San Francisco VA Health Care System

Mr. Greene, a 93-year-old WWII Veteran served in the U.S. Marines from 1942-1946, earning the rank of staff sergeant. Greene was an orphan when his parents passed away at an early age. He was raised on a farm by his grandmother south of Chicago. In 1942, at the age of 17, he enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps.

February 19, 2018 marked the 73^rd remembrance of Operation Detachment (Battle for Iwo Jima). 70,000 Marines took part in the battle for Iwo Jima over 36 days of fighting.  After months of naval air bombardment, some 23,000 Japanese soldiers were dug into bunkers deep within the volcanic rocks.

6,800 U.S. Marines lost their lives and another 20,000 were wounded. As time passes many Americans associate the battle for Iwo Jima with the iconic flag raising atop of Mt. Suribachi on February 23; five days after the battle began. Let’s not forget those 70,000 U.S. Marines that sacrificed so much for us.

One such hero resides in Sebastopol, California: U.S. Marine Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Charles “Doc” Greene. Mr. Greene receives his VA Health Care at the Santa Rosa CBOC.

Mr. Greene, a 93-year-old WWII Veteran served in the U.S. Marines from 1942-1946, earning the rank of staff sergeant. Greene was an orphan when his parents passed away at an early age. He was raised on a farm by his grandmother south of Chicago. In 1942, at the age of 17, he enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps.

By February 19, 1945, when U.S. Marines began surging onto the beaches of Iwo Jima under heavy fire, Greene was a Veteran of war and had already participated in the capture of Guam a year earlier with the 3rd Marine Division. “Iwo Jima was like no other battle. It was a barrage of heavy gunfire. The battle was deafening. We could see the enemy’s eyes. The Japanese knew if they shot one Marine, others would run to their aid, causing many Marines to be wounded or killed,” recalled Mr. Greene.

During the battle, Mr. Greene lost his long-time friend, John LeBlanc. The two men attended the same grade school, middle school, and high school and joined the Marines together, now finding themselves in the same foxhole on Iwo Jima. “One of the guys they knew was shot by a Japanese sniper. His name was Guido from Brooklyn,” said Mr. Greene. “Guido was out in the open, with no cover, but LeBlanc insisted on leaving the foxhole to save his fellow Marine.” LeBlanc, like so many of his fellow Marine brothers gave his all with his life to help a fellow Marine, not thinking twice about his own life. 

Mr. Greene is like so many of our Veterans who sacrificed and served. He is humble, hardworking and embraces challenges to make his country better for all. His experiences during Iwo Jima only strengthened those traits.

Greene completed his service with the Marines in 1946 and returned home to Illinois where he took advantage of his VA GI bill. Greene graduated from the University of Chicago with a PhD in Chemistry and was hired by Shell Oil as a Chemical Engineer. Greene spent 30 years with Shell Oil and he and his wife found their way to Santa Rosa, California upon his retirement.

Greene has been pleased with his experience at the San Francisco VA Health Care System, and credits them with saving his life when finding complications with his heart. “No hospital is perfect, but the VA staff in Santa Rosa and the San Francisco VA Medical Center have always been kind and helpful in addressing my medical needs. I’m very grateful for the VA,” said Greene. 

Greene encourages all Veterans to register with the VA for health, education and compensation benefits. “You’ve earned it,” said Greene. “I feel a debt with the VA, they have been very helpful with my medical needs. We Veterans couldn’t do it without the VA. They are the ones that ask us how we are doing.”

From all of us at the SFVAHCS, thank you, Mr. Greene for your service and sacrifice. It’s our honor to serve you.

We are honored to highlight our local Veterans. If you know a Veteran and would like us to highlight their service, please email Jeremy Profitt, SFVAHCS Public Affairs Specialist at jeremy.profitt@va.gov.