The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) held a birthday ceremony celebrating the 125th birthday of the hospital corpsman rate June 17, 2023.

The ceremony, which was held on the ship’s enlisted mess decks, featured a brief look into the history of hospital corpsmen (HM) as well as remarks from several guest speakers, including Capt. Brian Schrum, Theodore Roosevelt’s commanding officer.

“Corpsman are integral in supporting fleet Marine forces,” Schrum. “Their expeditionary skills and medical training have saved countless lives. Corpsmen have been a direct enabler to our success in combat since those early days in the Spanish American War.”

Chief Hospital Corpsman Kellin Parker, quoting General David H. Burger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said that over that last 125 years, the efforts of hospital corpsmen have impacted thousands of lives.

“The care you provide our Marines in combat and garrison reflects your great devotion to duty,” said Parker.

Command Master Chief Christopher Silva, command master chief of Carrier Air Wing 11, shared some of his experiences as a hospital corpsman, saying that though the hospital corpsman rating has dozens of sub-specialties, when it comes down to it, they’re there to help Sailors.

“We had just set up movie night,” said Silva. “we were getting ready to watch Spaceballs. Then, all of a sudden, we hear ‘participants to the Landing Operation Center; prepare for mass casualty’ over the 1MC.”

Silva said it wasn’t a drill. Over the next 36 hours he and his team treated six injured commandos that had been brought onto the ship.

“When that elevator came down from flight deck triage to medical triage, it didn’t matter if you were a lab tech, dental tech, X-Ray tech or just a general duty corpsman,” said Silva. “We were all just corpsmen.”

The ceremony also commemorated every Hospital Corpsman for their work, but shined light on three specific individuals who were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery including John H. Willis, John E. Kilmer and David R. Ray all three killed in action while providing medical treatment to injured Marines.

The event was concluded by a ceremonial cake cutting where Cmdr. Matt Hoefler, the ship’s physician, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Lesly Mendoza cut the first slice of cake.

For more news from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), visit
http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn71. Join the conversation with TR online at www.facebook.com/USSTheodoreRoosevelt and at www.twitter.com/TheRealCVN71.