As a trauma surgeon, Dr. Richard King, 56, established himself in medical care, yet he never forgot a desire to serve in the U.S. Navy.
"I have always loved the sea and ships," King said. "I remember reading about the 13 frigates and the USS Constitution as a child. I was drawn to the duty, honor and tradition of service."
King joined the ROTC program while attending his undergraduate degree at Cornell University, and later, he served as a U.S. Army medical officer. Still, his father, James D. King, made a lasting impression on his desire to serve in the Navy. Also beginning his career as an Army medical officer, King's dad later completed his 18-year military career in the Navy medical corps.
"I remember finding two swords in my father's closet when I was around eight," said King. "One of them was a katana. He didn't say much about them, but my father had collected them when he was in Burma. In Japanese culture, the sword represents its owner, it's thought to hold the soul. If the sword is not returned to the warrior's family, then the soul wanders and never finds peace. My father's own sword holds a significance to me because of this."
King swore into the Navy Reserves on April 26 at Central Maine Medical Center, where he works as the trauma medical director. His wife Jennifer presented his father's naval officer sword during the ceremony.
"It's a way to bring his legacy back into the service," King said.
His biggest wish is to help others as he begins his journey with the Navy, and he hopes his story helps set examples for others in their daily lives.
"I'd love to be on a warship one day, a carrier or amphibious ship working with Marines, or even a hospital ship doing humanitarian work," said King. "But I would be happy just teaching new corpsmen how to stop a patient from bleeding. I'd even be happy if they sent me to Antarctica!"
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2022 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 420618 |
| Location: | LEWISTON, ME, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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