Posted on 02/19/2005 12:34:11 PM PST by IonImplantGuru
Wheeler Lipes will finally get his medal.
Sixty-three years ago, Lipes performed a historic and controversial surgery aboard a submarine, saving a young sailor's life.
For Lipes, who has been battling pancreatic cancer in recent years, it will be gratifying to receive the Navy Commendation Medal.
"I certainly didn't expect that kind of recognition," said Lipes, who lives off Madame Moore's Lane with his wife, Audrey.
In 1942, aboard the submarine USS Seadragon 120 feet under the Pacific Ocean near Indochina, Lipes performed an emergency appendectomy on sailor Darrel Dean Rector.
Lipes wasn't a doctor, but rather a pharmacists' mate.
George Weller of the then Chicago Daily News wrote the undersea saga and won a Pulitzer Prize. Several motion pictures also portrayed the incident, including one called "The Pharmacist's Mate," produced by the Navy.
Jan Herman, historian of the Navy Medical Department, was instrumental in seeing that Lipes was finally recognized.
(Excerpt) Read more at newbernsj.com ...
Steely-eyed Killers of the Deep (((PING)))
Ping for the steely eyes.
What would the movies have done if they hadnt had this real life story to fill in the plots of several of their Fictional stories.
Bravo Zulu
Sorry, Ion. Didn't see your post.
You are correct in that it was known in the boat service.
There was even an episode on "The Silent Service" on TV that covered the story.
This made me laugh and cry. I would think Rector would get some kind of award for bravery. No way would I let somebody cut into me with a spoon, especially under those circumstances!
I remember that story from about 9th grade, back about 1952. I couldn't have told you the name "Wheeler Lipes," but the story was in our English textThe teacher assigned different kids to read the various parts, just sitting at our desks. I was assigned to read the part of the pharmacist's mate. To avoid stumbling I scanned ahead of the story while others were reading their parts, and was rewarded with advance warning to mentally sound out a word.
In the story the phamacist's mate had his assistant read the procedure aloud to him as he was preparing to do the surgery and - in the story - the assitant faltered over a term. Having looked ahead I was able to immediately pronounce the pharmacist's mate's response, "Ilioinguinal nerve."
The things you remember for fifty years!
anyone remember the name of that popular movie where the hated skipper played by Burl Ives had his appendix taken out by the loud mouth Lt. on an island they ended up on...they doctor had to tell him on the ham radio how to do it....I loved that goof ball Navy movie.....can't remember the name......
Mr. Roberts?
Ensign Pulver?
Ed
Ensign Pulver......correct.....I knew it wasn't Mr. Roberts but it was the sequel.......thanks.....
They should have named that new submarine after him rather than Jimmy the peanut farmer.
Why would you insult peanut farmers because of one guy?
Thanks for the ping Ion. I remember hearing that story in submarine school.
Folks just can't imagine how proud these old vets are of their service to their country. There are thousands of em out there who have done things that they will take to their graves vs brag about. I have an Uncle that I spoke with every day almost, we hunted, fished and he was my good friend.
I knew that he was a Korean War Vet and on the 50th of that conflict I made sure he was included in the South Koreans program that actually came to his town and in front of his family and friend's awarded him a medal for his sacrifice. Again...my Uncle never boasted or bragged about his service in the Army in Korea.
Upon his death , he left me a small package that included his diary of detailed notes from the day he left my grandparents home to the very day he returned. Photos and letters from others from his unit.....and I mean detail. Turns out my Uncle was a Recoiless gunner on Heartbreak Ridge among other places in Korea, he had pictures that included him in them with the terrian in the background. Maps, letters from other soldiers that were with him there that talked about all the "do ya remember" incidents.
I'm recording my uncles history into a draft for a book I'll print up for family and friends initially with a pic of the situation and the corresponding page from his diary describing the incident with the letters and such to validate the historical accuracy of the conflict as they experienced it..... I'm a quarter way through with it and hope to finish by the end of the year.
It may not be a medal from a grateful nation but it's my own desire to honor my Uncles service and memory by not letting his deeds and those of his unit be forgotten.....
Never Forget Ping
Also please see this post by Squantos
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346805/posts?page=17#17
Navy Medics.....those guys are great! I'm glad he's able to get recognition, but upset that it took so long!
Wow! So many things here stirring memories.
I have been aboard seadragon, the second nuke boat built.
My grandad just passed away of pancreatic cancer.
And of course I understand the burdon that SS corpsmen as well as all subsailors shoulder.
The operating room on the 637s was the officers mess
God bless em all
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