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MASH: An Army Surgeon in Korea Hardcover – August 27, 1998

by Otto F. Apel M.D. (Author), Pat Apel (Author)

18 customer reviews

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When North Korean forces invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, Otto Apel was a surgical resident living in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife and three young children. A year later he was chief surgeon of the 8076th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital constantly near the front lines in Korea. Immediately upon arriving in camp, Apel performed 80 hours of surgery. His feet swelled so badly that he had to cut his boots off, and he saw more surgical cases in those three and a half days than he would have in a year back in Cleveland. There were also the lighter moments. When a Korean came to stay at the 8076th, word of her beauty spread so rapidly that they needed MPs just to direct traffic. Apel also recalls a North Korean aviator, nicknamed "Bedcheck Charlie," who would drop a phony grenade from an open-cockpit biplane, a story later filmed for the television series. He also tells of the day the tent surrounding the women's shower was "accidentally" blown off by a passing helicopter. In addition to his own story, Apel details the operating conditions, workload, and patient care at the MASH units while revealing the remarkable advances made in emergency medical care. MASH units were the first hospitals designed for operations close to the front lines, and from this particularly difficult vantage, their medical staffs were responsible for innovations in the use of antibiotics and blood plasma and in arterial repair. On film and television, MASH doctors and nurses have been portrayed as irreverent and having little patience with standard military procedures. In this powerful memoir, Apel reveals just how realistic these portrayals were.

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The popular television series M*A*S*H owes its historical accuracy in part to Apel, chief surgeon of the 8076th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in 1951 and consultant on the show. Here Apel (with son Pat) expands on the themes common to the television episodes and familiar to viewers: the severe working conditions, the irreverence hospital staff often had for army protocol, and the insufficiency of necessary supplies. Apel outlines the historical and political forces that created these conditions and, ironically, the considerable advances in emergency medical care made during the Korean War. Although his work is heavily autobiographical, Apel draws from primary and secondary Korean War literature to provide statistics and documentation. Personal photos appear throughout the text. Well written and researched, this book provides entertainment as well as historical value and is appropriate for both public and academic settings.AAndy Wickens, Univ. of Illinois, Lib. of the Health Sciences, Chicago
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The 1951 doctors' draft took Otto Apel out of surgical residency and sent him to Korea. He felt obligated to serve but now deplores his lack of military training before being placed at the battlefront. In contrast to his preparation was that of the other subject of his account, the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), developed to meet the special needs of the Korean War. Aided by his son, Apel writes in particular about the formation and daily activities of the 8076th MASH, to which he was assigned. He began operating the moment he reached the unit, stationed near the 38th parallel, and learned military surgery from the muddy or dusty ground up. Improvisation was essential every day, as was teamwork among the surgeons, nurses, and support staff, who, Apel shows, provided exemplary care for the wounded soldiers. The great difference between the MASH on TV and the MASH at the battlefield, Apel and his colleagues later felt, was that the latter had casualties. William Beatty

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Product details

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky; 1 edition (August 27, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813120705
ISBN-13: 978-0813120706
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 18 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #21 in Books > History > Military > Korean War > Personal Narratives
- #1798 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Medical
- #6944 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military

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M*A*S*H in real life

ByEdward Hurdon December 4, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

As a long time M*A*S*H fan I've always wanted to know more about the actual history behind the show I've always wanted to know more of the history behind the show and how the MASH came to be; with Dr. Apel's book I can say some of those questions have been answered. It's readable and not boring but I imagine Bernini a fan of the show and the history of the Korean War helps. Also it can be very funny in parts. In short if you've ever been curious about what life in an actual MASH unit was like this it's the book for you.

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ByA. Silveron April 3, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

An enjoyable read. Highly recommended to M*A*S*H fans who are interested in the sources of the show and anyone who is interested in learning about the experience of doctors in the Korean War. So glad I bought this!

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MASH-The Real Deal

ByKindle Customer KLon October 16, 2010

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I finally ordered Dr. Apel's book years after it first came out the day after my aunt's military funeral. When the book was first published, the author had sent her a copy. There's a story about her on p. 105 and pictures on the cover and on pp. 106 and 99, LT. Marilyn Brown. She recommended the book highly, but I'd never managed to read it when I'd found it by inter-library loan or when I'd borrowed Dad's copy. But after Marilyn's funeral I sent for my own copy and read it.

