In Recognition of Veterans Day - Coffee with Vets [Image 2 of 25]

BOISE, ID, UNITED STATES

08.30.2019

Photo by Thomas Alvarez 

Idaho Army National Guard

John “Doc” Frayer, 81, U.S. Navy 1958 -1965.

Frayer was born and raised on a farm in Saline Michigan. He was taking pre-med classes at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on an athletic scholarship when an injury ended his athletic career. He decided to join the Navy. He hoped to become a pilot, but his eyesight disqualified him. With his educational background in pre-med he became a Navy Corpsman.

During his first two years he served at a Navy hospital delivering babies. He eventually asked for a transfer and was reassigned to a U.S. Marine Corps infantry unit in Okinawa. From Okinawa, they were sent to Da Nang, Vietnam in the early 1960’s.
Frayer said his unit was preparing to be airlifted by helicopter into the jungles of Vietnam on their first in-country patrol. He was standing with a group of Marines alongside the airfield when they were attacked with grenades.
Wounded Marines were all around him. He had to perform tracheotomies on site to save lives and rendered aid in various ways to the wounded. For 19-year-old Frayer, this was his introduction to the Vietnam War.
Frayer said many of the patrols and missions his unit was sent were directed by the CIA. He was later wounded and discharged from active duty.

After the Navy he lived in Bakersfield, California working professionally in the medical field for over 20 years. He arrived in Boise, Idaho between 2010 and 2012. According to Frayer he had a series of shoulder surgeries, lost his wife to Cancer and was living alone when he finally moved into the Veteran’s Home.

“I wasn’t taking very good care of myself,” He said.

Life is good now and his shoulder is improving well enough to allow him to deal cards during games with his friends living at the home. He credits his time in the Navy for providing him the medical training and experience that allowed him to make a career in medicine in civilian life.

• Date Taken: 08.30.2019
• Date Posted: 11.08.2019 10:29
• Photo ID: 5897804
• VIRIN: 191101-Z-XK920-0002
• Resolution: 2700x1800
• Size: 2.32 MB
• Location: BOISE, ID, US