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Weaving a Web to Freedom, Book 2

Undoing the Past

By Marty Miller

Chapter 6

Colonel Knefler began his reading with Hogan's initial hospital physical assessment to give him a reference point for judging the stamina of his subject. He had already decided that his primary focus would be the Colonel's psyche but physical duress plays an important role in breaking down a man's resistance.

- REPORT SUBMITTED BY: DR. FREDERIK WEINZAPHEL -

An American Colonel, shot down over Hamburg, was brought into the hospital accompanied by Luftwaffe Colonel Biedenbender at approximately 1400 hours. Colonel Biedenbender met with the hospital administrator and arranged for medical treatment of the prisoner.

The prisoner, when conscious, was reluctant to cooperate with the medical exam. He was restrained on the examining table and I completed my preliminary assessment.

NAME: Colonel, Robert E Hogan; United States Army Air Corp (information acquired from dog tags)

Physical Assessment: Well nourished white male.

Height: 5'11"

Weight: approx. 175 lb

Eyes: Brown

Hair color: Brown

Vital Signs: Body temperature: 96.8, Respirations: 28, Pulse:

irregular at 110, BP: not taken

Back and Extremity Exam: No scars or rashes; lesions to right side of back; Palpation revealed areas of tenderness, bruising noted, with deformity.

Chest and Lung Exam: Rate, rhythm, depth, and effort of breathing: rapid and shallow; chest symmetrical; trachea is near the midline and normal.

Cardiovascular Exam: cyanosis with edema; Radial artery, carotid artery, Jugular venous pressure – all below normal

Head and Neck Exam: No scars or rashes; Lump and lesion on forehead at hairline on right side with previous profuse bleeding now clotted off. No areas of tenderness or deformity palpated in neck. Diaphoretic & pale

Eye Exam: No deformity of the iris or lesions of cornea; Pupils equal Round but slow to react to Light and Accommodation

Abdominal Exam: No scars, striae, or hernias; Vascular changes evident, Penetrating lesions noted to right upper and lower quadrants; No rashes; Contour of abdomen is raised on right side, Percussion in left quadrants is normal tympanitic (dull); Liver span normal at 10cm (6-12 cm = norm), Spleen not palpable (= normal)

Neurologic Exam:

Mental Status: confused, mildly combative, but easily restrained, consciousness interspersed with periods of unconsciousness following exertion.

Coordination: not documented, unable to assess

Gait: not documented, unable to assess

Reflexes: appropriate response to pain

Sensory: awareness, progressing to delirium over the course of the exam.

SUMMARY:

The patient suffers from 5 wounds two received from the air attack and three from flack on decent by parachute.

Abdominal wounds with the possibility of severe internal bleeding. Shock, if left untreated, will become life-threatening due to decreased blood flow. Low blood volume, if left untreated, will damage multiple organs. Patient is progressing to Hypovolemic shock, having loss one-fifth or more of his blood volume. Hospital treatment should focus on replacing blood and fluid volume immediately.

Suggested course of treatment: Surgical intervention required for life threatening injuries, with immediate fluid & blood replacement.

Permission for treatment: Luftwaffe General Burkhalter, granted permission for medical treatment, including surgical intervention and blood & fluid replacement.

"The General was telling the truth. He not only had knowledge of Colonel Hogan but he was instrumental in saving his life." Knefler sat forward and stretched before settling back in his chair and continuing his one sided conversation with himself. "I wonder. Was he acting on his own authority or someone's higher up the chain of command?"

Turning the page, he continued leafing through the Operative Procedure followed by the Post Operative dictation and added to his notes.

Shrapnel was removed during surgery. Following surgery, the prisoner was kept heavily sedated for the next ten days and remained in the hospital, not thoroughly aware of his surroundings, until his arrival at Dulag where he regained total awareness.

Closing the folder, Knefler propped his feet on the desk and nestled himself in his chair while reaching for the next folder. He would take his time with this one. It was the Luftwaffe and Gestapo records documenting their interrogation processes.

