Chapter Three: Casualties Of War
There was silence. The air hung heavy with smoke created by the falling debris. Hawkeye blinked but found it difficult to see as his face had been covered with a layer of the dust. He tried to move but his legs felt heavy, almost as if something was pinning them to the floor.
"Trap, Henry. Hey can anyone hear me?" he called to be answered by his own echo.
Hawkeye had to move. He tested his own reflexes, nothing was broken as far as he could tell. His ankle felt sore but he was alive. Slowly he sat up to witness the devastation unfolding before his eyes. The O.R was an unrecognisable sight to the doctor, where he had stood only moments before was now reminiscent of the ammo dump.
The tables had been blown clear across the room, all the equipment was either smashed or broken and two walls had completely caved in. The roof was now represented by the heap of rubble around his feet. The smoke made him cough as it clung to his lungs. He removed the remainder of the door that had been crushing his feet, freeing himself to stand up despite the pain surging down his leg.
Over the other side of the theatre Margaret was aware of someone moving about.
"Help me," she called.
"Margaret," answered Hawkeye walking towards her voice.
"Here, I am trapped beneath the rubble."
Hawkeye limped over to where Margaret lay. A sheet of the roof was lying across her chest and she was bleeding badly from her forehead. Hawkeye tried to lift the sheet away from Margaret but it was too heavy for him to manage alone.
"Don't worry, I'll get help."
"From where? Everyone has gone remember, we are here alone." Margaret began to cry, she couldn't be strong, not this time.
"Who's there?" called a small voice.
Radar was in the doorway to the scrub room. His small face cut from the glass shards that had rained down from the window frame above where he sat. Radar was hugging his knees close to his chest. He knew the bomb was coming, he had sensed it but it came too fast, he hadn't had time to warn everyone and now it was too late.
"Radar," said Hawkeye limping over to where the young corporal sat.
"I'm sorry, you must think I am someone else," said Radar staring vacantly back at the officer before him. "My name is Walter."
"Sorry Walter, can you help me here?" Hawkeye had already guessed what was the matter with his young friend but right now he had to get Margaret safe.
"Of course," answered Radar getting to his feet although a little shaky and attempting to help remove the rubble trapping Hotlips.
"On three," said Hawkeye, "One...Two....Three....Lift." They managed to raise the iron sheeting high enough for Margaret to slip out from underneath. Hawkeye quickly dropped the debris down again and checked her out.
"I am alright Captain," she answered sternly. "Just a few cuts, maybe a cracked rib but I am ok. Please let me help the others."
"Ra....Walter. Did you see what happened to the others?"
Radar looked up at Hawkeye, his eyes wide with fear. He had stepped back and brushed his foot up against a body. Hawkeye came to take a look for himself, he prayed that whoever he was going to find was alive but this was wishful praying on his part.
"It's the kid that Trapper and I were operating on," he said trying to find the pulse. He shook his head and covered the body back up again.
"Hawkeye, is that you?" said Margie scrabbling up from the corner of the room.
"Margie," replied Hawkeye helping her up and hugging her tight. "Boy are you a sight for sore eyes."
"Ginger's with me, she has broken her arm. She needs medical attention."
"What about you?" answered Hawkeye observing the cut on her face.
"I'm fine. What happened?"
"Guess some people didn't take heed of the ceasefire. I still haven't found everyone."
As the survivors continuing searching for their colleagues within the rubble, they found Father Mulcahy and Klinger who were both trapped under what had been the outer wall to the building. Klinger's leg had been badly cut but he had declined treatment until they had found the others. The other patient had survived and been placed in the nearest tent for now with Margie observing him.
* * * * * *
As the night drew in, the staff of the 4077th tried their best to clear the debris from where the O.R room had once stood. Hawkeye was frantically searching for Trapper, Henry and Frank. Nobody had seen them once the blast hit. The wall between the pre-op room and the operating theatre had collapsed from the bottom and was covering a large portion of where Hawkeye and Trapper had been standing.
"Klinger, Father can you help me here?" he asked, clearing the rubble from beneath the door frame.
They continued to pull away the splinters of wood, the remains of the roof and the panels that had once been the wall. Suddenly Hawkeye stopped, he could see a hand.
"Trap," he whispered. "Can you hear me buddy?"
No reply. They prised the last segment of the roof away and found Trapper lying unconscious in amongst the fragments.
"Good Lord," exclaimed Father Mulcahy. "He looks in a pretty bad way."
"Quick, Klinger fetch a table. Margaret, I'll need you to assist."
