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More kudos in order for polio flyers

John Carver

Aug. 6, 2023 6:00 am

Pilots Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels must be thought of together with Jonas Salk in the fight to eliminate polio. It has taken a massive effort on their behalf (and for sure others) to help bring closure to this dreaded disease. The very effort of these two pilots to “round the world” to silence polio is monumental.

My generation bore the brunt of the polio headlines. At its peak incidence in the United States, in 1952, approximately 21,000 cases of paralytic polio were recorded. It was much the same then as closures in our past epidemic except for the iron lung and paralysis.

We can be appreciative but only they know the depth of this accomplishment. What they have done is a record world event.

John Carver

Decorah

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