Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

It's been a really bad week and I have been feeling so sad and just flooded with memories. Maybe because Veterans day is fast approaching and I know most veterans are greatly affected by that day. Anyway, Thursday was one of those days when out of the blue I got hit with a flashback of an incident driving into work where an APC flipped over and that flashback / memory was extremely vivid. I don't know what triggered it and tears welled up in my eyes and the memory just kept getting more and more vivid.

Not too long after showing up for my nightly duty the call came in regarding wounded from an APC that flipped. If I remember correctly, it was an explosion that flipped it. It got really crazy fast. I don't remember much about the wounded coming in an several choppers except for two soldiers. I remember that there was some communication about one of them either having died or on the brink of dying. I decided to bring him into the ER from the chopper since we didn't really know. As we got to the entrance of the ER from the Helipad a Corpsman opened up the poncho he was wrapped in and got very angry. He stated he was dead and wanted to know why was he being brought in. I told him. He had us take him to the Morgue by taking him around by the Helipad rather than through the ER.

Once everything settled down in the ER and the wounded were processed the Corpsman (He was actually older than most of us.) came and got me and told me I was going with him to bodybag the two soldiers. I told him no. I had gotten a glimpse when the poncho was lifted up and knew I could not handle it. The Corpsman gave me an order and we went to the Morgue. When we got in the Morgue he gave me a pair of gloves to put on, the one and only time I wore rubber gloves. even though I came in contact with blood most every day. We prepared the bag and put it on a litter and then slowly began to cut off the jungle fatigues. I remember this young soldier being crushed from his neck to his pelvis and split open. The process was slow and one done with respect . something I believe was always done. Soon the clothing was removed and we moved him into the body bag. I will not go into any other detail due to how horrific it was based on his injuries. I still remember the very strong smell of old blood while preparing this soldier and this smell from many years ago also overwhelmed me as I was driving in to work.

I assisted with the other soldier and I believe the injury he had was a broken neck. The only real memory I have was having to remove this soldiers false teeth.

After all was said and done my E-6 showed up and ripped me a new one, one of the only times I remember being yelled at. He stated he had told me when I came on to duty that we would be getting in these casualties and I was to locate him and advise him they were on their way in and he'd be over. I believe this was at a time we were very short staffed due to an eye disease affecting a number of my fellow soldiers. I told him I don't remember him telling me this and I did the best I could. Noting was ever said about this again.

I will never forget these and the other young men that crossed my path. My biggest regret is that I do not remember their names. I want to find out more about them and to honor them whenever on the rare opportunity I get to to to the Moving Wall. Regardless, they are always in my mind and I think of them and pray for them and their families every day. You are not forgotten my brothers.