Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class David R. Ray would have been 76 years old this year.
The Medal of Honor recipient (posthumously) and namesake of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Everett was killed in action - a lifetime ago - for his actions at Phu Loc 6 near An Hoa in Quang Nam Province in the Republic of Vietnam on March 19, 1969.
From that fateful day 52 years ago, the legacy of the man is embodied by staff at NMRTU Everett, located within the David R. Ray Branch Medical Clinic, caring for eligible beneficiaries in the greater Naval Station Everett area.
For hospital corpsman stationed at the clinic, there is symbolic significance following in such hallowed footsteps.
"I find it very significant to work anywhere named after someone who came before. There is a lot of pride knowing you represent someone who made the highest sacrifice for our country, and seeing their picture and citation every day as you walk in," said Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Emilio Alejandro Lugo.
"It is very significant to work within a facility named after a hospital corpsman who's a Medal of Honor recipient, as it sets the highest standard while wearing the cloth of our nation and assisting those in need of healthcare," added Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Crystal Jeanette Zamora.
The high regard that the clinic sailors have for Ray has even become a mobile form of respect, venturing far beyond the clinic. The command's guidon has become an emblematic source of pride and esprit de corps for staff members, especially during the ongoing pandemic and helping to stop the spread of COVID-19.