For many Americans, Memorial Day has lost its significance as a day of remembrance and reflection about those who have served in our armed forces, and has turned into a day for shopping for sales and attending a back-yard barbecue. Before you celebrate the beginning of summer with a hunk of watermelon and slice of blueberry pie, we would like to remind our readers that Memorial Day is a holiday of commemoration, not just a holiday of celebration. This Memorial Day--in the spirit of remembering dentists at war--we wish to highlight the role of three heroic dentists in wartime.

In times of peace, members of the Dental Corps might perform duties one would expect of a dentist: attending to service members' dental needs. And although trained in general dentistry, military dentists are also trained to act as trauma surgeons.

Such was the case with Weeden Edward Osborne. Weeden graduated from Northwestern University Dental School in 1915 and two years later was appointed Dental Surgeon in the U.S. Naval Coast Defense Reserve to serve in World War I. In 1918, Weeden deployed to France to serve with the 6th Regiment of Marines, American Expeditionary Force. As is not uncommon in the military, Weeden arrived before his dental equipment, so he offered to serve as a front-line medic. He performed this duty for a mere twenty-two days. LTJG Weeden perished June 6, 1918, while trying to carry the wounded Marine Captain to safety.

Alexander Gordon Lyle earned a degree in dentistry from Baltimore College. After his graduation in 1912, he accepted a commission as Lieutenant JG and served with the 5th Regiment of the United States Marine Corps during World War I. On April 23, 1918, Alexander saved the life of a corporal by surgically treating his wounds while taking heavy enemy fire.  

According to the U.S. Army Medical Department's Office of Medical History, Dr. Ben L. Salomon graduated from the University of Southern California Dental College in 1937, but was drafted into the Army three years into his dental career. In 1942 Ben was commissioned into the Dental Corps and soon found himself in Saipan with the 105th Infantry Regiment, where he volunteered to replace the 2nd Battalion's surgeon who had previously been wounded in a mortar attack. On July 7, 1944, Ben was assisting wounded soldiers in a first-aid tent not far from the front lines, when his tent became over-run with Japanese soldiers. Providing rear-guard cover, Ben ordered enlisted medics to evacuate as many of the wounded as possible. Ben was observed fighting with his rifle, bayonet, and knife, defending his position as long as possible to allow evacuations to continue. Eventually Ben made it to a machine gun in front of his tent, where he was later found, perished. Ninety-eight enemy fighters lay dead in front of his machine gun, which he had moved four times in order to have a clear line of sight to continue shooting.

These three men were the only dental officers to ever have received the Medal of Honor, the highest United States military decoration, awarded by the President on behalf of Congress for bravery, heroism, and personal acts of valor that go above and beyond the call of duty.  

This Memorial Day, we are inspired by their stories.  

We honor their memories.  

And, we thank them for their service.