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of Urology. At a later assignment at Fort Jackson, SC, I was acting Commander of the 7th MASH during maneuvers in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis in late 1963. I was honorably discharged on October 25, 1964 and completed my service obligation at the USAR Center in Wilmington from October 1964 to March 1968. Following my active-duty discharge, I practiced Urology in Dover until my retirement.
Rafe Zaragosa
NAVY
The United States Navy did what the Navy does, as did its associates, the Marines, SEALS, air arm, and medical service. transport, medical support, extensive logistical activities, riverine combat, mine laying, and mine sweeping.
The MSTS (Military Sea Transport Service), in addition to its continuing worldwide duties, delivered with the Seabees 95 percent of the military supplies to the enormous support bases at Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay and Saigon. Naval hospitals were established at these same locations.
Like the Army, the earliest participation by the Navy was providing advisors to develop an independent Vietnamese Navy in the early 1950s.
The Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, an attack by North Vietnam on an American warship, precipitated extensive operations and combat, as noted above. This also initiated air and surface bombardment not only in North and South Vietnam but also Laos and Cambodia.
in concert with the Coast Guard successfully reduced enemy resupply over the 1,200 miles of coastline, along with a similar program for Cambodia. In addition, joint Mobile Riverine Task Forces between the Army and Navy were active throughout the war.
Bill Duncan
James F. Lally
Field Medical Service Corps
training at the Marine Corps Base,
Camp Pendleton, CA behind a
who departed for Vietnam in the
late summer of 1966; I was among
that group. We were on our way
to a country that few of us knew
anything about. We were bound
for Marine Corps enclaves in the
northern part of South Vietnam — a
war zone. We would begin counting
the days until we came home. We would hold on to memories to treasure 50 years later and try to forget memories best left undisturbed.
But what a medical lifetime we packed into that one year and what it cost us in sorrow. We marveled and were distressed by the trauma that young Marines could sustain and yet survive; with limbs missing and a blood pressure barely palpable. A tour of duty in war-ridden Vietnam was about survival and about primal instincts kicking in when you descend into a surreal world of violence and madness that shreds your dignity and then assaults whatever sense of humanity remains. The CBS correspondent John Laurence said it best: “I left Vietnam, but it never left me.”
James Lally
Russell C. Raphaely
Graduated from medical school in 1963. Unknown origin
of determination of naval service. Apparently commissioned
orientation at Camp Pendleton, CA. Assigned to the Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA as initial assignment. In April 1967, assigned to the hospital ship Repose, AH-16, Republic of Vietnam, and served until September 1967. Assigned Bethesda Naval Hospital, September 1967 to January 1968, and then to Philadelphia Naval Hospital, January 1968. Honorable discharge issued August 14, 1968. Proudly provided anesthetic care to all military personnel, predominantly Marines and Sailors, as well as Vietnamese civilians while in Vietnam.
Russ Raphaely
Stephen J. Rogers
“Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, but he’ll remember with advantages what feats he did that day... But we in it shall be remembered; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers.”
Military career began 1961, with college Army ROTC.
In 1965, Commissioned Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve. In 1999, retired as Captain, U.S Naval Reserve. Eight years active duty with much reserve duty, including recalls to active duty. Republic of Vietnam, 1971-72, Operation Game warden, CTF116 and MACV. Most of other active duty was research/development/ test/evaluation billets [duties]. Most of reserve duty was with Marine Corps units or shipyard/base occupational medicine. After retiring from the Navy, in 1999 joined New Jersey State Guard. Activated for several months on September 11, 2001, Operation Noble Eagle. Designated Naval Flight Surgeon. Six rows of ribbons, including my favorites, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star.
James F. Lally
Other Venues
Anthony Cucuzzella
Anthony Cucuzzella graduated from the medical school of Seaton Hall University in 1962. Following an internship at the Hahnemann Hospital, he volunteered for duty in the navy.
Steve Rogers
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