Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Messages 1 - 11 of total 11 in this topic |
Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 11:03am PT
|
Amazing, and such a great story to share on Christmas. I have a colleague, a very well respected orthopedist, retired now, who was an officer in Viet Nam. He doesn't like to tell stories about his him there, but occasionally you can catch him out. I remember him talking about a Viet Cong soldier who was brought in, and the US soldiers wanted to kill him, which my friend would not permit. The guy required surgery to live, and my friend was getting him ready. The US soldiers said "AHA! First you'll put him under, THEN you'll kill him!" Uhhh....no.
I imagine a lot of this went on in wars. Along with a lot of atrocities. Probably a lot MORE atrocities. But occasionally, a ray of the better part of humanity shines through. Probably very very rarely, it is ever spoken of.
As for bravery, former soldiers talk about the terror of going into battle----armed. Can you imagine going into battle unarmed?
|
|
Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 11:03am PT
|
Great story, thanks for posting. A reminder of the good side of people. We can all learn something from Mr. Moore
RIP Ken
|
|
Ward Trotter
Trad climber
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 11:15am PT
|
Several years ago I saw a TV reenactment of the absolutely incredible battlefield accomplishments of medic Desmond Doss in the saving of many lives:
He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet (120 m) high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying all 75 casualties one-by-one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On May 2, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards (180 m) forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards (7.3 m) of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On May 5, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet (7.6 m) from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards (91 m) to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On May 21, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, by a sniper bullet while being carried off the field by a comrade, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards (270 m) over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.
Pfc. Doss never pulled a trigger as well.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Doss
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 01:58pm PT
|
Awesome story Reilly, good one!
I love stories like that. That's why I'm forever watching documentaries, trying to celebrate and understand young enlisted guys like I was, rather than draping more wreaths on the generals.
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 03:09pm PT
|
Cool touching story!
you Do have cut and paste on your iPad, btw
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 25, 2014 - 03:23pm PT
|
Jay, thank you, even I am aware of that. It is just that the LA Times website is a PITA to C&P
from without a mouse, not to mention doing the photos. ;-)
|
|
Caveman
climber
Cumberland Plateau
|
|
Dec 25, 2014 - 03:45pm PT
|
" They would kill each other in the cemetery and they would heal each other in the church."
and do it all over again the next day
|
|
Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
|
|
Dec 26, 2014 - 10:39am PT
|
Pfc. Doss never pulled a trigger as well.
He was, however, awarded the Medal of Honor by Harry Truman. The narrative that you quoted was from his MOH citation. He was also a conscientious objector, the first of only three so honored.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
Dec 26, 2014 - 11:49am PT
|
Wow that's some bad ass s#it... truly heroic brave men.
|
|
John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
|
|
Dec 26, 2014 - 01:07pm PT
|
I well remember the COs in my Army days and the Army tested their convictions. While I didn't want to shoot the Viets, my convictions weren't strong and I picked up the weapon.
Behind the shooters at the rifle range, would be a big earthen berm. The COs, would be spaced out along the berm at Parade Rest, with the Drill Instructors behind them, watching everyone shoot. Day after day.
|
|
Messages 1 - 11 of total 11 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|