Robert E. Bush Hospital Apprentice 1st Class, United States Navy Robert E. Bush's award at Marine Medals

Today Kakazu Ridge overlooks a school. Atop the ridge are Japanese bunkers and fortifications in disrepair from age and weather. There are, however, also Japanese shrines, typi­cally beautiful for their simplicity. They honor the war dead who fell on Kakazu Ridge. Fifty years ago it was not a time for schools or shrines. It was a time of killing, and "Doc" Bush was in the midst of it, trying to patch and save Marine lives in one of the bloodiest portions of the battle for south central Okinawa. There were plenty for Bush to treat: enemy artil­lery, mortar and machine-gun fire had been as accurate as it was volumi­nous.

Kakazu and Meada ridges that Bush saw a Marine lieutenant go down. He was the same Ma­rine who early that morning had said, "Doc, there ain't no Japanese out there."

"Hell, they were everywhere. One was so close I could see his rank insignia," recalled Bush. "I remember thinking to myself, "He's [the lieutenant] the only one left out there; you don't have to get him."' But Bush knew better.

He was quickly administering blood plasma to the wounded man, "when something blew it out of my hand." It was then that Bush realized he, too, was wounded. Bush helped the Marine regain his bearing and covered him as he made his way to friendly lines. It was then that Bush heard the Japanese ignite their grenades by striking them on hard objects. In came the grenades. Shrapnel tore Bush's shoulder, broke his arm and ripped out his eye.

"I wasn't too concerned except for the hole in my lung," which caused him to breathe through his chest.

More grenades went off. More wounds, this time in the back and stomach. It was time to make for the high ground. Bush fired his pistol until it was empty, then threw it at the Japa­nese. He seized a carbine and shot six Japanese dead as he charged. "I don't know what hap­pened, but later I walked down from the ridge and never got another scratch."

A few years ago, corpsmen of an­other generation on Okinawa named the dispensary at Camp Courtney after Bush who still visits the island from time to time.

Why I go to G-2-5 Reunions.

I like meeting with the men of G-2-5 because under adverse condi­tions, so many years ago, we as­sisted in fighting the war to save the world. We did it and made friends that will last forever. We attend G­2-5 meetings to renew those friend­ships.