San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.comWhat's That In My Eye? Semper Fi!

What's That In My Eye? Semper Fi!

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By the time Gunnery Sergeant Nick Popaditch saw the rocket propelled grenade. it was too late.\r\n\r\n"I heard the hiss right before it hit me, and it makes a snake hissÖ like that kind of noise," he said. "Heard the hiss and then bam. It was a pretty good shot - it felt like someone hit me with a sledgehammer."\r\n\r\nIt happened April 7, 2004 on the streets of Fallujah. Popaditch didn't lose consciousness, but he could feel a lot of blood on his face, and he couldn't see.\r\n\r\nI saw a white flash of light like a camera flash, like I was inside the flash of a camera, and then nothing - just black," he said.\r\n\r\nPopaditch was lucky. His helmet and body armor absorbed most of the grenade, but a small piece of shrapnel pierced the material next to his ear.\r\n\r\nSeveral surgeries later, Popaditch had partial sight in his left eye, but his right eye was gone for good. So an appointment was made for a glass cover.\r\n\r\nThe 15 year veteran of the Marine Corps had an idea.\r\n\r\nI said, you probably get crazy requests, but here goes. I'm a tank commander - can you make me an eyeball that has a tank site in it?'" he said.\r\n\r\nA tank site, his unit patch, the Eagle, Globe and Anchor... Popaditch's collection also has a regular eye too. But the Marine Corps emblem is his favorite. If you see him, feel free to take a look.\r\n\r\n"If I didn't want people to look at it I wouldn't put this in... it doesn't bother me a bit," he said.\r\n\r\nIn fact, the only thing that bothers Popaditch is that the injury forced him to retire from the military.\r\n\r\n"You know, the bitterness, any anger I have is that I can't still be one," he said. "With my eyesight my trigger pulling days are over. I wish I could still be doing that."\r\n\r\nAfter being hit, Popaditch had the wherewithal to tell his crew to quickly move the tank, because he knew if they were hit once, they'd be hit again. He says those three guys with him quickly got the tank out of there, and he says without question that saved his life.\r\n