Margaret had been sitting with Ginger and Radar. Ginger's arm had been set but she was still in shock. Radar still couldn't remember anything, he didn't know why he was there or what had happened. All he knew was he wanted to go home.
"Coming Doctor," said Margaret, who was also in a frantic state over where Frank and Henry were. With them still missing, this made her the commanding officer. Right now she was feeling anything but authoritative.
* * * * * *
Trapper's breathing was shallow, his chest had been crushed by the amount of debris that had fallen on him. His pulse was dropping and if he didn't receive medical attention soon it would be too late.
"Can someone give me hand here?" called Hawkeye frantically trying to manoeuvre Trapper from underneath the rubble.
"Ok Hawkeye, what can I do?" asked Father Mulcahy, fearing that he would do more harm than good if he didn't wait for the correct instructions from Hawkeye.
"Right Father....Klinger is that table ready?"
"Yeah," replied Klinger.
"Margaret, are you scrubbed up?"
"The scrub room is gone Captain," she replied. "But I have found some clean gowns and some sterile dressings."
"This is gonna be fun," joked Hawkeye. "I have a feeling someone up there is testing me Father. I don't suppose you can give a polite word in his ear about laying off on me for a while."
"My prayers are with you and Trapper," answered the Father, hoping that he could find the strength inside to cope with the devastation.
Klinger had strapped a stretcher together out of pieces of wreckage that he had found lying around the site. He helped Hawkeye remove the rest of the obstructions preventing them from getting Trapper out of where he lay.
"Careful, I am not sure what is broken yet," said Hawkeye as he lifted Trapper from the shards ably assisted by Father Mulcahy and Klinger.
Margaret had salvaged a table that had been knocked in the explosion but was still in tact. Her head was sore and her body felt as though she had been through a meat grinder, but Margaret ever the gallant soldier ignored her own pain to help those who were in worse shape than she was.
She took one look at Trapper and the tears began well up in her eyes. She always been fond of Trapper, although she would never admit this to anyone, especially him. To see him so fragile, so close to death was almost too much to take. She glanced up at Hawkeye who smiled warmly back at her.
"He's gonna make it, don't you worry about that. I promise you."
"Thank you Hawkeye," she replied.
Hawkeye began to work with what little equipment they had. Ginger and Klinger had collected supplies from the rubble that may be useful to saving Trapper's life. The weight of the wrought iron sheeting that had collapsed on Trapper when the bomb hit had crushed his ribs piercing the lung in the process. Hawkeye knew that he had move swiftly.
"Chest cutters."
"Chest cutters," replied Margaret handing them over.
"This lung is a mess, I am gonna need more silk."
"I'll go look."
"No, Margaret I need you here. Ginger, how you doin' honey?"
"I'm fine Doctor, you need something?"
Ginger ran out to the supply room which was fortunately still standing. Klinger worked like a trooper despite the pain in his leg worsening. He found enough medical instruments and bandages around the O.R to assist Hawkeye. The thought that Henry and Frank were still missing was still in the for-front of all their minds, they all knew that they still had a job to do.
* * * * * *
Whilst Hawkeye, Klinger, Margaret and Ginger worked feverishly to save Trapper's life, Father Mulcahy decided his help was needed elsewhere. Of course he would be praying for Trapper but he could see another soul that needed saving too.
"Walter," he said sitting down beside the young corporal.
"Hello Father. I told them that I went to church but I didn't. I went to the Dairy Queen instead, do you think He will be angry?"
The Father smiled. "No, son. I am sure he understands. May I ask you a question?"
"Anything," answered Radar earnestly.
"Do you know where you are?"
Radar shook his head. "I wanted to make my parents proud, they wanted me to be a soldier, but I was too short. I will go to Korea though, somehow."
"Walter, you are very brave for one so young." Father Mulcahy was concerned for Radar, he wasn't sure how to handle this situation without upsetting him.
"I'm not brave Father, I just want to help."
"That is a very noble act, one that shouldn't be snubbed by anyone. I know that you will the best you can and much, much more."
Father Mulcahy left Radar to think over what he had said and went back to check on Trapper's progress.
* * * * * *
"How's he doin' Father?" asked Hawkeye as he closed the wound.
"Oh Radar, not good. He won't accept what has happened, he has blocked the whole incident out. Give him time. What about Trapper?"
"Vital signs are looking good. Pulse is strong, blood pressure 100/70 and holding, I am quietly confident. Margaret can you call Klinger, I need him to help me move Trapper to a tent."
