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Happy 109th Birthday US Navy Dental Corps from NMRTC/NHC Lemoore!

20 August 2021

From Elaine Heirigs

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NAS Lemoore, Calif. (August 20, 2021) Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Lemoore celebrated the 109th birthday of the United States Navy’s Dental Corps on Friday, with a cake cutting ceremony.

Sunday, August 22, 2021 marks the 109th Anniversary of the Navy’s Dental Corps which was established on August 22, 1912 by an Act of Congress and signed by President Howard Taft who authorized the appointment of 30 assistant dental surgeons to be a part of the medical department.

“Happy birthday shipmates, happy birthday Dental Corps!” Capt. Romeo Tizon, Jr. commanding officer of NMRTC Lemoore exclaimed in his remarks during the observance.

Tizon then talked about how two Dental Corps officers, played a critical role in saving lives in the Beirut, Lebanon barracks suicide bombing on October 23, 1983 where 241 American and 58 French military personnel, along with six civilians were killed.

“All of the Medical Corps Officers and many of the Navy Hospital Corpsmen were killed in the bombing but two Dental Corps Officers survived, Lt. James Ware and Lt. Gilbert Bigelow,” Tizon stated. “I had the privilege of serving with lieutenant, now Capt. Ware in 1998, at 3rd Dental Battalion in Okinawa, Japan where he was the Executive Officer. Ware and Bigelow gathered the surviving hospital corpsmen. In essence, they were the only medical assets remaining and they went on to save dozens of lives.”

Both officers were awarded a Bronze Star for their heroic acts that day by establishing two aid stations to triage and treat victims, many lives were saved.

Two Navy Dental Corps Officers have been awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroic actions while serving with the Marines during World War II. Additionally, one Navy Cross, 17 Silver Stars, and 51 Bronze Stars have been awarded to Navy Dental Corps Officers for their valor since 1912.

The celebratory cake was cut by the most senior Dental Corps Officer in attendance at the clinic, Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Knudson and the most junior, Lt. Sojeong Kim. A table was also set up displaying information about how to become a Navy Dental Corps Officer.

Happy birthday letters were available for all to read from the directors of Navy Medicine’s five other corps to include: Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps, Hospital Corps and the Civilian Corps.

Today, the Dental Corps has over 1,100 active duty members, bringing medical power to the naval forces. Happy 109th Birthday U.S. Navy Dental Corps!
 

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