Pages from memories of Dr. Mohammad Taghi Khorsandi Ashtiani

The Night We Felt the Horror

People of Dezful were unbelievable; they wanted to help no matter what the hardship was.

Fatemeh Dehghan
Translated by: Natalie Haghverdian

2015-8-29

Note: Doctors, nurses and experts in medical fields endured hardship to deliver services to the combatants and the wounded. Dr. Mohammad Taghi Khorsandi Ashtiani is a professor of Tehran University and otolaryngologist. During the imposed war of Iraq against Iran, he was a general practitioner in Vahdati military base hospital in Dezful and cared the war wounded for a long time. His memoir shall be published soon. Here we have his interview regarding the beginning days of war.

You said that you finished your military service on 1979. How is it that you were in Vahdati military base hospital serving as general practitioner on the onset of war?

My military service was over, but I owed some time for my public service period. I wanted to pursue my education abroad and I had to complete my public service period. Doctors serve some time to the government and until they complete this period they are barred to travel. Staying in Dezful had added bonus and my service time would be over sooner so I stayed. I thought I would work there as a contractor and I’m not military anymore. They needed doctors. I had an office in Dezful and I used to work shifts in the base. September 22, 1980 was the onset of war when my service period was over. I had 15 leave days so I was cleared earlier. I had stayed to sell my office and finish my work to return to Tehran. I had to fly out in the afternoon of the next day while on the noon that day the base was bombarded and we ran for support.

It is said that prior to the official attack of Iraq to Iran, there were some invasions into the country. Since you were in Vahdati Base, is there anything you can tell us?

There were many cases but the one that I can remember goes two weeks before the war when an Iraqi airplane entered Iran’s flying zone and our fighters took off. They chased it and eventually forced it to land. The passengers claimed to be crop dusters but then we figured they were spies and were there to collect intelligence.

Did you see them?

Yes, I examined the captain and the commander myself. They wore ragged clothes and they really looked like crop dusters. They were detained for three or four days and then we realized that one of them is a general.

Why did you examine them? Were they hurt?

We were doctors in charge of pilots. Whenever an Iranian pilot would took off and face an accident for example when the plane would crash and the pilot would eject or the plane had technical problems and had a difficult landing we would examine the pilots even if they were not injured. When a pilot would eject, we were the first to examine him. The Iraqi plane was forced to land in mud so they brought the pilot for examination.

How many were there?

They were three. One was the pilot whom I examined. In another case, one day before the attack of Iraq against Iran I was supposed to travel to Tehran with a friend who was an ophthalmologist in Ahwaz to attend the wedding of another mutual friend. It was September 21that my friend called and said that he can’t go to Tehran. I asked: Why? He said: An hour ago the Iraqi planes targeted the airport of Ahwaz or Khoramshahr (I don’t really remember). We can’t go to Tehran under such circumstances. By that time nothing was going on elsewhere but on the next day by noon that Dezful and so many other places were attacked by air bombs.

How did you realize that they were spies?

I heard it from other pilots. We used to share accommodation. They would gather there at night to rest and tell stories (incidents). They said that Iraqi tanks are lined up in the border ready to attack.

At the beginning of war you were in Vahdati Base Hospital. How was the condition and facilities available?

At the time, we had two surgeries and one main hall, one surgeon, an anesthetic and four general practitioners. This was for the routine procedure not for attacks and to attend the wounded. 24 hour after the attacks started a medical team was dispatched from Tehran which served in air force. They settled and stayed and their number grew over time. There were many wounded and the hospital couldn’t accommodate them so we had set up tents. We would serve the wounded after air attacks in the tents.

The medical group, was it a team of different expertise?

Yes. We had all kinds of expertise; general practitioners, surgeons, nurses, anesthetic and almost all fields. Indeed, there were more general surgeons and orthopedists and vascular surgeon. After 2 weeks, civilian practitioners were dispatched.

Did this medical group settle in the base? There were no issues?

Yes. The space was no problem. The families have vacated the city. They occupied the vacant houses. During the first three days there was no water; even to drink. Water tanks were on high stands and were immediately attacked. People from Dezful would bring us water. During the first three days we didn’t have food. Those personnel living in the base would bring food from home; the vacated houses were they could find food. We would receive bread from Dezful. It was so bad that on the third day we believe we have to survive on dried bread. Then military portions arrive until the kitchen was set up.

How long after did you receive water?

It took a while to fix the water tanks and pipelines; however the trucks would bring us water.

You mean they would carry water in containers and bring it to the clinic? How would you use it?

Yes. There were barrels that they would fill the water in. The water tanker was repaired but two months later it was attacked again but we suffered for 48 hours. This time we were ready.

How long did it take the first time to fix water problem?

Almost one week. After that they attacked water tankers many time but then it took only couple of hours or one day or eventually two days. The water tankers were high and easy target.

How was the situation with electricity?

