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Story
July 19, 1944
The Northwest Enterprise
Seattle, King County, Washington
What is this article about?
During intense combat on Saipan, hospital corpsmen and Marines risk sniper fire to rescue and treat a wounded soldier, performing an emergency amputation without anesthetic and evacuating him to safety, exemplifying their vital, heroic role.
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Full Text
Hospital Corpsmen Have No Soft Snap in the Marianas Islands Area
By SGT. BOB COOKE Marine Corps Combat Corresp.
SAIPAN, Marianas Islands (Delayed)—It is midnight on the front lines in Saipan's sniper-infested hillsides. Marines are dug in foxholes only yards away from enemy outposts.
Orders are to shoot anyone who moves—yet the Japs infiltrate, cunningly.
A rattle of carbine fire off to the right.
A Jap scream; a dead silence.
Then along the closely guarded trail a dark figure steals, is challenged, gives a password. A hospital corpsman is needed up the line, and Pvt. 1-c James E. Jackson of Clinton, S. C., has volunteered for the dangerous job of running back through the watchful Marine positions, getting medical help, and guiding it back.
He gets to the field station, commanded by Navy Lieut. (j.g.) Glenn Rice, a young doctor from 2327 32nd Ave. S., Seattle. Two Navy corpsmen volunteer to get the patient back for aid.
Up the perilous trail they glide, open to fire from both enemy and Marines.
Back they come with the patient in a litter, Pfc. Jackson still leading the way.
Sniper bullets whizz overhead.
Jackson drops to one side but does not fire, so as not to give away their exact position. When there is no further fire he rejoins the others, sees them safely to the field station, then goes back to his foxhole vigil.
The patient's leg is bad—so bad it must be amputated right away.
Without anesthetic, Dr. Robert D. O'Malley, of Holyoke, Mass., and Dr. Rice give the patient an intravenous morphine injection and remove the dangling member under blue light so as not to draw enemy fire.
As soon as it is light, the corpsmen commandeer an amphibian tractor and rush the patient to the beach and aboard ship. His life has been saved.
This is a story without heroes. All this, and more, is all in the night's work for Dr. Rice and his corpsmen.
Back at camp in the States, the Marines used to say "This outfit has about ten times too many corpsmen."
Out in the field it is "Those corpsmen work ten times harder than any Marine."
By SGT. BOB COOKE Marine Corps Combat Corresp.
SAIPAN, Marianas Islands (Delayed)—It is midnight on the front lines in Saipan's sniper-infested hillsides. Marines are dug in foxholes only yards away from enemy outposts.
Orders are to shoot anyone who moves—yet the Japs infiltrate, cunningly.
A rattle of carbine fire off to the right.
A Jap scream; a dead silence.
Then along the closely guarded trail a dark figure steals, is challenged, gives a password. A hospital corpsman is needed up the line, and Pvt. 1-c James E. Jackson of Clinton, S. C., has volunteered for the dangerous job of running back through the watchful Marine positions, getting medical help, and guiding it back.
He gets to the field station, commanded by Navy Lieut. (j.g.) Glenn Rice, a young doctor from 2327 32nd Ave. S., Seattle. Two Navy corpsmen volunteer to get the patient back for aid.
Up the perilous trail they glide, open to fire from both enemy and Marines.
Back they come with the patient in a litter, Pfc. Jackson still leading the way.
Sniper bullets whizz overhead.
Jackson drops to one side but does not fire, so as not to give away their exact position. When there is no further fire he rejoins the others, sees them safely to the field station, then goes back to his foxhole vigil.
The patient's leg is bad—so bad it must be amputated right away.
Without anesthetic, Dr. Robert D. O'Malley, of Holyoke, Mass., and Dr. Rice give the patient an intravenous morphine injection and remove the dangling member under blue light so as not to draw enemy fire.
As soon as it is light, the corpsmen commandeer an amphibian tractor and rush the patient to the beach and aboard ship. His life has been saved.
This is a story without heroes. All this, and more, is all in the night's work for Dr. Rice and his corpsmen.
Back at camp in the States, the Marines used to say "This outfit has about ten times too many corpsmen."
Out in the field it is "Those corpsmen work ten times harder than any Marine."
What sub-type of article is it?
Heroic Act
Military Action
What themes does it cover?
Bravery Heroism
Survival
Triumph
What keywords are associated?
Hospital Corpsmen
Saipan Battle
Night Rescue
Sniper Fire
Amputation Under Fire
Marine Medics
What entities or persons were involved?
Pvt. 1 C James E. Jackson
Navy Lieut. (J.G.) Glenn Rice
Dr. Robert D. O'malley
Where did it happen?
Saipan, Marianas Islands
Story Details
Key Persons
Pvt. 1 C James E. Jackson
Navy Lieut. (J.G.) Glenn Rice
Dr. Robert D. O'malley
Location
Saipan, Marianas Islands
Story Details
At midnight on Saipan's front lines, Pvt. Jackson volunteers to fetch medical help through sniper fire. With corpsmen, they rescue and transport a wounded Pfc. back to the field station. Dr. Rice and Dr. O'Malley amputate the leg without anesthetic under blue light. The patient is rushed to safety by amphibian tractor, saving his life.