"Corpsman Up" is the cry that echoes across the battlefield whenever a Marine is wounded in combat. The book tells the story of men at war from a unique perspective; that of a medical specialist assigned to a Marine combat platoon. It is 1969; Hospital Corpsman Mike Lombardo arrives in Vietnam determined to follow in the footsteps of his Dad and Grandfather in war. He quickly discovers there is nothing glamorous or heroic about war. Through Mike's eyes you go on a journey into a living hell and experience the thrills and horror of combat, the agony of the wounded and dead and see foxhole relationships develop between blacks and whites, farm boys and city kids. Experience the anguish, and concern with Mike, when friend after friend is wounded and he knows that their lives are in his hands and then wonders for the rest of his life if he did the right things.

A face on the Action Reports of WIAs. 17 Marines and one Corpsman tell their stories. It starts with a brief of their childhood, why they wanted to go in the Marine Corps or Navy, first day of boot camp, their training and first combat. Then, the events that led up to their being wounded followed by their recuperation and their life after military service. The last story is from a Navy Nurse who served aboard the hospital ship, USS Repose in the waters of Vietnam. She tells her impressions of what war does to our young fighting men and how that experience shaped her future.

This book is a gutsy and honest portrayal of one man's experience as a corpsman in the Vietnam War which is both heart-rending and uplifting.

A compilation of military short stories from the author's experiences as a Navy Corpsman before, during and after the Vietnam war. The difficulties surrounding PTSD are featured.

The author, a highly decorated sailor, relates the history of his thirteen-month tour of duty in wartime Vietnam in 19661967. He, embedded within the Marine Corps, tells about treating the wounded while exposed to live-fire conditions on everything from squad-size patrols to company-size missions. The author also relates how he fulfilled his responsibility for the marines health in camp; he was often the only medical person within miles. He describes the procedures for getting the wounded aboard a helicopter and transferred to a field hospital. Added to his responsibilities was caring for civilians as the United States tried to win the hearts of the Vietnamese people. He even had to treat a wounded Vietnamese who was still wearing the bandage he got from a prior skirmish with the Americans. Of equal interest to the author are the effects of battle not only on the warrior at the time but also in his life after military service. PTSD even affected this corpsman, and he suffers from itboth inpatient and outpatient experiences. Nineteen years old at the time of the war, he describes how quickly youth and social behavior are lost in combat. The author tells his story in fresh, readable prose and does not lose the reader in the actions of higher authority. He gives personal statements in a short reflection at the end of each chapter.

A compilation of military short stories from the author's experiences as a Navy Corpsman before, during and after the Vietnam war. The difficulties surrounding PTSD are featured.