Quote:
Originally Posted by THEWATCHER
I've just checked my inbox and seems I now have only 1 message, bit odd, so if anyone sent me a PM and its not been replied to please resend, thanks
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While it seems a bit surprising... I wonder.
I have given thought to ask, or comment to you about a couple of puzzling past events in a "PM".
While putting thoughts in a row, it occurred to me that, anyone charged with looking for things too "close to home" could probably read private messages as easily as posts. I had also given thought to emailing a few people about them, but came to the same conclusion. Given that, I decided the risk was the same no matter how the matter was presented.
As the matter involves someone besides myself, the only way I can think of, risks making the subject matter "generic" beyond value, but I will try here anyway.
Time frame: mid 70's
Many bases in the US were busy receiving "former POW's" and such from the SE Asia. The standard reception for most of them was typically some kind of medical facility.
A medical officer at one of these found himself transferred to another facility completely separate from the main hospital, his usual duty point. They began receiving some of the worst cases, those suffering extreme mental conditions, usually with associated physical symptoms.
Where it gets strange:
Many of these patiens would later be sent out, no record of their treatment, or later destinations could he find. I can remember still how upset he was over some of these patient's mental condition. I remember him saying,
"God Fred, I swear some of the poor guys were no longer human!"
Now, to be clear, he was referring to their mental state; and there were quite a few genuine POW's who
did come back, that way. But...
After many months of this duty, the guy was re-assigned to the regular hospital facility. When he got curious he found:
- No record of his re-assignment to, or from said facility.
- No record of any of the patients.
- No record the facility ever existed.
His CO didn't even wonder where he'd been for 6 months. Odd, since he obviously should have reported for duty, but didn't.
20 years later (yes, finally), while reading various things, I heard a small "click" in me brain:
I wonder if, and how many of these supposed POW's might have actually come from "places" run by the US Mil. in ... say... Thailand?
Odd, because normally the military is very keen on medical records, and such. Odd they never came thru a place that never existed.
Anyway, possibly too generic to be of use, but thought I'd type it out,
Fred