Several hours later, after reading the unabridged version of Hogan's, interrogations and second hospitalization, Knefler concluded:

~ The Dulag interrogations started out normally enough, but the pressure for information coming from someone in Berlin soon increased the intensity of the interrogations. Not making any progress, the Luftwaffe, though resisting, eventually relented and brought the Gestapo in as a last resort. What followed was four days of grueling interrogation and an American Colonel more dead than alive. Intervention by General Biedenbender, resulted in "a stay of execution", by the Gestapo, and delivered Colonel Hogan into the capable hands of German Scientists, who were assembled at Hohemark hospital, to attempt to break through his "iron" will by first putting him through a battery of physical and endurance tests before beginning to trial medical treatment to alter select cognitive functions and lower his resistance.

Setting the Gestapo's records aside, Knefler reached for the records of the American Colonel's second admission to the hospital at Hohemark and read the physical progression associated with the Mescaline Therapy used in the "Thought Altering Studies." There were many German Scientist's conducting these experiments for the SS. Dr. Hubertus Strughold, the aviation doctor in charge of "aviation medicine" was brought in for the two day ordeal on Colonel Hogan.

A routine of Mescaline therapy was administered under strict observation, inducing: a four stage progression:

1. Initial excitation, inhibition, euphoria, visual and/or auditory hallucinations

2. confusion, disorientation, loss of self-control, blurred vision, tinnitus, mental dullness

3. sleepiness, ataxia, diminished reflexes, nystagmus

4. seizures, EEG changes noted on examination, paranoia, bizarre behavior, tinnitus, possible death

~ Mescaline "dissociates" personality and makes people more talkative about themselves. Studies had been published in the German psychiatric literature on "model-psychosis" about 20 years ago. It is one of the studies used to persuade the SS to step up its research to create a "truth serum" and make it available for obtaining information from prisoners.

It suddenly donned on Knefler that Colonel Hogan had contributed to this advancement. Well, it appears you may have helped give us more than you realize, even if it is still very experimental.

Knefler read the transcript acquired over the two-day session. Though there was a lot of information of a personal nature, some rather amusing he had to admit, except for the occasional reference to his beautiful "Goldilocks", which it was finally decided was his plane, any military information Colonel Hogan possessed, he managed to keep. Failing to garnish the military information they had hoped for, it was decided to go after information that did not require his cooperation.

Stress tests were begun. Stress tests that had been administered to select Luftwaffe airmen during previous studies were taken to the next level as the medical staff looked for that pivotal point of despair in the American Colonel.

Studies had shown that insanity and utter despair shared similar platforms. When that singular moment before utter despair invades consciousness is found, science could begin to look at how to train men to overcome it. It had been found that some test subjects seemed to either have an innate ability to overcome that point of despair or they had never yet reached their breaking point. Knefler leafed through the medical records describing the tests performed on Hogan and his corresponding vital signs and physical symptoms.

These tests were followed by "Sleep deprivation" tests, focusing on the point at which hallucination and delusions take over the mind.

Knefler stopped reading and rubbed his chin in thought. The doctors studying you watched you closely. It is obvious they did not want to push you over the edge of sanity. Why? Were they following orders or procedure?

Turning the page, he continued reading.

Medical records were obtained that contained previous studies collected by the British Medical team studying the stress flying into combat inflicted on a man. These records brought some excitement to the German scientists as Colonel Hogan had been among the fliers participating. The smuggled documents not only gave them insight into the sort of tests the Allies were performing, but they added continuity to the information being taken from this prisoner, giving them a "base range" for what was a normal outcome and what exceeded expectations.

A final summary was conspicuously missing.

Colonel Knefler stacked the files that he had just spent the last six hours studying. Picked his cap up from the corner of the desk and made his way down the quiet corridor. It was late and the activities of the day had wound down at Dulag. In his zealous approach to reading the files, he had not eaten since breakfast and felt the burn of hunger eating at his stomach.

Feeling confidant, that he now had a good understanding of the American Colonel, he began to whistle as he made his way to his staff car.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv vv

Colonel Hogan made it almost half way across the compound before being stopped at gunpoint by the SS.

"Halt!"

Standing on the porch outside of his office getting reports on the commotion going on outside the fence, Klink heard the guard's command and looked up in time to see Hogan being forced to his knees, hands on his head, with two SS guards pointing their guns in his face. Klink descended the steps from his porch like a stampeding bull.

