Marine Has Finger Cut Off To Save Wedding Ring - Ring Gets Lost Anyhoo

[matcom]

<snip>

VICTORVILLE, Calif. -- A U.S. Marine injured in Iraq was told he'd have to lose either his wedding ring or his ring finger, so he chose to save the ring.

Then the ring was lost.

David Battle's left hand was mangled last month in a firefight in Fallujah. Doctors were preparing to cut off the 19-year-old's ring to save as much of the finger as they could, but the Marine objected.

He said he didn't want to hurt his wife, who meant so much to him.

Battle's wife said she was mad when she first heard what he'd done, and then realized she was lucky to have him in her life.

Battle is now recovering at his parents' house in Victorville, Calif. He hopes to return to the Marines and replace his wedding ring.

http://www.wftv.com/news/3991809/detail.html

[mondo joe]

1. Hell, ditch the freaking ring

I care about my ring but I thik my spouse would rather I kept my finger.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. No kidding

...my husband would think I had totally lost my mind.

[miss_kitty]

2. My 18 year old nephew just signed up to be a Marine

:(

[skygazer]

4. Misplaced sentiment

I hate to say it about a wounded Marine but - what a moran.

Quite honestly, he shouldn't have been wearing a ring - when I worked construction, I wore my wedding ring on a chain around my neck. You can yank your finger right off when you get a ring caught on something.

[Crankie Avalon]

5. Well, I would have made a different choice...

...I don't want to come down on him too hard, but as romantic as he might think his choice was, maybe keeping his hand intact would have been the better option, especially if it turns out he is going to be providing for that wife of his by working with his hands.

[Maddy McCall]

6. Maybe it wasn't the ring he wanted to save...

A finger to return stateside, maybe?

[Bill McBlueState]

8. heh, you might be onto something n/t

[sir_captain]

12. That seems possible...

though it seems his finger was pretty messed up and he was going to lose at least a portion of it no matter what...

[Bill McBlueState]

7. the doctor

Doesn't a doctor have the responsibility to conclude that a patient in that condition may not be thinking very clearly, and that irreplaceable things like fingers should be given priority over metal objects?

[sir_captain]

10. In a word, no

if it were a life and death situation, yes.

[sir_captain]

9. I say cut the guy some slack...

His intentions seem genuine, and it's his hand. His finger was all messed up anyway, and he was going to be missing at least some of it anyway...

[fob]

11. Why couldn't they cut off the ring? He could have had it repaired

later. Hell one of the guys in the motor pool welding on used armor onto Rumvees has got to be experienced enough by now to fill in the saw cut.

Your ring or your finger? Why was that the only 2 options again?

[China_cat]

14. Because of the inscription that went all the way

around the inside. He didn't want to mess it up.

It's such a wonderful, sweet, loving gesture of how seriously he takes his marriage vows...and such a totally dumbshit male thing to do.

[Modem Butterfly]

13. Absolutely brilliant way to get home alive

Think about it- the Marines have to send him home, and though he's minus the 4th finger of his left hand, it's a small price to pay for having everything else intact and coming home alive.

[obreaslan]

15. He could have used the ring to up-armor his Humvee....

Sick, I know. But I would have properly equiped the troops if this were my illegal war. :)