The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-16
COL. SEAGRAVE WEARS THE END
 OF ROAD HOME
By HUGH A. CRUMPLER

By HUGH A. CRUMPLER United Press War Correspondent
 Seagrave Hospital Unit, Northeaet Burma-dUP)-The Chinese push into the Shweli River Valley, the last phase of the campaign from Burma to reopen the land route to China, is 8 homeward trip for L. Col. Gordon s. Seagrave, the "Bm- ma Surgeon"
 Nearly three years ago the Jap anese marched into Nahmkham-a small Burmese town II miles south east of Bhamo on the Bhmao- Wanting Road--and Col. Seagrave, after 20 years was forced to evacu- ate his American Baptist Mission hospital.
 On the way down the road home. Col. Seagrave can look back on a remarkable record of medical Serv- ice since he left Nahmkham and walked out of Burma with Gen. Jo- seph w. Stilwell
 12,OOO Operations by Unit
 The Seagrave Hospital Unit which is composed of American surgeons, Burmese nurses, and American and Chinese enlisted men went into combat with the Chi- nese Army in the Hukaung Valley campaign of March, 1943. Since then the unit surgeons have performed more than 12,0OO operation, 4,000 at Myitkyina alone and the maojrity Of them while the hospital was under enemy fire.
 Col. Seagrave and three other American surgeons performed 4,OOO operations in a month-and-a-half at the beginning of the Hukaung Valley campaign. In one day, dur ing the battle for Toungoo, the colonel and Maj. John H. Grindlay of Milwaukee, Wis, performed 130 operations. Japanese bomgers were over the hospital three times that day.
 During tn remainder of the North Burma campaign, the unit. which follows close behind the Chinese Army lines, performed an- other 4,OOO operations. The figures don't tell the whole story, becau3e countless casualties were treated without operation. Most of the patients are Chinese, but Sea- graves men have treated Amer ican, British and Burmese Nurses Get Through Lines
 Now that Col. Seagrave is closer to home, some of his old practice" is returning. A well-dressed Shan woman recently walked into his office-a table beneath the stilted floor of 8 basha and prostrated herself in front of the embarrassed doctor.
 You probably don't remember me-" the woman said, "but you once saved my life by an opera tton"
 Even a few of the old nurses from his Nahmkham hospital have found their way through the Jap anese lines to the unit. They are always welcome because, although the hospital now has 26 trained nurses and IS student nurses, the work is sometimes too heavy for them. Three have broken down with tuberculosis, which Col. Seagrave attributes to overwork. Two col lapSed at Ramgarah, where they worked 16 hours Q day, and one during the battle for Myitkyina. Casualties Jam Monastery
 Col. Seagrave's present hospital is an old Buddhist monastery, a big building damned with Chinese cas- ualties lying almost side-by-side on stretchers or blankets placed on the floor The Chinese soldiers seem as patient as the dozen stone and wooden Buddhas in the altar at one end of the building.
 The soldiers, who have infinite faith in the Chinese-speakign Amer ican, call him "the Old Doc" Col. Seagrave pays this tribute to the Chinese soldiers: When they are seriously injured, they are the best patients in the world"
 The Burmese nurses, dressed in colorful "lungyis" and white blous- es, are lovely and graceful. But there is something incongruous in the picture. You eventually find it: They are all wearing sig 10 CT shoes.