Re: Dr. Philip M Irey Obituary
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In reply to:
Dr. Philip M Irey Obituary
tammy clark 1/24/03
Dr. Philip M. Irey was my grandfather, a kind, quick-witted man who practiced family medicine for many years in Bloomsburg, Columbia Co., PA. He often charged what a patient could afford instead of what they could pay. He achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant and served as a VA doctor during WWII and shortly thereafter.He stayed stateside because he was asthmatic. His brother, my great uncle, Dr. Sumner Irey (Colonel, USA Ret.) of Chevy Chase, MD, passed away in 1997 and was subsequently buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetary.He had served in the european theater with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in a glider unit and was one of the first doctors to undergo such training.During the '60s, Dr. Sumner Irey was the Chief of Pathology at Walter Reed Army Hospital and performed the postmortem on none other than legend Gen. (Old Soldiers Never Die) Douglas MacArthur.He was even contacted to do John F. Kennedy's autopsy shortly thereafter his assassination, but it was mysteriously reassigned by Jackie.Her reasoning was that the autopsy should be performed by a Navy doctor at Bethesda Naval Hospital, since JFK had served in the Navy in WWII.This happened in spite of the fact that Dr. Sumner Irey was the first contacted and most qualified for his autopsy of any pathologist currently serving in the armed forces.I'm reciting this abbreviated history off the top of my head so please excuse any minor inconsistancies.Thank you.
Specialist James M. Irey
1/32 Infantry
10th Mountain Division
Fort Drum, NY
US Army
More Replies:
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Re: Dr. Philip M Irey Obituary
Angela Walters 7/14/08
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Re: Dr. Philip M Irey Obituary
Thomas J. Irey 5/04/04