Kurt Eldrup, a former U.S. Air Force reservist who served in Operation Desert Storm, uses airplane parts to make custom furniture, fans and even a fish tank at his business, Phighter Images Inc., in McHenry.
building, he survived but only just here. after 17 days as a wounded prisoner in russia. very often when i close my eyes i see that moment when the tank was firing at me, and my side getting injured. on the day of my injury, one of my boys, a machine gunner was killed. every time it s personal. every time i heard it over the walkie-talkie, it would conjure memories of him. his mind also in pieces, left grappling with the fragments of the worst fighting in europe in decades. translator: you know there s a point when the brain accepts it, seeing the phosphor rous missiles, seeing aviation flying in. when this became normal, that was scary. we learned how to fall asleep with this accompaniment, instead it became scary to fall asleep in the silence. reporter: two moments though,
fragments of the worst fighting in europe in decades. translator: you know there s a point when the brain accepts it, seeing the phosphorous missiles, seeing aviation flying in. when this became normal, that was scary. we learned how to fall asleep with this accompaniment. instead, it became scary to fall asleep in the silence. reporter: two moments though haunt him here. translator: the first time i used tur used tourniquets on my friend. and the second scene is this. we saw aviation destroying whole hangars. watching a huge hangar have nothing left in just seconds. this has really been engraved on my memory. reporter: wounded on april 10th. when he regained consciousness he was not where he thought he was. translator: first time i found out i was held captive was when we were inside an ambulance. me and another guy with similar injuries. he asked, are you ours?