Don't want to get my Ass shot off! In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and the draft board was working overtime, a friend and upper classman, Jimmy, was more worried than...

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and the draft board was working overtime, a friend and upper classman, Jimmy, was more worried than most of the other high school seniors. He was fortunate enough to get accepted into medical school after three years as an undergraduate at the University of North Texas.

While I was a freshman in high school, it was a small school. My class was only about 28 seniors, and we graduated in 1953, the boys were all paying close attention to the draft board’s action.
I recall that this was a very serious concern for Jimmy.
Early in this conflict, the U.S. and U.N. forces were not advancing, but retreating and fighting a defensive battle.

Jimmy’s parents owned the only drug store and pharmacy in town. It also had a typical soda fountain and snack bar. We would often hang out there, read the comic books for free and I would often order a cherry phosphate. Since our high school girls often were hired to work behind the counter, it was a natural place to congregate. It was also where you were likely to see Jimmy.

Well, he entered college as a pre-med student and in three years he was accepted into medical school. I do not remember whether he was at the medical school in Dallas or at the medical center in Galveston.
I do remember that as freshman at Texas A. & M. my roommate and I traveled down to Galveston and spent the weekend visiting and playing penny ante poker with Jimmy and his buddies. He never changed his concern about ‘getting his ass shot off’ and was quite clear about his concern.

Well, after he graduated from medical school, he did his residency and of all things I would have never done, he joined the U.S. Navy. I don’t think he was well informed because the brass in the Navy decided to assign him to the Marines! I don’t know if physicians are as close to combat and medics are, but they can be near enough in a MASH unit, if they happened to get overrun.
I never got to talk to him because he was out somewhere in the Pacific or in Korea.

Only after the Korean conflict cooled down, did Jimmy come back home and open his practice of medicine in Denton, Texas. I assume he got over his anxiety about bodily harm. On the other hand, I was more than willing to fly in the U.S. Air Force, regardless of the hazards.

I was told by a Ophthomologist/Flight Surgeon on average I had 20/20 vision. But he said the U.S. Air Force did not need pilots, they did not even need officers! My commanding officer told me I could opt for doing 180 days and then the rest of my service obligation in active reserves. However, in only two or three years, the Air Force realized they did need both officers and pilots due to Viet Nam heating up. Sometime around four and five years later, I did get a letter from the Air Force asking if I would like to come back on active duty for one year. I declined the offer because by then I had two children, and the offer did not include flight training. Just Sayin…RJS

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

Robert J Samples wrote:

In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and the draft board was working overtime, a friend and upper classman, Jimmy, was more worried than most of the other high school seniors. He was fortunate enough to get accepted into medical school after three years as an undergraduate at the University of North Texas.

While I was a freshman in high school, it was a small school. My class was only about 28 seniors, and we graduated in 1953, the boys were all paying close attention to the draft board’s action.
I recall that this was a very serious concern for Jimmy.
Early in this conflict, the U.S. and U.N. forces were not advancing, but retreating and fighting a defensive battle.

Jimmy’s parents owned the only drug store and pharmacy in town. It also had a typical soda fountain and snack bar. We would often hang out there, read the comic books for free and I would often order a cherry phosphate. Since our high school girls often were hired to work behind the counter, it was a natural place to congregate. It was also where you were likely to see Jimmy.

Well, he entered college as a pre-med student and in three years he was accepted into medical school. I do not remember whether he was at the medical school in Dallas or at the medical center in Galveston.
I do remember that as freshman at Texas A. & M. my roommate and I traveled down to Galveston and spent the weekend visiting and playing penny ante poker with Jimmy and his buddies. He never changed his concern about ‘getting his ass shot off’ and was quite clear about his concern.

Well, after he graduated from medical school, he did his residency and of all things I would have never done, he joined the U.S. Navy. I don’t think he was well informed because the brass in the Navy decided to assign him to the Marines! I don’t know if physicians are as close to combat and medics are, but they can be near enough in a MASH unit, if they happened to get overrun.
I never got to talk to him because he was out somewhere in the Pacific or in Korea.

Only after the Korean conflict cooled down, did Jimmy come back home and open his practice of medicine in Denton, Texas. I assume he got over his anxiety about bodily harm. On the other hand, I was more than willing to fly in the U.S. Air Force, regardless of the hazards.

