World War II vet commits suicide at VA clinic

A South Carolina World War II veteran took his own life outside a VA clinic. He had attempted to get a PTSD classification (prior to 1980 it was called anxiety neurosis) a number ot times and it was always denied. Just demonstates the long lasting memory of war.

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/20091129_ap_scwwiivetsbattleendsingunshotatvaclinic.html

Another World War II vet writes a book about his PTSD

Glenn, 85, has a long ponytail, easy smile and bright eyes that belie the sometimes somber nature of "The Hawk And The Dove," a chronicle of his wartime experience on Okinawa and in Korea following the end of hostilities with Japan. His book was recently published by Kittery-based Smith/Kerr Associates. He said he has battled post-traumatic stress disorder since before the now widely recognized issue had a name, and what began as a book about his experience in World War II grew into a tale of his long struggle with demons ranging from nightmares of killing and death to alcoholism.


Another story being told in old age about a World War II veterans struggle with the problem of war trauma which wasn't diagnosed and treated after WWII. Those who sought help, like my father, often got a diagnosis of anxiety neurosis and inability to digest war experiences.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20091110-NEWS-911100387

PTSD and a Medal of Honor Winner

A new documentary about the effort to name an airfield in Idaho about a Medal of Honor winner, Pappy Boyington, a Marine pilot who led the Black Sheep Squadron in WWII and who was also a prisoner of war.

Quoted for educational purposes from USC News:

Boyington, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, became famous for his heroism as a pilot during World War II, commanding the famous VMF-214, also known as the “Black Sheep Squadron.” He was captured and became a prisoner of war for nearly the last two years of the war. Upon his return, he was awarded the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.Boyington later wrote Baa Baa Black Sheep, an best-selling autobiography and inspiration for the ’70s TV series of the same name. But the hero’s personal postwar life was plagued with problems, including alcoholism, which contributed to multiple divorces and bad debts. It was judgment of his personal life that initially prevented county officials from renaming the Idaho airfield.
“I do have a section of the film called ‘Pappy’s Reputation,’ which explores what the implications of his reputation were on the campaign locally,” he said. “As a filmmaker, you hope to be a part of dialogue about a subject. In screening the film about a WWII hero on military bases, some Marines bring up the point that as a society, we didn’t come to understand PTSD and its effects until after Vietnam.”

Click on title for entire article

Omaha Beach - A Survivor's Story

This new book is written by a World War II D-Day survivor





Warrior to Spiritual Warrior: The Soldier’s Journey by Jess Weiss with Chuck Noell recounts a rare and remarkable personal story of spiritual healing. Jess Weiss is a decorated member of the Greatest Generation, one of the few combat soldiers from the landing at Omaha Beach, D-Day, who lived to tell the tale. This book is not about the blood and guts or the glory of a soldier’s life, it is about coping with death and dying, surviving fifty years of “Why me?” survivor guilt, and the ravages of Post Traumatic Stress (an impairment that didn’t have a name in World War II.) It is the tale of how one man climbed out of the dark pit of debilitating injury to forge a path of spiritual resurrection and transformation for himself. Whether you are religious, spiritual, or simply concerned about the long-term effects of war, this book will inspire hope and renew your faith in what is grand and great about the human adventure.

Click on article to enlarge: Postscript - Staff Sergeant Herbert Siegal was found and Jess Weiss was reunited with him. Courtesy of Tom Brokaw, the 2 men were sent back to Normandy together.

Click on title for link to Warrior to Spiritual Warrior: The Soldier's Journey, the new book by Jess E. Weiss

Combat Related Stress Can Last a Lifetime

This USA Today article discussed the lifelong impact of war on World War II veterans who were not given any help for their war trauma. PTSD was not a recognized diagnosis until 1980 when therapists realized they were seeing more and more Vietnam veterans with the same constellation of symptoms. A daughter found her World War II father in a VA hospital after years of searching for him. Her mother had forbidden the children to mention his name after he was institutionalized. click on title for link