"Doc" Joe Hoffer
FMF Corpsman with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, Lima Company

 I joined the US Navy in Sept. 1966.  After boot camp I volunteered for Hospital Corps School.  I went to school in Great Lakes, then went to Little Creek, Virginia.  Shortly after that, I went to FMF School at Camp Lejeune, NC. I was stationed with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines at Camp Lejeune, and went on a Med. cruise with them.  Upon arriving back to the States, I had orders to Viet Nam. 

 I was with Lima 3/1 in Viet Nam as a grunt corpsman.  We spent most of our time on Hill 37, and had areas of operations in Goi Noi Island, Charlie Ridge, Dodge City. Liberty Road, Happy Valley.  After almost a year (13 days short of a year ), I was medevaced to Bethesda Navy Hospital with Hepatitis and Malaria.  

 To make a long story short, I stayed in the Navy for 23 years working Sea Air rescue, Aviation Medicine.  I retired on Oct. 2, 1992 as a Hospital Chief Petty Officer with 23 years active duty. I now work as a Paramedic in Mansfield, Ohio.  

Of all the tours I remember my friends and protectors, the US Marines.  Thanks for getting me home.~Doc Hoffer  

 I'm the one in the middle holding the stick in my right hand, and with the smokes in my flak jacket. It was taken around June 1969 at Go Noi Island. We did quite a few operations at Go Noi. Always ran into a lot of NVA. It was a staging area for Dodge City. The guy holding his helmet is Jeff Lathum. I really don't remember who the other guy is.

Doc Joe and family

(FMF Corpsman title by Redeye)