO DO BY THE NORMAL PRACTICE OF MEDICINE
BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A MARINE OR SAILOR
IN BATTLE OR UNDER THE ICE, FAR FROM A DOCTORS CARE.
I HAVE IGNORED MY OWN WOUNDS TO THE POINT OF DEATH IN ORDER TO STAY AT MY STATION TREATING THE WOUNDED
OF MY NATIONS NAVY, MARINE CORP, ARMY AND AIR FORCE.
I HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF MEDAL OF HONORS OF ANY CORP IN THE NAVY ….. MOST OF THEM PRESENTED TO MY WIFE, CHILD OR MOTHER
BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY IN HEAVEN AT THE TIME.
I AM PROUD TO KNOW IN MY HEART THAT EVERY MARINE WHO HAS EVER FOUGHT AND EVERY SAILOR WHO HAS GONE TO SEA ON SHIPS
OWE THEIR VERY LIVES TO THOSE THEY SIMPLY,
YET RESPECTFULLY KNOW AS "DOC"-
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