71st Evac Hosp-Pleiku, Vietnam - Stories
These stories are true, but the names may be
changed to protect the innocent. Besides, my memory
isn't very good any more. I haven't researched any of these for historical detail, but have lived them. Steven Streeper - Copyright, 2007

My first DOT (died-on-table):
A few weeks after arriving in Pleiku, I was on duty when we got a call that a Vietnamese veloped (3-wheeled motorcycle with benches in back) had been hit by a deuce-and-a-half. Five or six of the passengers, of probably a dozen onboard, had been killed outright and several were badly injured. The survivors were brought into the ER, where we evaluated their wounds and moved a couple of them into surgery. I was assigned to scrub in with a team working on a young, prepubescent girl, probably 9-10 years old. There was very little external damage, though we were told that the trucks' duals had passed over her abdomen. The abdomen was completely rigid, indicating massive internal bleeding. Blood pressure was good and vitals were also good, but we knew we were in a race once we opened her up. Four units of blood were hung, both external jugulars and both brachial arteries, we wanted good blood supply to the head and heart, ready to push when we started. The surgeon performed a rapid transverse incision, entering the abdominal cavity. Immediately blood started gushing out of the incision, much like an artesian well. As I suctioned for all I was worth, the surgeon and first assistant were rapidly searching for the source of the profuse bleeding. We suspected a torn aorta, crushed spleen and/or crushed liver. As we worked, two nurses were pushing and hanging blood as fast as they could. Immediately upon entry of the abdomen, the blood pressure crashed. Despite the best efforts of the entire team and twenty units of blood, the patient expired after a few minutes. Upon post-mortem exam, the spleen was found badly crushed and the liver deeply lacerated, with one lobe completely separated. Her wounds were devastating, though no there was very little outward evidence of it.

Another tech and I were assigned to clean up the room and prepare the body for the morgue. After removing all of the IVs and tubing, we closed the incision, in preparation for burial. We washed off the blood and cleaned her up as best we could. After a while, the Graves Registration guy showed up with toe tags for us to complete. We really didn't know anything about the patient, so couldn't provide much information. She had a small gold chain necklace that the GR guy was going to take and give to his VN girlfriend. I told him he'd better not touch it or I'd have to hurt him. We put her in a body bag and wheeled her to the morgue. I don't know what happened to her after that, but I've never forgotten her. She was the first of many, but remains fresh in my memory. I can still see her face.

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Thanks for visiting ...SP5 Steven Streeper

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