The happiness that Trapper was going to be alright was quickly marred by a loud scream. Margie had come back from tending to the wounded soldier and was confronted with a horrific sight.
"Oh my God," she cried as Radar rushed to her side.
"Colonel Blake, can you hear me?" he began.
Hawkeye and Margaret joined the rest at the site where Margie had discovered the body. They, as everyone did, knew that their C.O was gone. His body had been crushed beyond repair, his skin was pale and his lips turning a greyish blue.
"Radar," said Hawkeye gently. "He's gone, we can't save him."
This time Radar responded to his name. It was if Henry had been the shock he had needed to snap out of his trance and surround himself in reality. But this latest blow was the kind of reality Radar could gladly do without.
"No, Hawkeye. You get him on the table, you've done it hundreds of times. I've seen you. They've gone in half dead and come out alive. You make miracles happen Hawkeye and you can do this."
"Klinger, Margie can you take Trapper to our tent. He'll be stable there, start him on IV and stay with him till I get there. Ginger go check on our soldier friend."
"Ok Doctor," said Margie, trying to hide her tears.
Hawkeye turned to Radar. So much had happened in a matter of hours, he hadn't the energy to cope with anymore, but somehow he had too.
"Radar, I'm a doctor. I'm not a miracle worker and I can't bring people back once they have passed on."
"You have to, he was my C.O, he was yours too. You owe him this much." The tears were falling fast from Radar's eyes but Hawkeye was powerless to stop them.
"I'm sorry," was all he could say.
"Some doctor you turned out to be," cried Radar as he ran out of the room.
"Don't blame yourself Hawkeye, you couldn't have done anything. Radar will understand, just give him time."
"I know Father, say why don't you try and find some food for us all in the Mess."
"Good idea," he answered standing up and following where Radar had ran.
Hawkeye found a sheet and covered the body of his Colonel and his good friend Henry Blake. As he sat alone in what was left of the O.R, he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Why had this had to happen? Why Henry? Why now? He hadn't even noticed Margaret was still in the room with him.
"Hawkeye....It's ok." She sat beside him and allowed him to sob into her arms. Just for those few moments Hawkeye didn't want the responsibility of Chief Surgeon, he just wanted to mourn for his friend's passing. Margaret too switched off her military role and broke down, not only for Henry but she was convinced she would never see Frank alive again either.
There was silence. The air hung heavy with smoke created by the falling debris. Hawkeye blinked but found it difficult to see as his face had been covered with a layer of the dust. He tried to move but his legs felt heavy, almost as if something was pinning them to the floor.
"Trap, Henry. Hey can anyone hear me?" he called to be answered by his own echo.
Hawkeye had to move. He tested his own reflexes, nothing was broken as far as he could tell. His ankle felt sore but he was alive. Slowly he sat up to witness the devastation unfolding before his eyes. The O.R was an unrecognisable sight to the doctor, where he had stood only moments before was now reminiscent of the ammo dump.
The tables had been blown clear across the room, all the equipment was either smashed or broken and two walls had completely caved in. The roof was now represented by the heap of rubble around his feet. The smoke made him cough as it clung to his lungs. He removed the remainder of the door that had been crushing his feet, freeing himself to stand up despite the pain surging down his leg.
Over the other side of the theatre Margaret was aware of someone moving about.
"Help me," she called.
"Margaret," answered Hawkeye walking towards her voice.
"Here, I am trapped beneath the rubble."
Hawkeye limped over to where Margaret lay. A sheet of the roof was lying across her chest and she was bleeding badly from her forehead. Hawkeye tried to lift the sheet away from Margaret but it was too heavy for him to manage alone.
"Don't worry, I'll get help."
"From where? Everyone has gone remember, we are here alone." Margaret began to cry, she couldn't be strong, not this time.
"Who's there?" called a small voice.
Radar was in the doorway to the scrub room. His small face cut from the glass shards that had rained down from the window frame above where he sat. Radar was hugging his knees close to his chest. He knew the bomb was coming, he had sensed it but it came too fast, he hadn't had time to warn everyone and now it was too late.
"Radar," said Hawkeye limping over to where the young corporal sat.
"I'm sorry, you must think I am someone else," said Radar staring vacantly back at the officer before him. "My name is Walter."
"Sorry Walter, can you help me here?" Hawkeye had already guessed what was the matter with his young friend but right now he had to get Margaret safe.
"Of course," answered Radar getting to his feet although a little shaky and attempting to help remove the rubble trapping Hotlips.
