Page 16 - Winter2021Skysoldier

The Battle for Corregidor
Medical care under fire
“No battle plan survives the first contact with the enemy,” That quote —or something like it has been attributed to Lead- ers from Colin Powell to Julius Caesar.
At 0833hrs, the morning of February 16, 1945 more than 1,000 American paratroopers of the 503rd P.I.R. made a parachute assault on “Fortress Corregidor.” This is the story about one of them.
Editor’s note:
The assault on the fortress island of Corregidor required extensive coordination between airborne, ground units, naval, and amphib- ious assets, and was a precursor to combined arms strategies used by modern commanders today. When the United States Army needed elite shock troops to execute a uniquely dangerous mission, it called on the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Ultimately,
the battle was not won based off of superior tactics alone, but it was also the superior courage and de- termination of the Paratroopers of the 503rd that granted the United
States the strategically important victory. A key part of this victory, the tactics and bravery of the Bat- talion Surgeon, Capt. Emmet R. Spicer, and his platoon of Combat Medics were generations ahead of their time.
It is the job of the medical platoon to maximize survivability of the unit they are charged with protecting, regardless of the tacti- cal mission or risks the command accepts. Corregidor’s two drop zones, collectively referred to as “Topside,” was the smallest drop zone ever utilized in an airborne operation of its scale. The parade field-turned-drop zone was en- circled by the enemy’s defensive positions and flanked by steep cliffs leading to the ocean. Captain Spicer surely understood the grave situation facing the men he was charged to protect and knew that the quicker he could provide the wounded care, the more likely they would survive.
Immediately upon landing, Capt. Spicer and the medics under his command established a Battalion Aid Station to triage and render aid to the many wounded. However, he understood that conventional
doctrine would not save many of the critically injured troopers. He received reports from the wound- ed that there were hurt comrades pinned down in a nearby cliff. Instead of following doctrine and waiting in the protection of his aid station, he grabbed his aid bag and moved forward toward the enemy position to render life-saving aid
to his helpless brothers. According to his Silver Star citation, “[Spicer] then proceeded under heavy enemy machine gun fire toward Wheeler Battery, attempting to evacuate
the many wounded personnel to the aid station. He was fully aware of the personal risk involved and was repeatedly advised against going.” Historical accounts state that he was found surrounded by several soldiers he treated with his own Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card (TC3) filled out. For mechanism of injury, he placed: gunshot wound “GSW.” Knowing the severity of his wounds, and the inability of anyone on the island to treat him to the level of care
he required, he recorded his own
See Corregidor: Spicer Continued on page 19
SC SKY SOLDIERS!
SC Chapter 30 of the 173d Airborne Brigade Association
invites you to attend our monthly meeting on the second Saturday of each month at noon.
Due to current Covid restrictions, our meeting locations vary. Call Wayne Bowers at 803-237-3169 for more information.
www.173dabnsc30.com
16 | Sky Soldier Magazine