.Top U.S. military doctor in Iraq dies in crash
Army Col. Brian D. Allgood, MD, could have gone into private practice as a surgeon. Instead, he decided to serve his country.
Dr. Allgood, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native, went to Iraq in July 2006. He was the top medical officer, overseeing care of coalition troops. He also was responsible for the coalition's support of Iraqi health care, military officials said.
On Jan. 20, Dr. Allgood, 46, and 11 other soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed north of Baghdad. He left behind a wife and a young son.
"[Dr. Allgood] was committed to doing what he was doing. He very much knew the risk involved," said Richard Allgood, MD, a thoracic surgeon in Lawton, Okla., and Dr. Brian Allgood's uncle. "He was absolutely doing what he always wanted to do, combining a military and medical career."
Dr. Brian Allgood was the highest-ranking physician to die in Iraq and is one of only two U.S. military physicians among troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to be killed in action, according to the military.
The other physician who died in Iraq was Army Maj. Mark D. Taylor, MD.
Dr. Taylor, 41, of Stockton, Calif., died on March 20, 2004, when the surgeon's living area in Fallujah came under rocket attack.
He had been stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C. He gave his son his dog tags before he left for Iraq and told him to wear them until he returned home.
"He was very intelligent, had a great sense of humor and was a compassionate person," family friend Cathy Conrad told the Associated Press after Dr. Taylor's death. "There were lots of people who just loved him, and he was a very driven individual."
AMNews
Strange days
Dr. Allgood, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native, went to Iraq in July 2006. He was the top medical officer, overseeing care of coalition troops. He also was responsible for the coalition's support of Iraqi health care, military officials said.
On Jan. 20, Dr. Allgood, 46, and 11 other soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed north of Baghdad. He left behind a wife and a young son.
"[Dr. Allgood] was committed to doing what he was doing. He very much knew the risk involved," said Richard Allgood, MD, a thoracic surgeon in Lawton, Okla., and Dr. Brian Allgood's uncle. "He was absolutely doing what he always wanted to do, combining a military and medical career."
Dr. Brian Allgood was the highest-ranking physician to die in Iraq and is one of only two U.S. military physicians among troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to be killed in action, according to the military.
The other physician who died in Iraq was Army Maj. Mark D. Taylor, MD.
Dr. Taylor, 41, of Stockton, Calif., died on March 20, 2004, when the surgeon's living area in Fallujah came under rocket attack.
He had been stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C. He gave his son his dog tags before he left for Iraq and told him to wear them until he returned home.
"He was very intelligent, had a great sense of humor and was a compassionate person," family friend Cathy Conrad told the Associated Press after Dr. Taylor's death. "There were lots of people who just loved him, and he was a very driven individual."
AMNews
Strange days
posted by madtom at 11:32 PM
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