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Post Wounded

April 22, 1968

Transferred to C.O.U.S. Naval Hospital, Yokuska, Japan.

April 24, 1968

Was admitted to Yokuska Naval Hospital. A few days later Charles Mitchell also arrived as a patient. When He heard that I was there he came by to see how I was doing. Also told me that McPhierson was also wounded. Ron Ulery one of the marines hit with me was also there, also Doc Tura and Charles Bradly, the 2nd Marine.

May 28, 1968

Transferred to US Naval Hospital, Philadelphia (City of Brotherly Love). Ron, Charles and I, that is. Doc Tura, I missed seeing by a day in Yokuska.

May 30, 1968

Reported to Philadelphia US Naval Hospital after 2 day travel an 1 day lay over at Air Force Base in New Jersey (McGuire?) (Where I called home to tell parents that I was in the States and would be going to Philadelphia next day. Also found out that Uncle Gerald had died that day.) When I hit Philadelphia Naval Hospital tried to get emergency leave in order to attend the funeral. Commander had sent out SP looking for Red Cross Volunteer to verify death, couldn't be located anywhere. Didn't get to go. Told Commander "Don't ask me to speak highly of the American Red Cross. Overseas, the International Red Cross went way out of the way to help a wounded serviceman. However, here in the States more preoccupied with their own personal lives to really assist us.)

June - , 1968

Convalescent Leave With the help of Ron Ulery and Charles Bradly, I was able to go home. There was a mix up in the transferring of all my paperwork. (Pay records were missing.) Ron and Charles took me under their wing and told me "Come on with us, Doc. We'll go as far as we can on our pay." So we took a train from Philadelphia up to Pitsburg where we tried to get on board a bus.

Ron and Chuck had told me to sit while they got the bus tickets. They came back after a few minutes and told me "Doc, we're $10.00 short for all of us to get on. Do you have anything that you can sell?" I told them, "I got this watch SEIKO and a tape player that I had bought in Japan. If you can sell the tape player for $10.00, go ahead. I paid $20.00 for it but get what you can." With that they went off and sold it for $10.00 and we went on our way.

While home went and saw all my relatives to let them know I was okay. My Fiance went everywhere with me. Things appeared to be okay. Went back to the hospital and went home unannounced the following weekend. Caught her by surprise with another guy at The Stables. Broke up with her then, found out everything that my brother told me after I got home 2nd time was true. If I couldn't trust her before marriage, what about after marriage?

July 5, 1968

Had operation on my left arm, nerve damage repair attempt. Almost hooked on drugs due to my fellow Corpsmen not checking to see if I was alert enough. If it hadn't been for Lt. Commander Rosenquist, my former Ward Nurse from Great Lakes Naval Hospital asking me one important question when she caught me at a lucid moment I would have ended up as a dopehead. The question was this "Do you know what day it is?" My response was "It's either the afternoon of my surgery or the next morning." Imagine my surprise when she told me "No, it's been 5 days since your surgery and they are going to put you on something stronger since your pain is worse." I told her You know what they are doing to me? They're not asking me if I really need it. They're keeping me doped up without asking me. I took one last shot that night to get to sleep. Since then I've been very careful as to what medications I'm taking. Nothing stronger than extra strength Tylenol until recently when I've had to start taking Nambutone for Arthritis.

Oct. 4, 1968

Sent Home awaiting discharge orders disposition. Was very upset over this. Had plans to make a career out of Navy, etc. Felt like whole world blew up in my face. (I was only 21 and already rejected and retired. Couldn't do my job as a Corpsman anymore. I was devastated.) (Had thoughts of going back to my beloved home state West Virginia and ending it all. Only, my Grandfather, Charles W. Bunner suspected that something was wrong with the way I was acting. He sat me down in the garage as he was working on a lawnmower and had a long talk with me. "I hope that I'll always have a Grandson like you around that I'll be proud of." Without that talk I wouldn't be here today.

Nov. 22, 1968

Released from active duty and transferred to Temp. Disability Retirement List. (It was during this time period that my brother received his draft notice and was gone within 30 days.)

Naval Reserve Manpower Center, Bainbridge, Maryland received my Temporary Disability Retirement Orders.

DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, COMMENDATIONS, CITATIONS AND CAMPAIGN RIBBONS AWARDED OR AUTHORIZED.

I had sent away for a complete update showing all awards, etc. that I received but was not awarded at the time. This list is as follows which also listed ones I never knew I had received till now.

1. Purple Heart
2. Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
3. National Defense Service Medal
4. Vietnam Service Medal with FMF insignia and 2 bronze stars
5. Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
6. Rep Vietnam MUC Gallantry Cross
7. Rep Vietnam MUC Civil Actions Medal

Oct. 29, 1970

Notice of Transfer from Temporary disability Retired List to Permanent Retired List effective Nov. 1, 1970.

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