Book Tells of TTU Professor's Korean War ExperienceHerald Citizen — August 25, 2008 Megan Trotter A man who survived a horrendous accident while in service during the Korean War will be honored Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the Leslie Town Center. Joe Mac Floyd, now a retired Tennessee Technological University professor emeritus, was seriously injured in 1951 when he set off a trip flare while checking conditions of the flares at his post in Korea. The resulting explosion sent metal fragments from the device ripping through Floyd's head, arm and hand. Part of his skull was shattered.
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His fellow soldiers pulled Floyd away from the explosives and worked furiously to get him up a steep hill through snow, ice, rocks and brush towards a place where adequate medical help awaited. Floyd was 19 at the time. Miraculously, Floyd survived the accident, losing two knuckles in his left hand and the feeling in his left index finger, and gaining a metal plate in his head. He now lives in Cookeville with his wife LaVerne.
"The fact that he survived even the rescue effort is difficult to believe for some of us who were there," said fellow soldier Clarence G. Oliver, Jr. of Oklahoma. "Then, for him to recover his health through months of surgery and rehabilitation is astonishing."
Oliver retells this story and others in his book, Tony Dufflebag and Other Remembrances of the War in Korea. "The Korean War, to a large degree, is a 'forgotten war',"— said Oliver. "History books may contain a few paragraphs about the dates, 1950 to 1953, and a few facts and figures, but little else. Stories about the individuals who fought in that war — their personal feelings, values, beliefs. impressions, experiences and memories of the daily activities of people who are on-the-ground, living and fighting in a war, are seldom told. I wanted my children, grandchildren and great-grand-children — as well as friends and family members of other soldiers — to know that there is more to a war than dates on a calendar, generals who command and a few major events."
Both Oliver and Floyd will be on hand Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a book signing that will include presentations on several of the stories, historical background information and tales of Tennessee soldiers in the war. A portion of the proceeds from book sales that day will go to the Joe M. Floyd Scholarship Fund in the Tennessee Tech College of Engineering.
"I am honored to be included in Dr. Oliver's book," Floyd said. "I was surprised when Clarence contacted me about his interest to include my Korean War experience. I was pleased to relate to him highlights of my medical evacuation from Korea and my treatment and rehabilita-tion in the Army hospitals."