Military Medical Team Makes the 'Toughest Call' (GI IMPALED BY BOMB - courage abounds!!!)

ABC News ^ | 9/22/07 | Ruth Reiss

[paulat]

Unexploded Rocket-Propelled Grenade Impales Army Private in Afghanistan By RUTH REISS

[snip]

One RPG skidded past Lt. Mariani's vehicle. All of the vehicles had to quickly get out of the "kill zone." But before they could get to safety, two rockets hit Pvt. Moss' Humvee.

Staff Sgt. Eric Wynn, 33, the soldier in the front passenger seat, felt one slice through his face. Moss remembers the truck practically lift up. He was thrown up against the Humvee and then moved to return fire.

"I smelled something smoking and I looked down ... and I was smoking," he said.

Wynn turned to tell Moss where to fire and saw the tail fins of the RPG sticking out of Moss' side.

Roughly the length of a baseball bat, an RPG travels at the speed of a bullet. At the front end is the warhead -- a large grenade. The detonator and fuel are contained in the shaft. On the back are its fins, pieces of metal that stick out like legs on a camera tripod. The RPG is the weapon of choice for many of the world's guerillas.

Luckily for Moss, the company medic Spc. Jared Angell, 23, who the soldiers call "Doc," was in his Humvee

[snip]

A Human Bomb The RPG that had plowed into Moss' lower abdomen stretched from one hip to the other. If the RPG went off, it would kill everyone within 30 feet of him. Yet Angell stayed close, bandaging his wounds and stabilizing the weapon so that movement wouldn't cause it to explode.

Moss was still fully conscious, so Angell ordered him to not look down at the injury. He didn't want Moss to panic.

[snip]

[Tax-chick]

$12.50 for a 6 pack of Coors Light in cans. The least expensive bottle of decent red wine is $14.

Dang! That's expensive even after converting to American dollars.

If there's a special vendor promotion, we sometimes get a six-pack of beer for $2. I can get an adequate red wine at Wal-mart for $4.00 and a good one for $7.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The one good thing about Michigan is that you can find decent liquor in the MegaMarts and the good stuff at World Market and other specialty food shops.

[NicknamedBob]

Time to find out who among your neighbors makes homebrewed beer.

And take him some empties.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Is it not Friday night? Should not the church of Bob be open and the beer and pretzels laid out for the holy rites?

[NicknamedBob]

Of a certainty.

What did you bring?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The collection plate!

:Holds out battered brass bowl:

It made a pretty good emergency hard-hat.

[rottndog]

We’re collecting plates tonight?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Sure. If they have pizza on them.

[NicknamedBob]

That will come in handy.

I keep losing my collection plates.

.

Let’s see. I’ve got mixed nuts, potato chips, and fresh fruit. Who brought the beer? (I know it isn’t Fanfan.)

[sionnsar]

Dang! That's expensive even after converting to American dollars.
If there's a special vendor promotion, we sometimes get a six-pack of beer for $2. I can get an adequate red wine at Wal-mart for $4.00 and a good one for $7.

Aren't we somewhere near parity with the Loonie?

Can't speak to beer prices, I've pretty much quit drinking the stuff except on trips where it's not exactly necessary but a good idea. (Like hoisting a few with my German colleagues next week in Dortmund during Oktoberfest -- but only *after* the day's meetings are over.)

TC's wine prices seem a bit better than what we pay here, but I'm not this household's primary buyer. Of anything. (My job is to keep the money-hopper filled. *\;-)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Going to take the husband out to dinner. Back later.

[NicknamedBob]

"Going to take the husband out to dinner. Back later."

No beer then.

*Sigh*

Bob disconsolately nibbles on the fruit and cheese, and chokes it down with cold water.

*Sigh*

[sionnsar]

Bob disconsolately nibbles on the fruit and cheese, and chokes it down with cold water.
*Sigh*

Fruit & cheese is good stuff! No meat-rejection, and cold water is (to an American) better than room-temp water served elsewhere.

But if it helps: Some "Poblachd Saorsa," (in English, "Free Republic") the best whisky straight from The Official Distillery of the Undead Thread^TM?

[rottndog]

Chasing cold water with fire water huh?

[rottndog]

I have some Diet Rite Cherry Cola....

and plenty of peanuts and microwave popcorn...

[NicknamedBob]

I can see it now. Someone is going to suggest a “Church of Bob” brie and tofu covered dish picnic, and I’m going to retire to my word processor.

At least it understands me.

.

Mostly.

[sionnsar]

Chasing cold water with fire water huh?

A bit of additional warmth can't hurt.

Final packing underway, not sure how much longer I'll be on...

[NicknamedBob]

"Fruit & cheese is good stuff! No meat-rejection, and cold water is (to an American) better than room-temp water served elsewhere."

Actually, I like it. I had nice crisp Pink Lady apple with Colby (longhorn) cheese. I used an apple corer-slicer and a T-handled cheese wire.

I felt frugal and decadent at the same time.

The water was good too. I've lived here all my life, so the water from my well tastes "right." At the end of the day, I call a glass of cold water "the working man's wine."

[sionnsar]

I can see it now. Someone is going to suggest a “Church of Bob” brie and tofu covered dish picnic

Are you saying you are THAT Bob?

(Machts nicht... I'm off likely until I've landed in Germany and who knows when then?...)

[NicknamedBob]

No, I’m not “that” Bob.

He’s number 13013.

.

I’m number 880.