"COL MAGGIE"
Martha Raye
"A Soldier For Soldiers"

A STORY
By Bill Hughes
(Medic, DUSTOFF, '64, '65)

After I was wounded on Nov. 12, 1965 they transported us from 3rd MASH at Bein Hoa to the Third Field Hospital at Saigon. I stayed there for a few days and they took us via Army Ambulance ( no shocks) to the Air Strip at Ton Son Nhut for transportation back to the states. My problem was that they had me on orders for Japan. After 20 months in Nam I was ready to go home. They told me that my wound was determined to be not serious enough to be sent back to the states and that I would be back in country in a month or two good as new. Hell, at that point, the only part of my left leg that I could move was my big toe. And moving that required all of the concentration that I could muster up. Of course I tried to argue with the Captain, in charge, but he assured me that he knew what he was talking about. I laid there feeling sorry for myself but thinking,"ain't no way I'm going back there."

The first leg of the trip was to the Philippines. We were transported on a C-141. I thought that it would never get off the ground with all of the patients that they had loaded on, but it did and we arrived at Scubic Bay a few hours later. It took forever for them to unload all of us from the ship and we were placed in a medical barracks for the night. While there they changed all of our bandages (not mine, but that's another story) feed us and we settled in for the night. I tried once again to convince them that they were wrong and that I should be sent back home. No good! They were hell bent on sending me back to finish my extended tour of 28 months.

Next morning after we were feed they loaded all of us back on the C-141. Once again this took several hours and while they were doing their job a Army Nurse was walking around asking the wounded if there was anything that she could do for them. My mind started going and I was thinking about what story I would tell her that would make her sympathetic enough to try to get my orders changed at least to Hawaii or Calif. When she finally got to me my mouth dropped and all I could do was stutter. Standing in front of me was Marth Raye (the comedian). As it turns out she was a reserve Army Nurse and a full Bird Col. at that. After I gained my composure I told her my story and that I had been in country 20 months and that I was ready to go home. She was very nice and told me that she would inquire as to what might be done to get me back in the land of the Big PX (my words). If I recall correctly the plane took off about 45 minutes later.

When we arrived in Japan. They off loaded some of the patients but I wasn't one of them. The flight took of after about a two hour delay. I didn't say anything because I thought that they had made a mistake( and I wasn't about to correct them). Once we were on our way ( I knew they wouldn't turn around) I asked a nurse why I wasn't off loaded in Japan. She checked my orders and told me that my orders had been changed to New York. When we arrived at Oakland they unloaded us again and this time a non-celebrity A.F. Col. came around and asked if there was anything that we needed. This time I got my orders changed to Valley Forge Hospital. About 45 minutes from my home town. Of course I arranged to stay a week at Walston Army Hospital at Fort Dix N.J. About 20 minutes from my home town.

By the way the Captain that said that I would be back in country in a month or two was wrong. My stay at valley Forge lasted 8.5 months.

To this day no one can say anything bad about Martha Raye as far as I am concerned.