Longtime Artesia physician Dr. Henry Wall was honored at a ceremony Wednesday, where he was presented with a U.S. Marine Corps-issue Ka-Bar fighting utility knife.

The event recognized Wall’s service as a Navy corpsman in World War II, as well as his many years of devotion to the community of Artesia and area veterans.

The presentation ceremony was organized by Dwight C. "Red" Birdsong of Roswell, a former Marine and patient at the Artesia Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic.

In attendance were members of the Veterans Honor Guard of Roswell, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps recruiters and friends and former patients of Wall’s from around the area.

When Birdsong first met Wall at the V.A. Clinic, he learned he had been a Navy corpsman attached to the Marines in the South Pacific, seeing action at Tarawa, Saipan and the Tinian Islands.

His division was also responsible for establishing a malaria hospital in New Zealand, caring for survivors of the fighting on Guadalcanal.

"I told him Navy corpsmen were, and still are, held in the highest of esteem by Marines," said Birdsong. "There are two things a Marine in combat is in awe of. One is God. The other is a Navy corpsman.

"Navy corpsmen were on the field of battle with Marines and never faltered when called on to tend the wounded," he said, "Regardless of where or what the situation."

Wall volunteered for naval service shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

"I chose the Navy because I’d heard they had the best medical training program in the service," he said.

Wall, along with thousands of other Marines and sailors, was issued a Ka-Bar knife as part of his equipment during the war. The knife was used for many things, from digging foxholes to defending lives.

Wall found his useful as a corpsman, using it to strip away the uniforms of the wounded to treat their injuries.

Wall isn’t certain what became of his knife, but surmised that it may have been after one such incident that he inadvertently placed his knife on the stretcher and turned away, turning back to find the wounded Marine, as well as the knife, had been evacuated to a hospital ship.

Whatever its fate, he never saw the knife again.

A certificate accompanying the new knife read:

‘Presented to Henry Wall, M.D., as replacement for the knife issued to you and lost in the Island Campaigns of World War II.’

"We sincerely hope that this knife shall be received and used under different circumstances than the first one," said Birdsong.

Birdsong read from a letter to Wall’s parents, dated Dec. 14, 1943, written by a Marine whose wounds Wall had tended:

"I wanted to thank you, as well as him, for what he did for me and lots of others....I was one of 16 men assigned to him. My leg was broken and shattered...

"He slaved for days and nights and never stopped...dressing wounds, getting ice to make us cool water...getting food and fruit juices and several times he used his own money to buy ice cream for all of us.

"I saw him so tired at times he would sit down in a chair when the situation permitted and as soon as he’d sit down he was asleep. But at the first groan of a patient he was up, which was pretty often.

"I just want you to know that we too are proud of Henry and he is doing a great job."

It was signed, "A Marine, Sgt. C.E. Maddox, U.S.M.C."

During the 1960s, Wall was active with the Special Olympics during its formative stages.

"One of the prerequisites for taking a child for athletic activities was you had to give them a physical," said Jesse McGary, retired Artesia High School principal.

"We were just starting out and we didn’t have any money. Dr. Wall was kind enough to give our athletes physicals, and he did that without remuneration for years," he said.

"There are a lot of handicapped individuals in this community that certainly are appreciative of Dr. Wall."

After 45 years in private medical practice in Artesia, Wall closed his practice and worked with veterans at the Artesia V.A. Clinic, retiring two years ago.

"As a former commander of the Disabled American Veterans," said Bob Allen, of Roswell, "I’d like to say that Dr. Wall has been exceptional in treating the veterans right here in Artesia.

"All the horror stories you hear about the V.A. and the hurdles they put up, Dr. Wall went around those and did everything he could to help the veterans.

"We really appreciate that."

Dale Freiberger has been a friend of Wall’s for many years.

"I’ve known Dr. Wall since before he became a doctor, when he was struggling at Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College to get to doctor’s training, and we’ve been friends all through the years," he said.

"I was in the Navy in World War II down in the same area where Henry served, and there’s never been a man who was any truer to his country than Henry Wall."

The honor came as a surprise to Wall, who knew nothing about it until just a few days prior to the event.

"I was really surprised and pleased, of course," he said. "I was very pleased at the number of people who came."

A fund has been established in Wall’s honor to purchase Christmas presents for underprivileged children. The fund is being managed by Betty Skinner, an employee of the V.A. Clinic and commander of the American Legion Post in Artesia.