David Sirota: The Legend of the Spat-Upon Veteran

[pinboy3niner]

85. If Mike was on the amputee ward, it's likely that I saw him then

I was on the same floor as the amputees, on the floor's other ward--facial casualties.

Each ward was somewhat insular because we lived together, were seeing the same docs, going to the same primary clinic, and going through a lot of the same med/surg procedures.

When a new patient came into our ward or somebody came back from surgery, we patients set up our own shifts to maintain a bedside vigil through the night until the patient became more stable. I stayed in touch with some of those guys for a while after we got out, and served as best man at the wedding of one former wardmate in San Jose and flew to Ohio to attend the wedding of another.

Sometimes I'd visit the amputees on the other side of our floor, and we'd see each other and sometimes sit together in the cafeteria and the vending machine room. I wouldn't remember their names today, though I remember a bunch from my ward. Still, looks like Mike and I were 'homies' for a while.

Thanks for the info on the book. I found a detailed review with more info on it at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Body-recuperating-Vietnam-Corinne-Browne/product-reviews/0812816137/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I'm sorry you lost Mike. A lot of us are constantly amazed that we're still here. I'll look for Mike's story in the book.

R.I.P., Mike.