For years she had shared her adventures, her fear, her funny stories, her painful PTSD memories. I had always known MASH, even before the TV show. Marilyn lived it, both the laughter and the tears. Through her, I got it second-hand. Through this book many others can come to understand what these men and women, these ordinary heroes, accomplished and suffered as they set the standard for battlefield medicine in the modern era.

I highly recommend this book and would even if I didn't have a personal connection to it. The reader is presented with an historical angle rarely seen, with insight into the staffs' daily lives, with events and anecdotes that educate, inspire and entertain-- some of which made their way into MASH scripts for TV. The story about everyone at the 8076 coloring their hair with henna was turned into everyone at the 4077 bleaching their hair blonde while Hot Lips was on leave in Tokyo.
Look for other parallels. You'll find them. Enjoy.

Kim Lawrence

11 comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Heartily agree and applaud Dr. Apel for his work..

ByFloyd R. Cooper Jr.on July 1, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I was stationed at the 44th M.A.S.H. in 1957. Dr. Apel's book is accurate and on target. Great read for someone there.
The docs, the nurses, the techs, the chopper pilots were all first class and would make Gen. Patton proud. I was honored
to be there. Never forgotten. Floyd Cooper, Capt. MC

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Interesting & fun!

ByTimothy K. Burtonon July 29, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I knew the author & was very pleased he shared his story. Reading about the heroic efforts by the medical staff & recognizing some TV episodes was a real pleasure. I have given this book as a gift several times.

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Very readable. Don't expect to see Hawkeye or Trapper ...

ByJTon September 6, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Very readable. Don't expect to see Hawkeye or Trapper here: this is the real war--the real story

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A Great Piece of History

ByRoadrunr88on July 5, 2011

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

From the literary side, this work is a little rough around the edges. From the historical side, I am glad to finally find some firsthand information about the 8076 MASH. I wish there were more stories about the MASH units and the contributions they made during the forgotten war. My dad was in the 8076, after Dr. Apel served there, but unfortunately he never talked about his time in the Korea. This book helped fill that gap and will always remain in my library.

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An Excellent Tribute to the M. A. S. H. Units in Korea.

ByLee Freemanon December 7, 2002

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Dr. Appell's book "M. A. S. H.: An Army Surgeon in Korea" is an excellent tribute to the men and women of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals by a veteran surgeon of the 8076TH M . A. S. H. unit. My only complaint is that the book was not a little longer. For any fan of the movie or t. v. series this book is a must-read. Dr. Appell (who was a consultant for the series), tells us what life was really like in a M. A. S. H. unit. The series took some liberties with actual events, but its overall portrayal was fairly accurate-though the series lasted 10 years compared to the three years of the Korean War itself, and the average length of stay for surgeons in a M. A. S. H. was about 8 months. Dr. Appell has written a very interesting book.

0Comment 14 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

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Five Stars

Given as gift and recipient loved it!!

Published 7 months ago by Patsy A. Rothen

Saving lives in Korea

Doctor Apel relates his personal experiences during the Korean War... not exactly the same as the TV show (although he did provide input for that program). Dr.Read more

Published 12 months ago by James D. Crabtree

Reality Life not Reality TV

This is not an episode of the familiar television MASH show. Instead, it is a first-hand account of what it was like being a surgeon at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in...Read more

Published 1 year ago by Jill Bemis

Great perspective for a MASH fan.

This is a moving story of MASH, the real thing. Read it and think yet more of the TV series and the movie.

Published 1 year ago by Wackezoid

Five Stars

Fantastic read!! Enjoyed it very much :)

Published on November 7, 2014 by Sharon A. Harris

Reserach

I am a scholar and doing reserach on NORMASH. This book provided med with som more background material for NORMASH

Published on March 14, 2013 by Jan-Thore Lockertsen

GOOD BOOK

MY SON AND I ENJOYED READING THE STORIES THE MASHSERIES WAS BASSED ON . WE ARE BOTH FANS OF THE SHOW

Published on January 9, 2013 by Timothy H. Kennedy

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