This is the incredible story of Channing Moss.
During the course of a Taliban ambush while out on patrol, Channing was impaled by a live RPG.
Army protocol says that medevac choppers are never to carry anyone with a live round in him. Even though they feared it could explode, the flight crew said damn the protocol and flew him to the nearest aid station.
Again, protocol said that under these kind of circumstances the patient is to be put in a sandbagged area away from the surgical unit, given a shot of morphine and left to wait (triage) until others are treated.
Again, the medical team ignored the protocol.
This video was put together by the Military Times; actual footage of the surgery where Dr. John Oh, a Korean immigrant / naturalized U.S. citizen and graduate of West Point, removed the live round with the help of volunteers and a member of the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team.
Moss has undergone six operations but is doing well at home in Gainesville, Georgia.
Pray for our American Heroes
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Absolutely amazing, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! There seems to be no end to the heroism of the men and women in our forces. God bless them.
ReplyDeleteThis happened to a guy I knew, in Mogadishu.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't make it.
A serious nod of respect to the whole chain involved here: to the Man on the pointy end of the stick (Channing Moss), to the chopper crew (who should be named), Dr Oh, and his entire team (who should be named), to the EOD team.
ReplyDeleteI can understand that these courageous people don't want to be named, however they deserve it.
Amazing stuff right there. I suppose the head that broke off when the round struck the vehic. was a dud or do they frequently glance off of hard targets without detonating?
ReplyDeleteYep, good stuff. But he won't get even half as good of care from the VA now or when he is older and his wounds cause him difficulty or even disable him. Just ask me about it.
ReplyDeleteNo, on second thought don't. You don't need to hear me badmouth the VA.
Papa Ray
From a former MSC Officer - right call.
ReplyDeleteEverything's Bigger in Texas, including Dr. John Oh's balls. He was out of Fort Hood, as I recall.
ReplyDeleteGood feller.
As for the VA, my Col. Dad ran VA hospitals and his cousin was Chief of Affairs in GW's Cabinet and I'll stand on anybody's coffee table in jump boots and say that the VA is screwed up but there are a LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING to make it better.
Dad's retired now and he still spends 30-50 hours a week working for Vets.
The System is Sick. There are some people at the helm that are trying to fix it. With the current past few administrations, it's not been easy, but it's WAY better than it was late 70s and early 80s.
SOME VA PEOPLE DO CARE.
Dad could have gone from Military Medicine to cushy jobs at drug companies and he didn't because he wanted to help out other Vets. He used to bring interesting charachters to our homestead and I got to meet people who were ball gunners in B-17s and tortured NVA prisoners and he invited them in to our home and he nursemaided their care to the best of his ability.
Affirmative action hires of people just in for the bennies and pensions is what has nearly destroyed the VA, but there ARE still good people who want the best for vets.
Best of luck and health.