Wounded and Evacuated
Evacuation Odyessy Continues
So I am at the 93d Surg, Long Bien. Clean pajamas, clean sheets, visited daily by a beautiful nurse, life is good. Got a visit from the CO and the Flt Surg. I learned that at least 4 and I think 5 pilots were wounded in the rocket attack. Me and one other were at 93D Surg, the other had head wounds. My roommate had a sucking chest wound and was at Tay Ninh hospital, a couple of others had various leg and upper body wounds. It was though that I was the least serious and all of a sudden I was evaced to 93d.
Doc wanted to find out the prognosis so went off looking for the Dr at 93d. Came back to say that the original plan was to give me a week in hospital, then remove bandage, put a cast on my wrist and send me back to unit for 6 weeks. Then return for a check up to see if more needed to be done.
Doc told them forget it. The unit did not need a pilot that couldn’t fly and I might not be able to fly even after the cast came off. Also the fact I had less than 60 days remaining on my tour made no sense to send me back to unit. So he had arranged to have me evacuated to the states. I could have kissed the guy. Things were looking pretty good. Looked like I had what would be considered the “million dollar” wound. Still alive, still walking, and going home, wow!
Little did I realize then that I would be facing 6 months in Brooke Army Hospital, Ft Sam, TX, 2 more surgeries, and over a year and a half to get back to 70% use of my left wrist and hand. Not to mention picking tiny bits of schrapnel out of my left side for the next 3-4 months. Nor did I realize at that time that I might not ever be able to fly again. Doc did, he knew the severity of the damage to my wrist. I still had 3-4 pieces of schrapnel, each about the size of s 22 cal bullet embedded in my wrist bones, plus damage and displacement to numerous other bones in the wrist. Sometimes its a blessing not to know the truth or at least remain in the dark I guess.
Anyway, that started a progression of bus and plane rides from one hospital to the next, always moving toward the states. With extended lay overs at some points. I was then a “social” guy, or some would say a “party” guy. I was also ambulatory and easily bored, so at each stop over, I wandered around the ward and made new acquaintances, asked questions and heard some very interesting stories. Along with having some experiences I might not have otherwise had.
My next stop was via and ambulance “bus”, stretcher hangars in the rear, ambulatory up front, from Long Bien to 3d Surg in Saigon. This was the shipping out point for evacuation to Camp Zama and other hospitals in Japan. It was an old French hospital and very nice. All white and clean, didn’t realize you were in a war zone.
Next episode, stories from the 3d Surg…
