In June of 1944, Captain Ben L. Salomon of the United States Army Dental Corps was serving as acting surgeon of the Second Battalion at an aid station during the Battle of Saipan when Japanese forces launched their final advance. Salomon used a machine gun post to hold off the enemy while his patients were evacuated, saving their lives. He was never seen alive again.
In May 2002, Salomon posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor. And now, the American Friends of Dental Volunteers for Israel (AFDVI) also will honor his service and memory at a benefit for the Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI) Trudi Birger Dental Clinic at 5 pm on Sunday, November 20 at the Septodont Lecture Hall of New York University’s College of Dentistry.
The event’s speakers will include Colonel Jack Jacobs (Ret.), also a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and NBC News military analyst, and Major General Patrick Sculley (Ret), former Army Deputy Surgeon General and chief of the Army Dental Corps.
“The story of Captain Salomon is almost too incredible to be believed, and his courage and sacrifice must not be forgotten,” said Dr. Scott Dubowsky, president of AFDVI. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to hear from 2 dynamic speakers who will help us understand Captain Salomon’s story and what it means to us today.”
DVI provides free dental care to underprivileged children and young adults regardless of ethnicity referred by Israel’s Department of Social Welfare and shelters to the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic in Jerusalem. More than 100 dentists from around the world volunteer to perform routine and complex dental procedures each year. They also provide prevention and education so these patients develop effective oral health habits.
Henry Schein has been the primary supporter of DVI since 1997, donating supplies each year through Henry Schein Cares, which also provides financial support for specific activities and campaigns in addition to marketing and promotional support for fundraising and educational programs.
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