Our church has been privileged to host Dr. Charles Aling on occasion for a lecture series. He is a professor of history, and his great love is Egyptian history.
He has given us several lectures on church history, archeology, and now the history of missions.
Yesterday was a little different, and every bit as fascinating.
His father, a medical doctor, general practice and surgery, served during the Second World War, as a field station doctor. He arrived in the European Theater shortly before the assault on Omaha and Utah beaches. He was assigned to Utah beach. His unit traveled inland, following the Second Armored Division.
Dr. Aling told of his father's experiences treating soldiers; American, French, and German. The unit found itself treating casualties from the Battle of the Bulge, in Belgium.
The vignettes that Dr. Aling shared were all interesting, and it wouldn't be my place to tell them all, but he told one story that brought tears to my eyes.
The senior Dr. Aling was treating dozens of soldiers each day. A National Guard Unit from Wisconsin was bearing the brunt of the German onslaught. One young private peered up at Dr. Aling through his pain and began to smile.
Dr. Aling asked, "Do I know you?"
The young soldier replied, "Are you Dr. Aling?"
"Yes, I am."
"I was your paper boy in Minneapolis!"
Dr. Aling had a successful medical practice in Minneapolis years after the war. My mother, a nurse from Swedish Hospital, remembers him. He became the head of the medical missions department at Northwestern College, Roseville, MN.
The well-known Roger Youderian was a product of that program. He lost his life in Ecuador in the 1950's.
Isn't history interesting?
He has given us several lectures on church history, archeology, and now the history of missions.
Yesterday was a little different, and every bit as fascinating.
His father, a medical doctor, general practice and surgery, served during the Second World War, as a field station doctor. He arrived in the European Theater shortly before the assault on Omaha and Utah beaches. He was assigned to Utah beach. His unit traveled inland, following the Second Armored Division.
Dr. Aling told of his father's experiences treating soldiers; American, French, and German. The unit found itself treating casualties from the Battle of the Bulge, in Belgium.
The vignettes that Dr. Aling shared were all interesting, and it wouldn't be my place to tell them all, but he told one story that brought tears to my eyes.
The senior Dr. Aling was treating dozens of soldiers each day. A National Guard Unit from Wisconsin was bearing the brunt of the German onslaught. One young private peered up at Dr. Aling through his pain and began to smile.
Dr. Aling asked, "Do I know you?"
The young soldier replied, "Are you Dr. Aling?"
"Yes, I am."
"I was your paper boy in Minneapolis!"
Dr. Aling had a successful medical practice in Minneapolis years after the war. My mother, a nurse from Swedish Hospital, remembers him. He became the head of the medical missions department at Northwestern College, Roseville, MN.
The well-known Roger Youderian was a product of that program. He lost his life in Ecuador in the 1950's.
Isn't history interesting?
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