I missed my opportunity yesterday to write about a veteran close to our family's heart, so I thought it doesn't matter that it's the day after Veterans Day, I will write about him anyway.
My father-in-law, Erik Larsen, was not born in this country, but he became a naturalized citizen and was proud to serve in the army during the Korean War. He was old enough to be drafted into the military for WWII, but he was deferred for medical school since the military needed doctors. In 1950, at the age of twenty-eight, he left his wife and new baby and entered the army as a captain in the medical corps. He served as a Battalion Surgeon on the front lines. During the evacuation of medical personnel in the "May Massacre" of Hang-ye, Erik's jeep hit a land mine and was destroyed. He got separated from his unit and was missing in action, alone, for three days in the hostile countryside of Korea before being found by U.S. troops.
The hearing in his right ear was damage during the explosion of the jeep, but after recuperating, he went on to serve in the first Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). While in the MASH unit he had many near misses including dramatic ones such as being held at gun point by a soldier under mental duress and surgically removing an unexploded shell from a soldier's back after his commanding officer refused to perform the surgery.
Dr. Erik Larsen was awarded the Combat Medical Badge, a Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star for his service to his country. He did not hesitate to serve his country and for this and many other reasons we are very proud of our own veteran.
I am proud to be writing his biography. Please check out Erik Larsen's website at www.eriklarsenmdfacs.com for more information and links.
To all the members of my family who serve our country, past and present, I thank you for your service.
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