As expressed earlier in my blog “They Belong to All,” that proper ceremony is due our ward dead when they arrive a Dover Air Base, but what about the wounded — where is the recognition? In a stunning and heart-tugging story in last week’s Washington Post, its foreign service writer Karl Vick indicates that of the 3,684 wounded in combat one-fourth came from April’s bloody count. Fortunately half of these were light and the wounded troops sent back into action; the other half or about 900, half of which are in the words of Lt. Col. Stephen M. Smith who heads the medical facility, “these are horrific.” Another officer is quoted: “We’re saving severely injured people. Legs. Eyes. Part of the brain.”
This article contains a telling title and sub title, “Broken Soldiers: ‘Devastating injuries would have been fatal in previous wars’. ” Reportedly, the insurgents are increasing their marksmanship to aim for the head because of the body armor; and the IEDs cause numerous serious wounds to the head, face and limbs.
The great unheralded magnificence of the doctors and nurses in the field do not find M*A*S*H- like comedy in their travails. Sadly they admit that most can be saved but “won’t be what they once were.” The medics console themselves by confessing: for those eventually who will not make it, at least, if the soldier-hero or heroine can be sent stateside, the family will be at the hospital bedside to give comfort as the soldier fades away.
To Chris Matthews credit, he recently did a piece on the wounded at a veterans’ hospital for those wounded at Iraq. He was visibly broken up by the horrendous scene, but so very proud of the courage and determination of these heroes, who know they will not be “what they once were,” to strengthen what is left of them because of their gratitude to be alive. That is incredible heroism that should be publicized much more--for they too belong to us.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: May 12, 2004.