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"CORKY WENT HOME" |
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By Army Medic David Grant
Copyright 2001 |
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I'm
hoping that whoever reads this story, might be able to help me
locate someone who might have known a patient I tried to help in Japan.
That patient was WO1 Clarke Pederson, from the 1st CAV. This
was in February 1970.
One morning, when I arrived
for duty, in my section at the hospital, I had a message to call Red
Cross. I was notified to call my aunt, who then lived in Homewood, IL.
When I called her, she informed me that the son (Clarke),
of a good friend of hers had been wounded in Vietnam, and was subsequently
medevacced to the Army Burn Center at the 106th General Hospital, Kishine
Barracks, Japan. She asked me if I could go and visit him. Being a Friday,
I hopped a train to Yokohama, that evening, and went to the 106th.
Upon finding the Burn Unit, I stopped at the nurses station and informed
them why I was there. The duty nurse asked me if I would like a cup of
coffee and invited me into the break room. We sat down and he briefed me
on the condition of Clarke and also wondered why I wanted to see him. I
explained to the nurse where I was stationed and
what I did at Zama Hospital, and also told him, really not having to, what
I have seen and had already worked with.
The nurse then briefed me on Clarke's history. Clarke had been flying a
LOCH on a recognizance mission and was shot down. Upon impact, he was
thrown through the canopy. The helicopter exploded, and he was
subsequently burned. In addition to his burns, 3rd degree over 50 percent,
he suffered a depressed skull fracture. His condition: expected. (Expected
meant: expected to die.)
The nurse asked me if I still wanted to see him. I told him that I had to
see him, because I promised my aunt that I would see him. The nurse took
me to him. Clarke was on a circle bed and was attached to a respirator. He
was also comatose. My aunt had told me that his nickname was Corky,
I told the nurse this, and he told me to try talking to him using his
nickname, as they had not been able to get any response from him since his
arrival 24 hours earlier. I tried, but there was no response. I asked the
nurse if his family would be coming to Japan, and was told that because of
his status, invitational travel orders would not be issued. They would
continue to try and stabilize him and prepare him for the trip back to the
states.
Corky did go home. He passed into the Kingdom of God, on that
following Sunday. The nurse contacted me immediately, when he passed. When
I got back to Zama, that Friday evening, I called my aunt and told her
what I
had seen. I didn't mince my words, I was honest with her. The family had
requested that I escort Corky home, but because the rule was that the
escort should be equal or greater rank, a buddy from his unit in Vietnam,
did the escort duty.
That summer, I came back to the States, on leave, and met the family. He
was the only son. I talked for great length with his mother and sister,
however his father, stayed out of the conversation. They showed me
pictures of him growing up, pictures from the Army, and pictures from the
funeral. I was one of the last to see him alive, and they wanted to know
what I saw. No, I didn't lie to them, because they wanted the truth. One
other thing I told them, which also was the truth, was the dedication of
the doctors, nurses, and medics who cared for him.
I would like to hear from anyone who knew Corky, because I really didn't
know him. When I went to Stand In The Gap, in Washington, in October 1997,
I went to the "Wall", and found his name. I had to tell him that
we did our best, and that my fellow medics never let him down. As I stood
there, with my fingers running through the letters of his name, I felt a
large number of hands on my shoulders and my back, when I turned around,
there were only two people behind me, my two friends from the group I was
with, and no one else was close by. I told them about this
and they said they were the only two, who had placed hands on me.
If you, or anyone else knew CLARKE PEDERSON, I would like to know
more about him.
Thank you,
Dave
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