"Colonel Hogan, is there something I can do for you?" Klink asked sarcastically, as he came to a halt in front of his senior prisoner.

"You could ask these guys to take their guns out of my face and release me." Hogan looked at the SS guards and then to Klink. "What's going on out here, Kommandant? Has there been an escape?"

"No, Colonel, your men are all right."

Klink wanted Hogan back in the Barrack and was just about to order the guards to escort him there when a car drove through the gate.

"Gestapo," he murmured, and left Hogan, still on his knees, to approach the car that had come to a stop in the compound.

"Kommandant…!"

Hogan began to protest his present predicament, and realized his words were falling on deaf ears as he saw Hochstetter getting out of the car. His muscles instinctively tensed. Looking back at the guns pointing at his chest, he resigned himself to the obvious.

"Well, Kommandant, what have you done now!" Hochstetter pointed at the commotion taking place beyond the fence. Klink and the Gestapo Major were heatedly exchanging words when Hochstetter eyed Hogan on his knees and…yes… he was under guard.

"What do you have here?" Hochstetter sneered. And then suddenly realized the troops pointing their guns at Hogan were SS.

Hochstetter glanced around the camp and into the guard towers. "And what are all of these SS guards doing in your Stalag?"

Hogan's current position was feeling even more uncomfortable as Hochstetter studied Hogan's position before turning to Klink.

"The SS has been here for the past week, Major. We have not been told the reason," Klink lied, not wanting to go into the details. "So you see there is no way any of my prisoners could have been out of camp." Klink explained, obviously finishing the conversation they had begun when Hochstetter first got out of his staff car.

Hochstetter looked back to Hogan, "What is this man doing here?"

"Colonel Hogan was just checking to see what the commotion was about when these guards stopped him."

Hochstetter stepped closer to Hogan. "What do you know about the sabotage that took place tonight, Colonel Hogan?"

"Me? Nothing. I just came out to check on the safety of my men!"

Hogan began to relax his arms and was poked with a gun by one of the guards.

Putting his hands back on his head, he nodded at the two guards in front of him. "I was afraid one of these SS guards had gotten trigger happy and shot one of my men."

Hochstetter sneered, greatly enjoying seeing Hogan on his knees.

"Fortunately for you Klink, the SS is here. Otherwise, I might have suspected your prisoners in the sabotage of the small arms factory near Hammelburg. A small underground group set some charges there earlier tonight."

"Nothing trivial I hope," Hogan interjected.

Klink grimaced and raised his voice in an attempt to negate Hogan's outspokenness. "That would explain the soldiers in the woods that drew the attention of the SS guards. Shots were fired and there have been some injuries. The injured are on their way to the hospital now."

"Ja, accidents will happen." Hochstetter said lightly, his attention clearly on other matters at the moment.

Looking from Hogan back to Klink, Hochstetter remarked. "Keep up the good work, Klink. You're finally starting to act like a Kommandant."

Taking a step closer to Hogan, Hochstetter looked down and added, "Colonel Hogan, I have enjoyed seeing you! We'll have to meet like this again sometime, when I'm not so busy."

The implication was obvious. Annoyed, Hogan smiled cynically and replied, "Sure, Major, how about when Patton comes through the gates?"

Klink whipped his ridding crop under his arm with a snap and demanded, "Silence!"

Hochstetter took a step closer, eyeing the outspoken American. "You'll never live to see it, Colonel! I'll personally see to that," he promised.

"And neither will you, Major." Hogan returned.

Hochstetter swung a well-placed backhand across Hogan's face knocking him to the ground. The guards grabbed the prisoner by his collar and pulled him back up to his knees.

Glaring thoughtfully at Hogan, Hochstetter rubbed his hand. Whether he was rubbing pain out or pleasure in was unclear.

The blood trickled out of the corner of Hogan's mouth, and the guards again shoved their guns in his face while motioning for him to put his hands back on his head.

"We'll talk later, Colonel Hogan." Hochstetter assured and turned to go to his staff car.

