Post by floydragsdale on Apr 17, 2013 18:21:35 GMT -5
This Soldier, during the Battle of the Bulge, was hospitalized the 15th of January 1945. What a blessing it was to have a warm, clean bed for several weeks.
When it was time to be discharged from the hospital, before my final release, an Army Nurse approached me with a question.
She said and inquired of me at the same time, the following; “We have a German P.O.W. patient who is seriously wounded and is in vital need of surgery, however first it is essential to give him blood before we can do anything to save his life. Nobody in this hospital will give him blood. Your blood is the same type as that German Soldier’s is. Would you consider giving your blood to that person? In addition the Nurse went on to say. “I’ll understand your feelings, if you refuse my request.”
At that time the Malmady Massacre of almost one-hundred American P.O.W.’s, by German Soldiers, was still fresh within the ranks U.S. Army personnel memories.
Looking at that seriously wounded German Soldier, now a P.O.W., my thoughts were, “How would I feel if that was me laying there? His body was riddled with shrapnel and he appeared to be in agony.
My response to the Nurse was, "Yes."
Consequently I laid alongside that German Soldier while blood was taken from me and dispensed to him.
Afterward, a hospital staff member offered me a shot of scotch whisky. What that was supposed to do for me, the donor, is a good point, nevertheless, it wasn’t rejected.
After that episode this Soldier left the Hospital and eventually returned to G Company of the 424th Regiment on the front lines.
I’ve always hoped that the wounded German Soldier who received my blood lived to see his family again. At least he was given a chance.
Floyd
When it was time to be discharged from the hospital, before my final release, an Army Nurse approached me with a question.
She said and inquired of me at the same time, the following; “We have a German P.O.W. patient who is seriously wounded and is in vital need of surgery, however first it is essential to give him blood before we can do anything to save his life. Nobody in this hospital will give him blood. Your blood is the same type as that German Soldier’s is. Would you consider giving your blood to that person? In addition the Nurse went on to say. “I’ll understand your feelings, if you refuse my request.”
At that time the Malmady Massacre of almost one-hundred American P.O.W.’s, by German Soldiers, was still fresh within the ranks U.S. Army personnel memories.
Looking at that seriously wounded German Soldier, now a P.O.W., my thoughts were, “How would I feel if that was me laying there? His body was riddled with shrapnel and he appeared to be in agony.
My response to the Nurse was, "Yes."
Consequently I laid alongside that German Soldier while blood was taken from me and dispensed to him.
Afterward, a hospital staff member offered me a shot of scotch whisky. What that was supposed to do for me, the donor, is a good point, nevertheless, it wasn’t rejected.
After that episode this Soldier left the Hospital and eventually returned to G Company of the 424th Regiment on the front lines.
I’ve always hoped that the wounded German Soldier who received my blood lived to see his family again. At least he was given a chance.
Floyd
