Levern Hayes was a combat medic in Vietnam. Here is his story in his own words:
I was drafted to go into the Army. I reported to basic traing at Ft Jackson on August 27, 1969. After basic, I went to San Antonio (Brooke Army Medical Center) for AIT to learn to be a Combat Medic I arrived in Vietnam on March 11, 1970 and left on Feb 8, 1971. I was assigned to the 12th Evac Hospital in Cu Chi (15.5 miles from Saigon) as a medic. Ater two months as a medic, I was assigned to be an orthopedic specialist which include putting traction on patients and putting cast on and removal casts, sometimes a full body cast was required if a femur was broken.
As we were arriving by commercial plane, we had to be escorted by helicopters to keep enemies from shooting the plane down. I spent most of my time in the OR (operating room) putting on casts (for legs arms and full body casts and traction for broken femur) I saw a lot of soldiers come in with all kind of injuries which would be too horrific to mention. At night you could see a lot of tracers (which is on bombs) coming into our area. The 12th evac hospital was next to the 1st Cav Division. After 6 months with 12th Evac Hospital, I was re-assigned to the 93rd Evac Hospital in Long Binh which was 20 miles from Saigon. Long Binh Post was the largest US Army Base in Vietnam in 1971. We had POW patients that we had to take care of at the 12th Evac and 93rd hospital. One night around 11 p.m. we got a call from the OR that they had 3 POW that needed either casts or traction because they had broken femurs. The person on call that night was sick so I had to take his place. I worked all night and until 11am the next day on the 3 POW putting 2 body cast and one traction. There was no hot water in our shower so most the time I would take my shower out in the rain because the water was warmer. We would get gas every night so I had to get under the cold water in the shower to keep gas out of my eyes. (Our gas masks were in the supply room locked up). I was never a POW, but I was shot at quiet a few times.
PHOTO GALLERY
(Contributed Photos)
