BOOK REVIEW by Ray Calafell (08/17/06)

WARRIOR HEALERS – The Untold Story of the Special Forces Medic
Book I: The Beginning
By Leonard D. Blessing Jr.

This 208 page softcover book does, indeed, tell the story of what had been until now a relatively unknown aspect on what is, undoubtedly, the most difficult job on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha.  Len Blessing begins the book with a lengthy, but quite essential, recitation of the historical requirements of the job of a medical sergeant in the traditional deployment of a Special Forces team.  Rather than simply diving into war stories, he provides the uninitiated reader with the background to understand the complex job of a soldier who, at a moment’s notice, goes from healer to warrior.  In fact, he does a creditable job of chronologically detailing the development of the SF medic from the needs as outlined by Colonel Aaron Bank when the 10th SF Group was initially stood up, through what will eventually end in the present. 

This is the first of what the author predicts will be four books that will be necessary for a thorough telling of the story.  In this initial volume, his foundation is built on the words of Colonel Bank, who saw the need for a specialized warrior/medic while on a OSS Jedburgh team during World War II.  Bank felt that a team’s morale would be much higher if quality and immediate medical care was provided to any member wounded on these hazardous missions.  He felt that, having experienced this firsthand, it was a simple solution to a problem that would continue to plague any future unconventional warfare situations, especially in light of the predicted scenarios involving the Soviet Union.  It is thus that Colonel Bank stated, upon standing up the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), that every team should have a “damned good medic.”  Such is the foundation upon which this MOS was built.  October 13, 1952 is given as the first date upon which actual, team-directed training was formally begun at the Psychological Warfare Center at Bragg, to be followed by the Medical Aidman’s training course at Ft. Sam Houston.  These are the sort of little-known historical details that, but for this book, might forever be lost to future generations.

It is interesting to note that the medical sergeants (many who were combat medics from WWII) were looked upon with the same lack of enthusiasm by the medical professionals (the officers), that Special Forces as a whole was looked upon by the big Army.  Medical procedures that could save lives in the field, far from any support by large unit medical forces, were grudgingly taught to these NCOs by the physicians and nurses given the task.  The frustrations of a newly developing field, confronted by a less-than-cooperative cadre of medical officers, are clearly documented for posterity.

Despite these early growing pains, the medical NCOs persevered and thrived as Special Forces expanded in the late 50’s and the author keeps the reader immersed in those tribulations through the short, but very telling, tales from some of the “originals.”  Among these tales are those of the physician and surgeons who saw the potential of the SF medics and taught them well, so that medical treatment could be delivered in distant locales – far away from modern facilities and by full-blown doctors.

Unique to this book is the documentation of the very early deployments of teams to Laos during the Hotfoot and White Star missions, and the lessons learned that would ultimately be put to use in Vietnam.  Not only has the author preserved the history of the medical sergeant, but has further supplemented the history of the earliest SF missions in Laos.

The book is detailed and organized in chronological fashion so that the reader can clearly see the development and slow recognition by higher command of the extremely valuable benefit that the SF medic could provide in the unconventional warfare role as he was likely to provide the indigenous population with the greatest benefit: good health and dental care.

I recommend this book to anyone who seeks to expand his knowledge of the history of the U.S. Army Special Forces, because without this early background, a key element of the mission of these teams is missing.  Len Blessing has performed a great service to the SF community in general and the SF medical sergeants in particular, by writing this important book.  The “old” guys should be proud that their accomplishments have finally been documented.  Future volumes will continue the chronology beyond where Book 1 ends: in 1962 with the end of the White Star program and the summary of a SF mission to Iran.  Vietnam is about to take center stage in the development of the SF medic’s reputation as warrior/healer. 

Warrior Healers
The Untold Story of the Special Forces Medic
Book 1: The Beginning
by Leonard D. Blessing, Jr.
230 pages. Softcover
$18.95
Published by iUniverse