Letter home 15 Mar 71

Dear Mom, Forgot to tell you we got in a guy from Associated Press. His name is William Barton. He and another guy did not stop at a checkpoint in Siagon and a ARVN (South Vietnamese Soldier) shot him. He lost an eye and is very seriously ill. I carried him off the chopper. Also, Francious Sully from Newsweek was here. He died an 1 and a 1/2 later. The final line was for her to send and address and then signed Love, Mic. I have this picture in my head of Mr. Barton and believe I spoke to him and got some information from him after he got into the ER and remember a face and bandages over his eye. I has been driving me crazy looking for this short letter. I was so afraid I lost it and it is just something tat is very importnat to me. I often wonder if he made it and what his future held for him. Always remembering but not knowing is the worst for me. I just want to know, did they made it out safe, to know if they went onwit their lives. I know it sounds crazy and sometimes I feel I am going crazy. I guess the important thing for me is that I will alwalys remember.

Gun Shot Wound - Urgent Urology

The call came in that an incoming chopper was brining in a GI - Urgent Urology. I believe he was either a door gunner or crew chief on a chopper who had been shot. We got him into the ER from the chopper, fatigues stripped or cut off and he lay there with bandages covering his penis and testicles. I remember him being very quiet and pale looking with dark hair and of course, young. He laid on the littter as he was examined by the Doc and was soon taken into surgery. Later we were told by on of the Doc's that he was out of surgery. He said he had lost a testicle but there was no permanent damage to his penis which had been grazed by the bullet. He said he would recover and would be able to have kids. I seem to remember that he was married. As usual I felt such a relief. We had such great Doc's, nurses, corpmen and staff at the 24th and they saved so many lives. You know, I feel such a loss in my life as I think of these young GI's and what happened after they left the 24th. Did they go back to the world, the field and did they make it through their tour. I also think of those who died and their families. I pray for them and don't think a day has ever gone by that I don't think of those young GI's and Vietnam.

Urgent Urology

The young GI came in on a chopper as an urgent urology case. I seemed to remember him when I saw him. But then again we were all pretty much the same, just young men - soldiers and I saw so many coming in. This young man had been circumcised sometime earlier. If I remember correctly, there seemed to be a number of young GI's who came in for that which was probably because there were in the field and easier to keep clean. I think it really didn't matter if one was in the field or not for some of them getting circumcised.

This young man's penis was very swollen, enflamed, etc. and it was clear something was wrong. I remember him laying there on the litter as he was examined by the doctor. He looked so young but then again he / we were all young and really just beginning our lives but beginning it in a war zone.

I'm not sure if he went to surgery or exactly what happened next but I do remember the Dr. saying at some point in time that he had Leukemia. I*m not sure how he knew or came to that conclusion but that is what I remember. Apparently the circumcision brought that to light sooner by what was happening and it not healing, etc. and I remember them getting him onto a medical flight out of Vietnam.

This is what is burned into my memory and I think of him and wonder what became of him and what the future held for him. I hate the not knowing and wondering for all those that came in and our paths crossed for the short period of time. I know it probably sounds strange or stupid but there are times I feel I'm going crazy. I wonder and think and cry and I just feel so lost. And I am afraid, no matter how painful the memories are that I'll forget them and I never want to forget but keep these young Gi's in my mind and heart and always remember them no matter what.