Klink was in awe at the speed of the interaction that had just transpired. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he turned and followed Hochstetter to his car. As soon as the Gestapo officer's car headed for the gate, the Kommandant turned back to Hogan.

"Colonel Hogan, are you suicidal? I'm tempted to leave you here all night, under guard, to keep you out of trouble!" Klink shook his head. "Unfortunately, it may be too late."

"Come on, Kommandant, Hochstetter started it." Hogan protested.

"And if you're not careful, he's going to end it!" Klink warned, looking Hogan straight in the eyes. "I'm going to have you taken back to your barrack. Don't leave it any more tonight. Guards, escort the prisoner to Barrack 2."

Hogan stiffened as the guards roughly pulled him to his feet.

"Wait!" Klink's demeanor softened at the sight of Hogan's bloodied mouth and taking his kerchief from his pocket, he offered it to Hogan to wipe the blood from his face before he returned to his men.

Hogan looked at the kerchief and without taking it, turned toward the barrack. Using the back of his hand he wiped the blood away and called over his shoulder, "Keep it! You wanted me on my knees."

The guard gave him a shove.

"For all the good it did you! Colonel Hogan, I can't keep you alive if you don't learn humility and how to keep your mouth shut!"

Klink spun around and returned to manage the chaos taking place outside of the fence.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Hogan's men had been watching through the slats in the shuttered window and when Hogan entered, he was inundated with questions.

"Whoa, slow down. The SS and the German patrol had a run in. From what I gathered it seems some of the soldiers in the patrol were injured in the skirmish. We aren't under suspicion…at least not yet."

Hogan looked at Newkirk who was unusually quiet. "How are you doing, Newkirk."

"I'm doing all right, sir." Newkirk answered, while resting in Carter's lower bunk.

"Carter, go through the tunnel and get Wilson. I want him to look at Newkirk's leg."

"Yes, sir." Carter banged the side of the bunk hiding the tunnel entrance and slipped into the opening.

"The rest of you get back to bed. Let's not act suspicious and draw any attention to our selves. Come on, Newkirk, I'll help you into my room. Wilson can examine you there."

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Hogan stood in the common room of Barrack 2 looking through the barely open shutter of the window facing the compound. Things were quieting down. He was startled by a tap on the shoulder and turned to face Wilson, who was drying his hands on a towel.

"How is he?"

"It is a clean through and through shot. No arteries or bone hit. He should recover fine. Anyone else injured, Colonel?"

Wilson was looking Hogan up and down. Wilson never expected a straight answer when it came to Hogan's own health. The senior officer had an unhealthy aversion to Doctors or medical treatment of any kind.

"No, we were lucky. It could have been ugly." Hogan said, as he replayed the night's events in his mind.

"Where did you get that bruise?" Wilson asked, indicating Hogan's chin.

Hogan quickly put his hand to his chin in surprise. He didn't realize that Hochstetter's strike had left a mark. Hogan's surprise changed to a frown. "Never mind," he snappily answered as he again looked out at the compound and realized, Great, something else for Hochstetter to gloat over.

The Medic just shook his head. And decided todrop it for now. "What happened out there tonight, Colonel?"

Hogan closed the shutters as he answered. "The less you know, the less that can be taken from you later." Turning to face Wilson, he continued, "Let's just say that the Germans had an unfortunate accident and fired on their own troops tonight."

"Yes, sir, that is unfortunate. Will there be anything else?

"No, I believe that will be all. Thanks."

Wilson hesitated, "I'll stop by later today and change Newkirk's dressing." Looking at Hogan he added, "I think we should all go to bed now, Colonel."

Nodding, Hogan smiled. "On my way."

Wilson made his way down the ladder to the tunnel and closed the entrance, Leaving Hogan alone in the dark. Looking around at his sleeping men he prayed he was doing the right thing by staying.

He crossed the common room and entered his quarters. Glancing at his injured man sleeping in the lower bunk, a pang of guilt hit him and he silently apologized, Sorry, Newkirk.

I'm putting a lot on the line here, but we would never have a chance at a setup like this again. Without this operation a lot of people would end up in camps… or dead.

Climbing into the upper bunk, he lay thinking and listening to the quiet, until a restless sleep overcame him.