"On three," said Hawkeye, "One...Two....Three....Lift." They managed to raise the iron sheeting high enough for Margaret to slip out from underneath. Hawkeye quickly dropped the debris down again and checked her out.
"I am alright Captain," she answered sternly. "Just a few cuts, maybe a cracked rib but I am ok. Please let me help the others."
"Ra....Walter. Did you see what happened to the others?"
Radar looked up at Hawkeye, his eyes wide with fear. He had stepped back and brushed his foot up against a body. Hawkeye came to take a look for himself, he prayed that whoever he was going to find was alive but this was wishful praying on his part.
"It's the kid that Trapper and I were operating on," he said trying to find the pulse. He shook his head and covered the body back up again.
"Hawkeye, is that you?" said Margie scrabbling up from the corner of the room.
"Margie," replied Hawkeye helping her up and hugging her tight. "Boy are you a sight for sore eyes."
"Ginger's with me, she has broken her arm. She needs medical attention."
"What about you?" answered Hawkeye observing the cut on her face.
"I'm fine. What happened?"
"Guess some people didn't take heed of the ceasefire. I still haven't found everyone."
As the survivors continuing searching for their colleagues within the rubble, they found Father Mulcahy and Klinger who were both trapped under what had been the outer wall to the building. Klinger's leg had been badly cut but he had declined treatment until they had found the others. The other patient had survived and been placed in the nearest tent for now with Margie observing him.
* * * * * *
As the night drew in, the staff of the 4077th tried their best to clear the debris from where the O.R room had once stood. Hawkeye was frantically searching for Trapper, Henry and Frank. Nobody had seen them once the blast hit. The wall between the pre-op room and the operating theatre had collapsed from the bottom and was covering a large portion of where Hawkeye and Trapper had been standing.
"Klinger, Father can you help me here?" he asked, clearing the rubble from beneath the door frame.
They continued to pull away the splinters of wood, the remains of the roof and the panels that had once been the wall. Suddenly Hawkeye stopped, he could see a hand.
"Trap," he whispered. "Can you hear me buddy?"
No reply. They prised the last segment of the roof away and found Trapper lying unconscious in amongst the fragments.
"Good Lord," exclaimed Father Mulcahy. "He looks in a pretty bad way."
"Quick, Klinger fetch a table. Margaret, I'll need you to assist."
Margaret had been sitting with Ginger and Radar. Ginger's arm had been set but she was still in shock. Radar still couldn't remember anything, he didn't know why he was there or what had happened. All he knew was he wanted to go home.
"Coming Doctor," said Margaret, who was also in a frantic state over where Frank and Henry were. With them still missing, this made her the commanding officer. Right now she was feeling anything but authoritative.
* * * * * *
Trapper's breathing was shallow, his chest had been crushed by the amount of debris that had fallen on him. His pulse was dropping and if he didn't receive medical attention soon it would be too late.
"Can someone give me hand here?" called Hawkeye frantically trying to manoeuvre Trapper from underneath the rubble.
"Ok Hawkeye, what can I do?" asked Father Mulcahy, fearing that he would do more harm than good if he didn't wait for the correct instructions from Hawkeye.
"Right Father....Klinger is that table ready?"
"Yeah," replied Klinger.
"Margaret, are you scrubbed up?"
"The scrub room is gone Captain," she replied. "But I have found some clean gowns and some sterile dressings."
"This is gonna be fun," joked Hawkeye. "I have a feeling someone up there is testing me Father. I don't suppose you can give a polite word in his ear about laying off on me for a while."
"My prayers are with you and Trapper," answered the Father, hoping that he could find the strength inside to cope with the devastation.
Klinger had strapped a stretcher together out of pieces of wreckage that he had found lying around the site. He helped Hawkeye remove the rest of the obstructions preventing them from getting Trapper out of where he lay.
"Careful, I am not sure what is broken yet," said Hawkeye as he lifted Trapper from the shards ably assisted by Father Mulcahy and Klinger.
Margaret had salvaged a table that had been knocked in the explosion but was still in tact. Her head was sore and her body felt as though she had been through a meat grinder, but Margaret ever the gallant soldier ignored her own pain to help those who were in worse shape than she was.
She took one look at Trapper and the tears began well up in her eyes. She always been fond of Trapper, although she would never admit this to anyone, especially him. To see him so fragile, so close to death was almost too much to take. She glanced up at Hawkeye who smiled warmly back at her.
"He's gonna make it, don't you worry about that. I promise you."
"Thank you Hawkeye," she replied.
