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George Horgan Research Paper

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George Horgan is a man of many wise words with a hand extended out to whomever may need it, no questions asked. Who is George Horgan? He is a Vietnam, US Navy veteran, a man of age sixty-seven with white, neatly combed back thinning hair. He wore a dark navy blue polo shirt with three undone buttons from the neck down, for breathing room. Horgan used to find most comfort in wearing his cowboy boots daily, but they have been replaced with tennis shoes due to medical issues. He wore his blue jeans with the imprint of a faded wallet outline in the back right pocket. Horgan has a happy-go-lucky personality that he can find good in anything even when it seems completely undetectable. This man reserved, yet so open minded and aware of his surroundings, …show more content…

Not for salmon, but for dead bodies and magnetized mines on the bottom side of the ship. Horgan was placed on a minesweeper and was an underwater diver. Horgan’s job was to go into the water and pull the magnetized mines off the bottom of the ship. The purpose was to prevent it from maxing out the timer and blowing. He was awarded this position due to the fatality of the previous underwater diver. He would find four or five mines daily. If he were to miss any mines it would blow a hole in the ship, Mayday! Along with diving to remove mines, he would have to remove the dead bodies from the water. A river that was mined would lay dozens, if not hundreds, of floating dead bodies that were burned and mutilated past the point of identification. Horgan had to cradle the bodies as he retrieved them from the side of a haul ship. The first body he tried to retrieve from the water frightened him. Horgan tried to grab the soldier's arm and pull him out, the arm tore off and Horgan was left with a bodiless limb in his hands. Frightened and not knowing how to react to the situation, he cradled the mutilated body and brought it to the surface. He had never witnessed such horror. On his first day, Horgan retrieved eighteen dead bodies from the waters of Vietnam. He had never seen what happened to a body left in water. After some time, the fish would start to feast on the soldiers, and "The flesh would start breaking down" (Horgan). Horgan …show more content…

Horgan believes, the biggest enemy of war is unseen. TBI, which stands for Traumatic brain injury; PTSD, which stands for post-traumatic stress disorder; and in Horgan's case being sprayed with toxins. After being sprayed with the toxins, it took years for the effect to surface. Horgan has been diagnosed with Cancer, taking away his life as a normal person. Not only was he a survivor of Vietnam, he was also a victim of it. Horgan was able to return home after the war, but lay dormant inside of him was the progress of cancer. Horgan gave his life for his country, not in the typical way people may think. When Horgan returned, he wanted someone to love, but not knowing how to have someone to love. Horgan found himself going through what he thought life was supposed to be. Horgan was trying to do what he thought was right just like your typical person .Horgan now has two Children a boy and a girl. His concept of life was a ruff over his and his family’s head, food on the table and clothing on everyone’s back. He did not understand what they really needed. What he really needed. It took Horgan years to understand family value after his war experience and PTSD. He now lives by his own code that most are familiar with, “I do not do anything, I do not want done to myself”

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