Tom Dooley, a polarizing figure, did much good nonetheless

J. Edgar Hoover titled his book about communism "Masters Of Deceit" for a good reason. Over the past century, filled with hatred for God and all that is decent, communist strategy has had a purpose to invert reality about all that resembles God's righteousness. Most Americans living during the post-WWII era, and generations since, still remain ignorant of such strategic tactics by these enemies of God, family, and country. Such is the case, the communists aimed at a great American hero, Dr. Tom Dooley.

Dr. Tom Dooley dedicated his life while in the Navy and afterward to serving others. As a medical professional and missionary, he used his skills delivering children from evils of communism in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. He was so loved by the people they called him "Dr. America". Lucille Selsor relates in her book "Sincerely Tom Dooley," communist hate-in-action: "One morning came another tragedy. Sixteen boys came into camp with chopsticks driven into their ears! ... The boys had been found in the courtyard of a church, hands tied behind them, rolling in torment and screaming in pain. Soldiers had ordered them not to believe in God. They found them studying about Him. Some of the Sailors were crying openly." This is but one example of the daily medical needs with which Tom Dooley and his medical team attended.

After his Navy career, he toured the U.S. telling his gruesome, bloody stories of communist hatred-in-action. The entire world had begun to watch and love Dr. America. The communists began their war to destroy his name. With their influence in the music industry, they substituted the name "Tom Dooley" in an old Irish ballad already written. The Kingston Trio, famous folk singers, unaware that their top song, "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley" was being used as a tool to destroy Tom Dooley's name. The vicious lyrics described a man who was going to be hung for stabbing his girl friend with his knife. Tom was harassed twenty-four times while in South East Asia and his mother in St Louis was constantly called in the middle of the night with hateful messages.

Tom treated the casualties of communist oppression. One of his hospitals sites was only seven miles from the Chinese border. He even carried on his missionary work after he was stricken with tumors of melanoma. Finally, he was ordered home. Returning to the United States, he was skin and bones. Millions of Americans were deceived, including yours truly, by vicious propagandists, a communist lie in a ballad. This song still bears evil fruit. Once something is firmly planted in the culture, it subconsciously denies the generations from knowing the truth. The truth is Dr. Tom Dooley heroically served God and country. Once upon a time, there were such men that demonstrated love with their life. May God Bless our nation with more Godly role models for our children and children's children. May God's enemies be prevented from denigrating their name.

- Russ Payne,

Merrimack