I was told by a Ophthomologist/Flight Surgeon on average I had 20/20 vision. But he said the U.S. Air Force did not need pilots, they did not even need officers! My commanding officer told me I could opt for doing 180 days and then the rest of my service obligation in active reserves. However, in only two or three years, the Air Force realized they did need both officers and pilots due to Viet Nam heating up. Sometime around four and five years later, I did get a letter from the Air Force asking if I would like to come back on active duty for one year. I declined the offer because by then I had two children, and the offer did not include flight training. Just Sayin…RJS

In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and... (show quote)

That was the USAF’ loss!

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Well, that's what I thought. But on the other hand I might have won a stay at the Hanoi Hilton! Just Sayin...RJS

GlsJr40 Loc: Dallas, Tx.

Robert J Samples wrote:

In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and the draft board was working overtime, a friend and upper classman, Jimmy, was more worried than most of the other high school seniors. He was fortunate enough to get accepted into medical school after three years as an undergraduate at the University of North Texas.

While I was a freshman in high school, it was a small school. My class was only about 28 seniors, and we graduated in 1953, the boys were all paying close attention to the draft board’s action.
I recall that this was a very serious concern for Jimmy.
Early in this conflict, the U.S. and U.N. forces were not advancing, but retreating and fighting a defensive battle.

Jimmy’s parents owned the only drug store and pharmacy in town. It also had a typical soda fountain and snack bar. We would often hang out there, read the comic books for free and I would often order a cherry phosphate. Since our high school girls often were hired to work behind the counter, it was a natural place to congregate. It was also where you were likely to see Jimmy.

Well, he entered college as a pre-med student and in three years he was accepted into medical school. I do not remember whether he was at the medical school in Dallas or at the medical center in Galveston.
I do remember that as freshman at Texas A. & M. my roommate and I traveled down to Galveston and spent the weekend visiting and playing penny ante poker with Jimmy and his buddies. He never changed his concern about ‘getting his ass shot off’ and was quite clear about his concern.

Well, after he graduated from medical school, he did his residency and of all things I would have never done, he joined the U.S. Navy. I don’t think he was well informed because the brass in the Navy decided to assign him to the Marines! I don’t know if physicians are as close to combat and medics are, but they can be near enough in a MASH unit, if they happened to get overrun.
I never got to talk to him because he was out somewhere in the Pacific or in Korea.

Only after the Korean conflict cooled down, did Jimmy come back home and open his practice of medicine in Denton, Texas. I assume he got over his anxiety about bodily harm. On the other hand, I was more than willing to fly in the U.S. Air Force, regardless of the hazards.

I was told by a Ophthomologist/Flight Surgeon on average I had 20/20 vision. But he said the U.S. Air Force did not need pilots, they did not even need officers! My commanding officer told me I could opt for doing 180 days and then the rest of my service obligation in active reserves. However, in only two or three years, the Air Force realized they did need both officers and pilots due to Viet Nam heating up. Sometime around four and five years later, I did get a letter from the Air Force asking if I would like to come back on active duty for one year. I declined the offer because by then I had two children, and the offer did not include flight training. Just Sayin…RJS

In early 1950 when the Korean conflict was hot and... (show quote)

This reminds me of a story about a guy named Buddy. He was an orphan without any known kin, and somehow my grandmother was raising him. When WW2 came along, Buddy enlisted in the Navy and was trained as a 'medic' (not a hospital doctor) and was assigned to the Marines. He went ashore on a number or the Pacific island invasions as a Marine battlefield medic. He was in the middle of all the fighting trying to save any casualty that he could in places like Iwo Jima, etc. Fortunately he never "got his ass shot off" nor was ever wounded as far as I ever heard. He was still active and saw some of the Korean conflict at that time. Then, he "got his ass knocked off" and killed by a taxi cab in Los Angeles, while crossing the street!

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

GlsJr40 wrote:

This reminds me of a story about a guy named Buddy... (show quote)

We are all going to go. When our time is up, it is up. Sometimes it is just very ironic how. It is not a matter of if, just when and how. What really matters is what we leave behind, kids, grandkids, great grandkids and others we take under our wing. Like all other creatures on this earth, that is what we are here for.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yes, I have a similar story. I will post it after giving it some thought. Just Sayin...RJS