Theology on the Rocks West presentation examines experiences of Iraq war Army physician

Deacon Larry Gregg from St. Raphael Parish in Bay Village was comfortable introducing the speaker at the Nov. 9 Theology on the Rocks West program because they have been friends for decades.

“Ed (Dr. Edward Horvath) spent many hours on the St. Raphael football field as a team doctor,” Deacon Gregg said. The two men also ran together and the deacon helped Dr. Horvath as he wrote a book about his experiences, “Good Medicine, Hard Times: Memoir of a Combat Physician in Iraq.”

The doctor is also featured in the cover story of the November/December issue of Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine. Click here to watch a video in which Dr. Horvath discusses his experiences in Iraq. The video was shown prior to his TOTR presentation.

Reflecting on a challenge posed by the hymn “The Summons,” Dr. Horvath asked, “Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? It’s so true,” he said.

Dr. Horvath talked about training for his service –   being issued and trained to use a handgun – spending time in Egypt and Guatamala to acclimate to some of the conditions he would face in Iraq and experiencing another facet of medicine by serving the poor in remote areas.

But nothing could really prepare him for what he would experience in Iraq. He talked about the dangers convoys faced from mines and IEDs (improvised explosive devices). “I was lucky,” he said, noting he travelled hundreds of miles in convoys during his three tours of duty in Iraq.

During one deployment, he learned he was to serve as the physician for Saddam Hussein, the deposed dictator of Iraq. However, the Army changed its mind and he was given another assignment.

Dr. Horvath shared a slide presentation showing some of what he experienced in Iraq while serving at combat hospitals in detention facilities. He also discussed how the professionalism and care provided by U.S. military medical personnel made a difference in the lives of many Iraqis. “They couldn’t understand why we were helping them,” he said.

At first, it was hard to care for the enemy – some of whom tried and some of whom succeeded in killing Americans. But Dr. Horvath said he relied on his faith and heeded Jesus’ command to love everyone, including our enemies. “All people – even our enemies – are made in the image and likeness of God.”

Dr. Horvath said he was grateful he never had to kill anyone but acknowledged he had a couple of close calls.

He also reflected on how difficult the war was for families and children and how people in Northeast Ohio rallied when he asked for educational supplies, clothing and toys to share with the Iraqi children and their families.

And he discussed how difficult it was for his wife Joy, who was home teaching at Westlake High School while he and their sons were on active duty with the Navy.

As difficult and challenging as his Navy service was, Dr. Horvath said he doesn’t regret it. He went to “save the neighbor’s kids,” which happened a few times. He recalled discovering one of his soldier patients was from Bay Village and another young man whose life he saved was from Lakewood. He ended the program by showing a montage of young people he had met or treated during his service.

“God answered the question, ‘What did I do there?’ He let me know I did the right thing by going,” Dr. Horvath said.