“I hated the guy.” That was the old man’s opinion of General George Patton. My elderly patient was a World War 2 veteran and former captain in Patton’s Third Army. He fought under Patton during the Battle of the Bulge. ”Why?” I asked. “He just didn’t care too much about the little guy. It wasContinue reading “A Patton Critique”
Tag Archives: military
A Christmas Trip to Baghdad
Christmas 2003 I was deployed as a critical care air evacuation physician. Our mission was to safely transport critically wounded U.S. and allied troops from the battlefields of Southwest and Central Asia to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany—and from Germany back to the United States. Christmas Day 2003 was quiet at Ramstein Air Base.Continue reading “A Christmas Trip to Baghdad”
Reminiscences of an Old Aviator
I was in a hurry. Five new admissions and a few consults the night before and just a few hours to see them all. As an attending physician on the family medicine residency inpatient team, I was supposed to meet with my team at nine for morning rounds. One of the new consults on myContinue reading “Reminiscences of an Old Aviator”
Guarding Göring
The old man was in my clinic for his first appointment with me. “Could you please speak up?” The old man turned his left ear toward me. “Can’t hear out of the right ear at all.” “How long have been deaf in your right ear?” I inquired. “Since 1945. Damn M-1 carbine kept misfiring whenContinue reading “Guarding Göring”
The Warrior and the Prayer Warrior
My wife, Diana, had prayed for him for years. He was just a name on a bracelet- COL. GEORGE DAY, 8-26-67 She was given the POW bracelet in junior-high school in the early 70’s. She wore the bracelet and prayed faithfully for his safety, health, and safe return for years. In college, she lost the braceletContinue reading “The Warrior and the Prayer Warrior”
Hiding in Plain Sight
I was at the end of a week of S.E.R.E (Survive, Evade, Resist, Evade) training—better yet, lest I misrepresent, I should call it S.E.R.E.-lite training—it was by no means the intense course given to U.S. military air crews. This was simply a 1-week intro S.E.R.E. course given to 2nd-year Air Force Medical students at aContinue reading “Hiding in Plain Sight”
Dead Men Walking
The old man tottered into the exam room, deftly placed his cane against the chair and took a seat. It was our first visit together. I was his new doctor. “Good Morning, Sir!” I greeted him. He rose to greet me with a firm handshake. In spite his 93 years, his wizened, proud bearing andContinue reading “Dead Men Walking”
A Salute and a Pizza
The young black man sat on the back row of the church. At the end of service, he quietly left. After a few Sundays, I approached him. He nodded, smiled and shook my hand but it was obvious he knew very little English. Over the next few months, as his English improved, I got toContinue reading “A Salute and a Pizza”
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