Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-13
TOTALLY BLINDED

~
Bot that beachhead was
thicket of land mines. Bob Wetzel
rifleman and platoon runner, was
beside ms platoon lieutenant. They
heard the artillery shell coming
They dived together into a ditch
and landed on q mine.
Bob Wetze's left eye was liter
ally torn from rs socket. Three
fragments pierced the right eye
10 was te4ttt-4+iity- ihifr1tii
Shrapnei ripped into both legs
If the lieutenant, both Thighs and
both hands
The swirl Of battle had passed
them by They were alone. But
Bobby sim had one pair Of legs
and the lieutenant had one pair
Of eyes
Se-tAa blind carried the halt
and The halt guided the blind
II was five hospitals and 10 days
from the Apprentices Of Italy 10
the SiskioyOuS Of California.
HIS parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ger
aid WctZel, would not have known
the agony Of their sons thoughts
had not An English soldier writ
ten 20 them.
This Tommy was in tho adjoin-
ng bed in an African hospital. To
this stranger this Englishman,
Bob Wetzcl talked Of home
The EnClShman could smell the
biz pines as Bobby Wetzel in his
memories whipped the swift Nc
Cloud River for trout, and could
feel the icy winds race by his
checks as Bobby Wetzel sped
down for the ski Jump.
An army major came 20 WetZel
one day and told him Of a bitter
failure
They had tried to take those
splinters out of my right eve
with magnet and IL didn't
work" said Wetzel
But he said there was a
chance. He said IL was possible
that with corrective glasses and
constant attention. vision might
he restored 10 my right eye"
From that moment the young
soldier lived for the dav when
treatment with corrective glasses
could begin
They put a glass eye in the
eft socket n was too small. they
said. but The best that could be
done in North Africa and shipped
Wetzcl from Africa 10 Stark Cen
cral Hospital in Charleston. S. c.
THEN DAYS OF HOPE
His five days there we're full Of
hope
Those doctors were wonder
ful 10 me-" he said
They fitted HIN with his first
glasses - hurriedly because an
other contingent Of wounded were
arriving. They told him as they
did so that the glasses would have
10 be changed.
For the first time he could see
vague shadows. Only shadows.
But II was seeing.
Now The problem. they told him
as they shipped him on 10 Nc
CloSkey Hospital at Temple. was
ono Of constant adjustment OF the
lenses 10 strengthen the eye
Two weeks later the blow fell.
He was told he was being dis
charged from the hospital.
II wanted the new glasses
right away. and / wanted a new
glass eye that was the right
size. finally got the new glass
eve and IL Is all right.
GIVEN PRESCRIPTION
"But the doctor just gave me
prescription for the glasses
and told me I could get II filled
at the post exchange there, or
at some optician at home.
so I went TO the Pm and
paid the SO. but haven't re-
celyed the glasses yet"
That IS came out Of a slim fund
left over from his August pay.
The army paynaster never caught
up, with him after August. and
hasn't yet.
lie was placed in a hospital car
az Temple with a group OF
wounded, a medical captain in
charge and the Japanese-Ameri-
can corporal as an escort 10 de-
liver him home.
The Jap wouldn't get off the
train at Los Angeles" Wetlcl
recalled. He said he was