The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-18
All Heroes Are Not On
 Firing Line
By JOAN YOUNGER Limited Press Stan Correspondent

Mitchell Field, N. r.. Aug. ls - fU.P0 - The girl in the blue seer. sucker dress with the Telephone, Company insignia on her arm plug ged the telephone into the far end of the hospital ward and carried the cord over to the blonde boys bed.
 I've changed my mind" the boy said. T just can't talk to her"
 You promised me" the telephone girl said. You said you would cal today
 She smiled. She was a civilian and could give no orders, but she took it Mpon herself to help the boys m their first homefront battle-facing their families.
 The boy took the telephone. His hands were shaking. The men around him gave him the only priv ecy possible: they ignored him.
 T won't tell her about my leg" She boy said" "I'l just tell her I don't love her.
 Give her a chance the tele- phone girl said and put the call through. Tears rolled down the boys face. When he started to talk his lEoice was so weak he had to start over.
 Hello. Amy" he said. I'm home They brought me home in a plane Elm fine Amy. honest I'm fine"
 Then, with more brayado, he told lher hatly he had lost a leg. He said he would have to talk about their engagement later, when he got to a hospital nearer home. He said he didn't want to hold her to any promises made more than a year ago. And then in a soft voice. he told her not to cry.
 When he handed the telephone beck to the nurse, there q was a strange look on his face.
 "She was wonderful" he said. Ig;She said. why didn't ask tine doe- Dor for an artificial leg? Boy. is shs brave"
 The telephone girl moved on, smiling. The boys actions were only Boo familiar to her. The scores of Wonnded who pour into this hospi- kal base from Europe by plane daily are 90 per cent more worried about flleir mothers and sweethearts than Eaey are about themselves.
 Those who can walk-on crutches or in cagts-almost to Q man go 70 the phone booths opposite the admitting center as soon as they aF- give, They call their mothers first. Hhey rarely mention their wounds. They say I'm fine. Don't cry. mother"
 Later, those who are married call eiaeir wives, They eustomarily at- kempt to tell their wives what is Wfong with them-in a general way. Some say that there is a tough Rear ahead, eonyalescing. Others ny they will be "as good as new Sn no time at all"
 Those who are critically wounded w-Witb an arm, a leg, or both gone, Rr who are paraly2ed, usually try 70 break of their engagements. Nurses encourage them to wait, to bell their girls what is wrong and 70 GaT they will talk more about ft later, The blind, the disflgured, AIle Voieeless and the deaf are han- Aled the most gently. Many of these Will need long term, expert SaEe before they are capable of fac, Bg their families,
 [ The boys joke about their injuries, put that's among themselves. Most haye seen too much death not ke be glad they are stil laliYe. one Bitb Q paralyzed leg asked a nurse
 he would be able to dance now. @uFe, she said,
 { 'Thatis fine," said the boy, q neVeR could before" Another explained that he would Walt until bTothefvlp-laW came home hotoye he tsiephoned home. The | gofher-lnslaw, he said, would tell | DIS sister what vas wrong and sine | gould tell his mother,
 Tts tough on them at home"
 There is no way nurses can pre. pare any of these boys families for | ne news, War Department eom-
 nnleafione state merely that the 4oy has been wounded. It Is Left | o the soldier himself to give his nmily the details.
 A boy who had lost a foot didn't eane to tel his mother ''becallse Ms9 sure can cry" He told hlF
 however, and she told the
 'Ss just goes to show you can't $ast Women," he said. u