Dr. John E. “Manny” Semon, the oldest practicing orthopaedic surgeon in Mobile will be retiring from Alabama Orthopaedic Clinic after 43 years of great service. Dr. Semon is 74 years old and continued to take call until he was 72 years old. Even today, he continues to perform surgery and will be greatly missed by his colleagues at AOC. Dr. Semon has had the same nurse for the past 27 years and the same secretary for 39 years. Mrs. Pat Borrego and Mrs. Brenda Burns continue to work for AOC.
Dr. Semon will begin working for the Veteran’s Administration clinic in Mobile as the Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon after his retirement from AOC. His last day at AOC will be Friday, June 12, 2009.
Interesting History: Before Dr. Semon became a physician, he was a professional musician. He and several friends from Mobile started the band “Royal Street Seven – Dixie Land Jazz Band” for more than 25 years. They played in many venues in Mobile area and in New Orleans. Some of the most interesting venues where the Royal Street Seven played was in the train club on the maiden voyage of the Sunset Limited from Mobile to New Orleans for the 1984 World’s Fair. They also played on the maiden voyage of the Magnolia Queen paddle boat in Mobile. The band members: Dr. Herb Allen, Sr. (father of our Dr. Herbert Allen III), Dr. Charles Chambliss, Judge Warren Hammond, Wesley Nichols, Rod Slater and George Sullivan continued to play together as a hobby while pursuing careers as physicians, an architect, a banker and a judge. Four of the original band members are still alive today.
Prior to his musical career, Dr. Semon served in the U.S. Army. He completed his medical internship in the Medical Corps at Tripler U.S. Army Hospital in Honolulu from 1960 – 1961 and served as a 1st Lieutenant. He was a battalion surgeon with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY from 1961 – 1963. He also completed his first year of orthopaedic residency at Fort Campbell US Army Hospital.
