"We took care of the soldiers and sailors when they came back...one of the most vivid memories was when we got medivacs back from Vietnam...the doctor in charge pushed the WAVES and Nurses to befriend the wounded because they had to go back to their families and if we could show them they were accepted, they would see their families would also accept them... helping them to see that they still had worth."
-Hospital Corpsman, Third Class Vita Summa Davis, USN
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the November 2020 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, Hospital Corpsman, Third Class Vita Summa Davis. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Hospital Corpsman, Third Class Vita Summa Davis at the USS William R. Rush DD 714 reunion being held at Harrisburg Pennsylvania in the Fall of 2019.
Vita Summa made the decision to join the Navy and remarked, "I was encouraged to join the military right out of high school, what led me there was my desire to get an education." Basic Training took place at Bainbridge Maryland, she recalled, "we took classes in ships, aircraft, weapons, and what they could do, history and military justice classes." After completing boot camp, she was able to return home and see family before departing to her first duty station.
She attended Hospital Corps School for four months located in Great Lakes Illinois. Once there she learned medical terminology and medical procedures. Skills such as how to bandage wounds, how to give injections, triage, and work in the field. "We practiced evacuations and did triage to learn who should receive treatment first."
After completing the school, she was assigned to the Long Beach Naval Hospital in Long Beach California. At the hospital, wounded service members from Vietnam were arriving and in need of treatment. She recalled, "My favorite ward to work on was the orthopedic ward, there were young men who had to have shrapnel removed from wounds sustained in Vietnam." "We took care of the soldiers and sailors when they came back...one of the most vivid memories was when we got medivacs back from Vietnam...the doctor in charge pushed the WAVES and Nurses to befriend the wounded because they had to go back to their families and if we could show them they were accepted, they would see their families would also accept them... helping them to see that they still had worth."
In additional to direct care of service members, she participated as a laboratory technician and monitored the tests. "I also got to be stationed with one of my company mates from boot camp...it was comfortable to be stationed with a friend." She continued to service in the field of medicine after receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy.
Part One Summary of United States Naval Service From 1968 to 1971
Part Three Attending Hospital Corps School to Become a Navy Corpsman
Part Five Treating Service Members Wounded in Vietnam
Part Two Deciding to Join the Navy & Memories of Recruit Training Women
Four Service at the Long Beach Navy Hospital and treating wounded from the Vietnam War
Part Six Returning to Civilian Life and Becoming a Nurse
The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, Radarman, Petty Officer Second Class George Trecarten, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.
To view this interview please visit the USS William R. Rush DD 714 Collection on the Navy Memorial Stories of Service page.