Frederick George SteffenHospitalmanH&S CO, 2ND BN, 3RD MARINES, 3RD MARDIV United States Navy 26 February 1948 - 24 May 1968 New Baltimore, Michigan Panel 69E Line 003 |
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The database page for Frederick George Steffen
"Stef" we called him. Although his name was Fredrick Steffen, we called him Stef. He was a person in my young marriage that didn't make me feel insecure by his presence in our home. He wasn't a third wheel. He was kind and nice, funny. My dog ate the center out of his birthday cake. Stef just cut the dog's part out and we ate the rest. He was just on the verge of life itself when the edge broke away. I often wondered why Stef and not me. I should have died. I don't think I could have come up to his level of personality. Now he is forever young. His memory still haunts my mind, my soul. The pain of his loss should not have been that intense but it was. I was not his parent just a brother-in-arms who had a chance to enjoy his life for what time we had at youth. He had seventeen days after he arrived in-country. Not much youth to share, but he made an enormous impression on my heart and soul and forever in my thoughts.
Semper Fi, My Brother.
"Doc" Wayne Georgiades |
Notes from The Virtual WallWhile Hospitalman Steffen, like all Corpsmen, was officially assigned to the Battalion's H&S Company he was in the field with a rifle company at the time of his death. Although he is remembered on the Echo Company memorial, it seems more likely he was with Golf Company, 2/3 Marines, which lost 16 men in heavy fighting on 24 May 1968:
"You guys are the Marine's doctors - There's none better in the business than a Navy Corpsman ..." -- Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller --
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 08/10/2009