|
Home
Up
Purpose
About Sculpture
Amphitheater
Bookstore
Contact Us
Encampments
History Walk
In The News
Memorial
Military Museum
Your Donations
.
| |
"I OWE MY LIFE TO
A CORPSMAN"!!
It all started on a beautiful day, June 3,
1951, in the
Hanchun-ni area of Korea, near the 38th parallel. Our
front line had advanced one hill too many. During
that action I saw one of my fire-team members
receive a bullet through the right shoulder, and my
squad leader lost both of his legs from the knees
down by a grenade. After we took the hill, we were
told to pull back. As we were heading back, I heard
a sharp exploding sound, and felt my body spinning
around. I landed on all fours, stunned. I looked up
from that position and saw blood spurting out from
an artery in my neck. I knew I only had a few
seconds to live. I tried to yell loudly for a corpsman,
but the words came out a whisper. My vocal cord had
[also] been damaged. I felt someone pinching my
neck. As he rolled me over, I saw the corpsman and
said "don't let go". I'll never forget his words, as he
said "I won't let go, Jolly". The corpsman stayed with
me all the way to the aide (sic) station, where the
doctors took over. They worked all night trying to
stop the bleeding inside my chest. I lost eight pints
of blood from these wounds. The Navy doctor, who
was German, had an American name: Dent. He kept
notes as he worked on me. In his notes, over and
over again he wrote that he was afraid he was going
to lose me, because I was losing so much blood and
he couldn't find where the blood was coming from.
They were even replacing the blood in two different
areas of my body. Then, at the end of the notes, it
read, "The boy will live, the blood has stopped
flowing". I owe my life to the young corpsman who
knew just what to do when he saw the blood
squirting from my neck and who stayed with me all
the way to the aid station, and to the Navy doctors
who worked on me that night. I spent six months in
Corpus Christi Naval Hospital recuperating and
waiting for my voice to return to normal.
Cpl Jerry Jolly,
USMC 1950-1951, 1st Marines,
1st Division, H Co, 1st Platoon
NOTE: Please help Jerry Jolly to find that Navy
Corpsman who saved his life. He, his 3 children,
6 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren would
like to thank him and his family. Please call:
(816) 452-0606. Also note that none of his children,
grandchildren, or great grandchildren would wave
been born if not for [the efforts of] this CORPSMAN!
THE HAPPY ENDING…
UPDATE TO THE JERRY
JOLLY STORY!!!
Jerry Jolly, USMC
locates the Corpsman that
saved his life!
(Email to the Medical War Memorial
from Jerry
Jolly (dated Friday, July 31st, 2003))
" Hi Chuck:
Well I finally
found the Corpsman. His name is
Kurt Oberscheven. He lives in Otis Orchard, WA. He
has had 3 heart attacks so the doctors will not let
him travel anymore. I had found out that I had the
platoon and squad wrong. Instead of being in the
1st sqd of the 1st plt, I was in the 3rd sqd of the
3rd plt. I sent letters to all those who were
associated with the 3rd plt and told them my story.
Kurt Oberscheven wrote back and told me that he
remembers me. He wrote that he was in the fox
hole when I came walking by. At that time a mortar
hit close to the edge of the hole. When he looked
up he saw me lying there with blood spurting from
my neck, so he jumped out of his hole and pinched
the artery. He then stayed with me all the way
down to the evac jeep. He said he knew I had lost
a lot of blood and was white as a sheet. He is a
member of the H-3-1 Association but unable to
attend their reunions because of his health. I told
him that my wife will run a marathon the first half
of next year in Washington, and that we [will] come
for a visit. I want to thank YOU [Chuck] very much
for helping me [to] connect with the H-3-1
Association through which I was able to find Kurt.
I want to also thank you for all the work and time
you have spent helping me find the Corpsman who
saved my life. I believe that there are a lot of
Marines who have not connected with the corpsmen
that saved their life. I feel that I am very blessed
to know you. You have done a great service and I
will never forget it.
Semper Fi, Jerry"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The text of the letter from Kurt to Jerry
(from a Fax copy))
"Dear Jerry
Thank you
for your informative letter Jerry.
As I have had 3 heart attacks my memory is real
bad. Lt Vic O'Henesian was slammed against a log
bunker and I was shell shocked, but you are right:
he was in the 3rd Plt.
I think I was the one that
walked you down to
the evac jeep. What I remember was there was a
Marine walking along the edge of my fox hole when
a mortar landed on the edge of my hole, and all I
remember is looking up and seeing a man with a
slice on his neck and blood spurting out. So I
jumped up and grabed [sic] the artery and pinched
it off. As I could not let go I grabed [sic] your arm
and walked the marine [sic] down to the evac jeep.
If
you want more info, I sent a bunch of photos
to the ex marine that is writing a book on the H-3-1
so you could write him to look at the photos.
I hope
this helps you, if you need any more info.
Let me know
Semper Fi Kurt Oberswcheven
19004 E Marietta
Otis Orchard, WA 99027
| |
Bookstore
Book Order
Contributers
Current Heroes
Donations
Favorite Links
Testamonials
|
