“Ben Chapman was one of the ‘Chosen Few.’
“Amputations were commonplace among the ‘Frozen Chosin,’ those U.S. Marines who endured brutal conditions in the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Doctors wanted to amputate Chapman’s frostbitten feet, but he insisted on nursing himself back to health.
“By keeping those feet, Chapman eventually became a member of Hollywood’s most exclusive club. After all, he couldn’t have worn those flippers without them.
“Ben Chapman, who died earlier this week at age 79, played the nameless ‘Gill Man’ in the quintessential 1950s horror film, The Creature From The Black Lagoon…”
