By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Petty Officer 1st Class Anthony Gordon Diaz, a native of Oxnard, California, is playing a critical role in the U.S. Navy’s efforts to maintain a healthy and ready fighting force in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.
As a hospital corpsman working at Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Six, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Diaz’s skills are vital to maintaining the health of the sailors in the Pacific area, and by extension the readiness of the Navy’s operational ships and submarines on which they serve.
“The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic brought an invisible enemy to our shores and changed the way we operate as a Navy,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "The fight against this virus is a tough one, but our sailors are tougher. We must harden our Navy by continuing to focus on the health and safety of our forces and our families. The health and safety of our sailors and their families is, and must continue to be, our number one priority.”
Diaz is a 1982 Northern Luzon Academy graduate. According to Diaz, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Oxnard.
“My mother was, to me and my brothers, a pillar of strength, perseverance and determination, who demonstrated to us that being humble, kind and patient goes a long way in life,” Diaz said.
U.S. Navy Medicine is the most decorated career field in the Navy. Navy Hospital Corpsmen have earned 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 959 Silver Stars and more than 1,600 Bronze Stars. Twenty ships have been named in honor of corpsmen.
In its century of service, the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps has supported millions of sailors and Marines in wartime and peace around the world. As the years have progressed, technological innovations are transforming medical training for the next generation of hospital corpsmen, according to Navy officials.
“It's been a privilege to serve as a hospital corpsman because of its rich history of bravery, selflessness and hallmark of heroes,” Diaz said.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Diaz, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition that dates back centuries. Their efforts, especially during this time of challenge brought on by the Coronavirus, will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who provide the Navy the nation needs.
“Enlisting in the hospital corpsmen rate was an easy decision in the start, as it relates closely to my personal convictions to heal the sick and injured,” Diaz added. “It's been a blast and I couldn't ask for a better job than being a hospital corpsman in the United States Navy.”