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'Wheels Down': FH-3 Arrives Home to Heroes' Welcome

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030610-51

Release Date: 6/10/2003 3:26:00 PM

By Chief Journalist Al Bloom, Fleet Hospital 3 Public Affairs, and Rod Duren, Naval Hospital Pensacola Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The men and women of Fleet Hospital (FH) 3 returned home to Pensacola, Fla., June 9 to a heroes' welcome by more than 450 family members and staff of Naval Hospital (NH) Pensacola.

The combat medical/surgical field hospital command returned home three months to the day from departing Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"It's truly great to be back," said Capt. Peter F. O'Connor, FH-3 commanding officer. "Your loved ones and co-workers have done a phenomenal job. They made history over there, and I am extremely proud to have served with them."

FH-3 became the first-ever Navy medical command to establish and construct an expeditionary medical facility (EMF) in a war zone.

The 116-bed EMF covered nine acres in the desert of southern Iraq and was manned by 300 medical/surgical and service support personnel from Navy medical facilities at Bethesda, Md.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Great Lakes, Ill.; Pensacola; and Portsmouth, Va. The EMF also had Seabees from Key West, Fla., and Kings Bay, Ga., on staff. FH-3 cared for more than 700 patients, despite facing temperatures well above the 100-degree mark most days. They traveled 18,000 miles and "digested" thousands of meals ready-to-eat before arriving home to a rousing welcome.

With the humidity teetering at 100 percent in Pensacola, the crowd was beginning to grow restless, as FH-3 ran into unexpected delays at Eglin after a 21-hour flight. Eventually, as the 7-bus caravan turned the corner into the Naval Hospital compound amid a growing crescendo of cheers, the 'heat-and-humidity' watch became worth the wait.

The men and women of FH-3 disembarked the buses and slowly strolled through the crowd, who offered hugs and kisses, hearty handshakes and back-slaps. The 252 members returning made their way toward the front of the Naval Hospital, at which time they "formed up" to the orders of FH-3 Executive Officer Capt. John Gibson.

Capt. Richard L. Buck, commanding officer of NH Pensacola, remarked about how the "work these folks (FH-3) had done before deploying allowed us to continue to perform at a quality level. This is the only military hospital that I know of," he continued, "that had 200 people deploy, get 110 Reservists to fill-in, go through a major Navy medical inspection and accreditation survey at the same, and come out of it with flying colors. It's a testament to our One-Navy Team.

"It's also important for us to recognize the incredible support our folks enjoyed from family members and friends," continued Buck. "The Ombudsmen and Fleet Hospital 3 Family Support Group have worked long and hard to make this homecoming and deployment a success."

"We're so excited," explained Lisa Braham, who traveled to Pensacola from New Orleans, where she and Navy Nurse Lt. Dallas Braham live with their three children. "Even though this is our first deployment, we were able to keep in touch through e-mail, phone calls and the Ombudsman's Careline."

The homecoming also marked the first time Lt. Braham was able to hold the newest addition to his family. Baby John Braham was born two months ago.