Dumb Crook News

Several years ago while working as the Chief of the Narcotics and Violent Crimes Unit in Johnston (Great title, but I was the Narcotics and Violent Crimes Unit), a part of my responsibilities was that of court officer. As such during Edgefield County's two week per quarter Circuit Court I had to be at the courthouse early every morning and sometimes late into the night as we met with the Grand Jury, discussed cases, interviewed witnesses, prepared for the next day's session, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, on one such long night it seems I had just got home, grabbed a quick bite to eat and climbed into bed when the phone rang. I looked at the clock and it was about 1:00 am. Dispatch was calling stating there had been an armed robbery at the all night convenience store in town and one of the clerks had been injured. A patrol unit was on the scene and EMS was en route. I grabbed my gear, jumped into my police car and headed to town. When I got there I spoke with the uniformed officer and then talked with the clerks. One of the clerks pushed one of the robbers away and told him she wasn't giving him "S..." He hit her across the face with a Mac 10 type weapon knocking her to the floor. She wasn't seriously injured and refused to go to the hospital. EMS treated her on the scene and left. While I was interviewing the clerks they told me that about 20 minutes before the robbery two guys had come into the store and asked if I was working that night. They told them they hadn't seen me so they didn't believe I was on duty. The clerks told me they believed they were the same two who robbed them. If a crook won't pull a robbery if I'm working.....well what can I say? We went back and reviewed the tape. They had purposely avoided looking toward the camera but, sure enough, when we continued playing the tape until the robbery the two that came in were wearing the same clothes but this time they had bandanas over their faces and hoods pulled up over their heads. When the one robber hit the woman in the face he went down onto his knees to get right up in her face, again demanding she open the safe. When he did his bandana came down. Instead of pulling it up immediately he turned around looking for the camera to see if it had caught him. Perfect picture. I still couldn't identify the second suspect so I called the County Narcotics Investigator. He seemed to know everyone in town and he did this one, "That's his younger brother."

Later that morning I had to be back in court so when I got a break I went to the Judge and obtained warrants against both the suspects for the armed robbery, assault, using a firearm during the commission of a crime and a couple more for good measure.

I had no problem locating the leader of the two since he was sitting in the back of the courtroom waiting to have his case come up on an earlier arrest where he had burglarized a business and I happened to come up during the break-in. He ran from the store with me in hot pursuit. When he got to a fence at the back of the business he pulled what turned out to be a sawed-off .410 shotgun from a gym bag where he had stashed his loot. I pulled my weapon, pointed it at him and told him to drop it. He did, along with the gym bag, and he jumped the fence. I didn't continue the chase and got the shotgun and gym bag. When I got back to my office I checked the bag and found several items he had stolen along with a picture ID of him including his address.

You shouldn't be allowed to be that stupid twice. The court did give him a lengthy sentence to try to learn his trade a little better before he returns to society.

They Call Me Doc

Beaufort Naval Hospital

We were only kids. We were 18, 19, 20 years old. We were dodging bullets in the jungles to try

Sharon McDowell

to save that marine who went down. We were working the ambulances, headed to a multi-car crash caused by a drunk driver. We tried to help those hurt and dying while watching the drunk walk away unharmed. We worked on those from that same crash in the emergency rooms, stopping the bleeding, suturing the wounds, giving oxygen and life saving fluids. All the while, reassuring the loved ones. We were awakened after only a couple hours sleep to man the operating room where the latest stabbing victim had been brought. We worked airplane and helicopter crashes. We may have delivered your child or watched over your premature baby or sick child all night keeping a constant vigil while we also held your hand and prayed with you. We tended to your needs as you lay in that hospital room gasping for breath or in pain. We gave you the medication you so badly needed to ease your pain or fight your illness. We ran the pharmacy where you got your medicine and the laboratory working with specimens so your illness could be properly diagnosed and treated. Were we to make a mistake, we may aggravate the problem or, God forbid, someone could die.

Wally Jarratt

And yes, we were kids. This responsibility had been given to us at such a young age. A good friend and I discussed this a few weeks ago. He said it right. Most of us were still teenagers, still learning to walk in an adult world. We didn't have a degree from a medical college. We had a certificate from the United States Navy Hospital Corps School that should have stated somewhere on it that one day soon, after graduation, we would be expected to walk on water. At least, that's how most of us felt and we wondered if we could live up to the high expectations and continue the traditions of those who were here before us. We also wore a rating patch on our shoulder letting the world know we were United States Navy Corpsmen. we wore that patch proudly. I guess the proudest thing we had was the nickname given by our marines, sailors, and occasionally, a dependent we were treating. The name "DOC." The name wasn't given lightly and it didn't matter if you were male or female, you had to earn it, and once earned, you carried it with honor and pride.

We were only kids, but we learned, we lived, we laughed, we loved, and occasionally, we cried. We

Donna J "DJ" Dedert-Clark

rejoiced when the wounded or ill were able to walk out of that hospital or off that field. We cried when they were carried away. When one of us rejoiced, we all rejoiced. When one of us hurt, we all hurt. We were family. We saw things and did things that deeply affected each of us. We leaned on each other. We couldn't take this home. It may or may not have been true, but to us we felt as if no one could understand unless they had been there. We always had each other. We knew. We understood. Some things we can never forget, some good, some bad. Each of us was changed by what we did and what we witnessed. Each of us handled it differently. Some people remained with the Navy for a career. Some left the Navy and continued in the medical field. Some of us went in an entirely different direction but no one left without carrying what we had experienced with us, both on a personal, and professional level.

Me in much younger days

It seems from reading this everyday was gloom, doom and stress. Far from it. When the time came to work, we worked and we worked hard. Each one knew his and her job and did it exceptionally well but, when it was time to play we played as hard as we worked. There were always the practical jokes, whether on each other, or some poor unsuspecting schmo who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We played golf, tennis, football, baseball and soccer. Each was always played with that same fighting spirit and striving to win that saw us through our work. Many times it was just head over to the good old "Anchor Inn" and relax, laugh, talk, and again, occasionally, cry on each other's shoulder. We had each other. If it seems I'm boasting, yeah, I am. Remember, we were kids.

Although I was able to post only a few of the photos here, there are many, many more good men and women I had the honor of serving with during 8 years and two tours at the US Naval Hospital Beaufort ('72-'73), ('76-'79), and during my time with the 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC ('73-'76). Each of them left a lasting impression.

Next year a group of us from the Beaufort Naval Hospital are planning to reunite after way too many years. As the time draws near so does the apprehension as it has been so long ago. I have a feeling we will reconnect as if only a couple of days have passed. Love you all and miss those times together.