Page 27 - Delaware Medical Journal - November/December 2018
P. 27
CASE REPORT
Robert B. Flinn
Graduated from medical school in 1956 as a Berry Plan participant. As such, my active duty was deferred, enabling
me to complete both my Internal Medicine residency and my Nephrology fellowship. Subsequently I entered active duty
in the Air Force. I performed my basic training at Gunter Air Force Base, AL. My active-duty assignment was to the U.S. medical facility at Wiesbaden, Germany. This facility was the medical referral center for Europe, Africa, and the Near East. It was just like being a resident again. I was in charge of a 40-bed ward. It was a full-service hospital. It appeared we had all the subspecialists, many of whom had just completed their training. I had a fabulous time medically. Because of its central location, it was easy to travel throughout Europe. I was able to have my family with me and we did a lot of skiing. I was discharged from the Air Force in July 1963.
Bob Flinn
William J. Geimeier
After graduating from medical school in 1972, and a
rotating internship, I entered the USAF on the Berry Plan. Basic training was in Wichita Falls, following which, I was assigned to Holloman AFB in New Mexico. The duty was an active pediatric practice, both inpatient and outpatient. This included newborn nursery and ER. I attended a two-week course on Allergy at San Antonio, as I was the allergist for Holloman. My deployment assignment was a MASH hospital. It was alerted to be mobilized and deployed to Guam to process Vietnamese refugees, but this deployment was canceled. I was discharged in 1975 and began my postdoctoral studies.
assistance in selecting the anti-serum and treating such cases. In addition to the intangible reward of the privilege of serving one’s country, I was fortunate to receive the Air Force Commendation Medal as well as a tribute from the CO of being one of the truly outstanding physicians he had the privilege of serving with during his military career.
Rich Gordon
Forest G. Hawkins
Graduated from medical school in 1960 as a Berry Plan recipient. Deferred from active duty to complete specialty training in Pediatrics. In 1963, without any basic military training, was assigned to Williams AFB, Maricopa County, AZ, a pilot training other physicians at Williams. Was assigned as pediatrician caring for the children of the military personnel and their dependents. This Air Force experience was very positive. It provided a greater appreciation for my country and for the men and women who serve. On-call was a lot less than it had been during those residency years. been available as an intern or resident. Honorably discharged on 1965. Received a commendation letter from the referral hospital in San Antonio, TX.
Forest Hawkins
Richard H. Morgan
After graduating from medical
school in 1961 and completing an
Internal Medicine residency program,
at Andrews AFB, Washington, DC,
Initial training was at Brooks AFB.
male medicine ward and served
with the Inter-American Defense
College. The two-year duty was extremely interesting. It included investigation of aircraft crashes, including a B52 broken arrow crash involving a nuclear bomb and exposure to patients with unusual medical conditions. The President John F. Kennedy assassination occurred while I was in Washington. On the morning before he was shot, I stood several feet from him beneath Air Force One. He was departing Washington for San Antonio and Dallas. My military service memories are very positive. I met interesting people, travelled to distant lands, including Central America, and continued my education at Malcolm Grow Hospital, an excellent USAF teaching hospital. I was honorably discharged and am proud to have served my country during wartime.
Dick Morgan
Richard Gordon
Bill Geimeier
Richard Gordon
I had completed my Cardiology training under the
Berry Plan, deferring active duty.
was Eglin AFB, a Tactical Air Base in Fort Walton Beach, FL (familiarly known as “Redneck Riviera”). I was assigned as Clinical Head of Cardiology and was also responsible for a pediatric clinic for congenital heart
Richard H. Morgan
disease. This was all complicated when I contracted chicken pox
with Eglin receiving a large number of these families, who carried with them untreated cardiac disease and exotic parasitic diseases. Another medical problem in the area was poisonous snakebites. The Army Ranger School was just down the road and provided
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