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Show JAMES PATTERSON ugu t 15, 2001 that are waiting for you." So we got aboard this train and went down --------------? -------------. The J apane e had already had bought a Coke or something like that. Our officer -------------? ------------. "Don't drink nothing, don't eat nothing that they give you because there's rat, or some kind of poison. They still have hatred for you." Sure enough, the guys were going, "Oh, boy, we got a can of Coke." And they'd give you a candy bar. The candy bar was poison. We should have known that. After going through all that. He said, "I know you're hungry for this, but don't eat it, and don't drink nothing either." So when I got down to the ocean they put us on these little boats that they used to use for invasions. And I got so seasick. Of course, I was weak anyway. I hadn't had any food. When I got aboard the hospital ship I was running a high fever. And they took all your clothes off because they were all infected with fleas, and cooties, and bedbugs. When you came off that gangplank they stripped you right down to nothing, and then the sprayed you to kill the cooties and lice. And they had the showers. And they took you right downstairs. They issued new clothing to you, clean clothing, navy stuff. So we got to eat, but I was sick so they kept me in sickbay. I had a high fever. My blood was down so low I used to take about two treatments of plasma everyday, blood plasma. Well, I weighed 90 pounds when they weighed me in on that ship. And when I got home, back to San Francisco-after stints in the Philippines and at the Presidio they fed us good there and took care of us. And I'd put on about 30 pounds. So when I got there and met my folks in Salt Lake they said,"Gee, you look good." 40 |