Hawkeye began to work with what little equipment they had. Ginger and Klinger had collected supplies from the rubble that may be useful to saving Trapper's life. The weight of the wrought iron sheeting that had collapsed on Trapper when the bomb hit had crushed his ribs piercing the lung in the process. Hawkeye knew that he had move swiftly.
"Chest cutters."
"Chest cutters," replied Margaret handing them over.
"This lung is a mess, I am gonna need more silk."
"I'll go look."
"No, Margaret I need you here. Ginger, how you doin' honey?"
"I'm fine Doctor, you need something?"
Ginger ran out to the supply room which was fortunately still standing. Klinger worked like a trooper despite the pain in his leg worsening. He found enough medical instruments and bandages around the O.R to assist Hawkeye. The thought that Henry and Frank were still missing was still in the for-front of all their minds, they all knew that they still had a job to do.
* * * * * *
Whilst Hawkeye, Klinger, Margaret and Ginger worked feverishly to save Trapper's life, Father Mulcahy decided his help was needed elsewhere. Of course he would be praying for Trapper but he could see another soul that needed saving too.
"Walter," he said sitting down beside the young corporal.
"Hello Father. I told them that I went to church but I didn't. I went to the Dairy Queen instead, do you think He will be angry?"
The Father smiled. "No, son. I am sure he understands. May I ask you a question?"
"Anything," answered Radar earnestly.
"Do you know where you are?"
Radar shook his head. "I wanted to make my parents proud, they wanted me to be a soldier, but I was too short. I will go to Korea though, somehow."
"Walter, you are very brave for one so young." Father Mulcahy was concerned for Radar, he wasn't sure how to handle this situation without upsetting him.
"I'm not brave Father, I just want to help."
"That is a very noble act, one that shouldn't be snubbed by anyone. I know that you will the best you can and much, much more."
Father Mulcahy left Radar to think over what he had said and went back to check on Trapper's progress.
* * * * * *
"How's he doin' Father?" asked Hawkeye as he closed the wound.
"Oh Radar, not good. He won't accept what has happened, he has blocked the whole incident out. Give him time. What about Trapper?"
"Vital signs are looking good. Pulse is strong, blood pressure 100/70 and holding, I am quietly confident. Margaret can you call Klinger, I need him to help me move Trapper to a tent."
The happiness that Trapper was going to be alright was quickly marred by a loud scream. Margie had come back from tending to the wounded soldier and was confronted with a horrific sight.
"Oh my God," she cried as Radar rushed to her side.
"Colonel Blake, can you hear me?" he began.
Hawkeye and Margaret joined the rest at the site where Margie had discovered the body. They, as everyone did, knew that their C.O was gone. His body had been crushed beyond repair, his skin was pale and his lips turning a greyish blue.
"Radar," said Hawkeye gently. "He's gone, we can't save him."
This time Radar responded to his name. It was if Henry had been the shock he had needed to snap out of his trance and surround himself in reality. But this latest blow was the kind of reality Radar could gladly do without.
"No, Hawkeye. You get him on the table, you've done it hundreds of times. I've seen you. They've gone in half dead and come out alive. You make miracles happen Hawkeye and you can do this."
"Klinger, Margie can you take Trapper to our tent. He'll be stable there, start him on IV and stay with him till I get there. Ginger go check on our soldier friend."
"Ok Doctor," said Margie, trying to hide her tears.
Hawkeye turned to Radar. So much had happened in a matter of hours, he hadn't the energy to cope with anymore, but somehow he had too.
"Radar, I'm a doctor. I'm not a miracle worker and I can't bring people back once they have passed on."
"You have to, he was my C.O, he was yours too. You owe him this much." The tears were falling fast from Radar's eyes but Hawkeye was powerless to stop them.
"I'm sorry," was all he could say.
"Some doctor you turned out to be," cried Radar as he ran out of the room.
"Don't blame yourself Hawkeye, you couldn't have done anything. Radar will understand, just give him time."
"I know Father, say why don't you try and find some food for us all in the Mess."
"Good idea," he answered standing up and following where Radar had ran.
Hawkeye found a sheet and covered the body of his Colonel and his good friend Henry Blake. As he sat alone in what was left of the O.R, he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Why had this had to happen? Why Henry? Why now? He hadn't even noticed Margaret was still in the room with him.
"Hawkeye....It's ok." She sat beside him and allowed him to sob into her arms. Just for those few moments Hawkeye didn't want the responsibility of Chief Surgeon, he just wanted to mourn for his friend's passing. Margaret too switched off her military role and broke down, not only for Henry but she was convinced she would never see Frank alive again either.