Quote:
Originally Posted by svandamme
Did your uncle survive and did he suffer any lasting wounds?
Maybe you could update the wiki with this info?
|
Thanks for asking...
He survived.
He was flown to Guam where he underwent 1 year of re-constructive surgery and one year of rehab. Lasting wounds? Deaf in one ear, blind in one eye, no use of his left arm, plus the malaria he picked up in Guam. Lived to the age of 83.
Never once heard him complain. He enlisted without telling my grandparents - he was 19.
My first cousin (his son, also a Bill) is in charge of Wiki updates.
There is some footage shot by National Geo that is in the Nat'l Archives.
My cousin sent it to me, and if I can locate it, I'll post. They were actually documenting the nurse's mission.
P.S. At the 50-year anniversary of the landing, he and my aunt were flown to San Diego, and reunited with the nurse - not a dry eye in the convention hall.