Bartley, Richard, Sr., LT

Lieutenant Richard Lee "Dick" Bartley, M.D. USNR

Hospital Corpman WWII and Naval Flight Surgeon Korean War
BSA: Eagle Scout and awarded the Silver Beaver

Richard Lee Bartley, Sr., M.D. (Ret.) was born January 11, 1923 at Lincoln, NE, to James Earl & Neva (McNiel) Bartley. The family lived in Lincoln until 1930 when they moved to Blair, NE. In 1935 they returned to Lincoln when Earl was asked to assume the Business Manager-Treasurer's position at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Richard (better known as Dick) graduated from Jackson High School in 1941 and later from Nebraska Wesleyan in 1945.

WWII was in progress and Dick enlisted in the US Naval Reserve, and was called to active duty July 1, 1943, and was stationed at the US Naval Hospital, Norman, OK, as a Hospital Corpsman and Lab Tech. Later he was transferred to a medical Training Unit, Univ of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha. In November 1945 Dick was honorably discharged to the inactive duty reserve, US Navy, with the rank of LTJG. His medical training continued as he worked in the office of Dr L.S. McGoogan, MD, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, in Omaha.

Dick and Virginia D. Rupert (Ginger) were married December 23, 1944 in Lincoln, NE. Ginger passed away in September 2010 after 64 years of marriage. Dick graduated from Medical School in 1947 and took his internship at Immanuel Lutheran Hospital, Omaha. In May 1948 the family moved to Sully, IA, a small town of 500 population, to begin his practice of medicine.

The Korean War broke out, and Dick volunteered again for active duty, US Navy, graduating from Flight Surgeon's School, Pensacola, FL, US Naval Air Station, in 1951. He was then ordered to duty in Japan and Korea until 1952 when he returned to the U.S. serving at the US Naval Air Station, Alameda, CA. He was honorably discharged in October 1952 with the rank of full Liutenant and Dick returned to practice in Sully, IA.