Fortunately we didn’t have problems. The electricity plant was far and hidden. They had all kinds of experts; a group of twenty; all professional. There were water experts and mechanics. Once they would attack one electricity post in the base they would immediately repair it. They were trained for years.

What would you do at night in blackouts? I mean during your shift in hospital.

At the beginning we feared that the light would make us easy target. It was total blackout. They had covered pains with black color so that light won’t get out. No one would dare to light a cigarette. We had little light in wards. We used to carry some tools with us like flash light, scissors and pen. We had to cut the clothes from the wounded since quivers were all over their body. Every doctor and personnel had to carry scissors and flash light. The light bulbs would provide little light and flashlights were essential. The pen was to fill files for patients.

Were you trained for special circumstances like war? For instance war medical training?

Every doctor would be trained on such circumstanced during his/her training days in military service. Without indicating “war”, the trainings cover chemical attacks and wars; even for nuclear bombing. At the time we used to laugh at these trainings and we would say: what does war mean; there is no war?” all soldiers are trained on these aspects during their military service. In military maneuvers they teach us that if the base is attacked and there is airstrike, what the role of doctors is. Some would act as corps on the ground and some as wounded. Each person has a role. We would approach with our assistants and take them out of the rubble, move the corps to the morgue. At the time we didn’t believe that one day we have to perform those roles in more serious situations. It was only two months that we realized we have to undertake our training.

Would you leave Vahdati Base to assist the wounded?

We were hand on inside the base but we would dispatch an ambulance if the strike was on the city. We were standby in the hospital to save the wounded.

Did you follow normal hospital shifts?

No. At first, we served 24 hours. Then support medical team arrived and we go home to rest at night. Then we were classified into groups. There were no doctors in the city, so from with at night till eight in the morning we were in the hospital and till 2 to 3 during the day I would go to Dezful to my office. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, so that my family and people wouldn’t think it is for money, I set up a banner that all medical services are free and during my three to four years in Dezful I never charged any medical visit fees.

During first three weeks, to be in quick access, they accommodated us in the houses around the hospital. We would go there to rest at night. It was five minutes to the hospital. There was no need to send anyone to fetch us. We could hear ambulance sirens and the bombs and we would immediately go to the hospital to attend the wounded. Sometimes I would wake up with the sound of bomb blasts and run to the hospital waiting for the wounded. 

How were medical supplies provided?

They brought medical supplies from warehouses from the beginning. In the main warehouses, there were enough supplies. They gave us access to all. There were no shortcomings; at least I never heard anyone complaining.

I want to take you to those days, when F4 and F5 fighters would take off; they have loud noise. Do you have any memories?

You get used to such noises under the circumstances. Sometimes during air strikes we were sleep and would wake up in horror. During missile attacks we would sometimes fall off the bed but we would sleep again. We were tired and had got used to the noises. Fighter take off noise was very normal. 

Tell us about volunteer aid forces.

People of Dezful were all amazing. They were willing to assist for no reason. They had goggles in hand under the hot sun watching the sky to inform the antiaircraft soldiers. Antiaircraft watch was weak there and they would stand on high grounds watching. They would make bread and bring us at night. Airport runways were attacked and people of Dezful who were experts of asphalt work would repair it in two hours; they had turned their cars to ambulances and hand them over to the base. Station wagons, Chevrolet, Land Rovers… they had removed the seats from their buses. I haven’t heard such sacrifices in history.

In autumn of 1980 arsenal of Hamidiyeh Base was attacked. The blasts were horrifying and people of Dezful thought that Iraq is close by and is going to invade the city. Do you remember that day; how were the reactions in Vahdati Base?

At the time we thought that we have to evacuate the base since the Iraqis will occupy it. Some disagreed. They said that they will fight to the end. There was a meeting and the head of hospital delivered a secret message that the situation is critical and Iraq is invading and they’re passing Karkheh dam. They planted mines in the base. A plane was coming from Tehran to evacuate as and then they would blow the base to avoid Iraqi invasion.

The plane arrived but it was not to evacuate us. In Tehran the decision was made that the base shall not be evacuated and the intelligence is wrong. From six-seven in the morning, the fighters took off and Sepaah (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) provided full support and they moved Iraqis back from Karkheh dam. It was the only night that we felt the horror.

Where did the head of hospital deliver the message?

I was looking for him but couldn’t find him. I had a consultation case, it was a surgery; I looked for him everywhere but couldn’t find him. After two hours I saw him. I asked: where are you? You’re always here and now that I need your advice…? He told me in confidence: the situation is critical. They’re planting mines. A civilian airplane is coming to take the wounded and staff and they want to blow the base to avoid Iraqi invasion. It was the military rule since air force base has much sensitive information that the enemy shall not have access to it.

Who was the head of the hospital?

He was a military colonel. I don’t recall his name.

How long were you in Vahdati Base?

Three years after the war started.