TBO.com: A riveting tale of surviving North Korean prisoner of war camps
BY ROGER K. MILLER
Published: February 20, 2011
"Valleys of Death: A Memoir of the Korean War" by Bill Richardson with Kevin Maurer (Berkley Caliber, $25.95)
Aside from those who fought in it, and perhaps their surviving family members, few Americans today know much about the Korean War.
That is why it is so appropriately called The Forgotten War.
Few know, for instance, that 2010 marked the 60th anniversary of its outbreak. Nor that, officially, the war has never ended.
But Bill Richardson knows. He was, for a time, one of their number.
Measured by the grim relativity of luck, Richardson was one of the luckier ones.
After being missing in action, he survived 34 months of hell in prisoner of war camps in North Korea to come back home and tell the tale.
Richardson was a corporal in the U.S. Army and home on leave in Philadelphia when war broke out June 25, 1950. He had spent four postwar years in Europe and hoped to be reassigned there.
Instead, within two months he was in Korea, the leader of a 57 recoilless rifle section in the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, helping in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter at the southernmost port of Korea. After invading South Korea, the North Korean troops had come close to pushing the American and other U.N. defenders off the peninsula.
Once the U.N. forces broke out of the perimeter, they pushed the North Koreans, badly overextended in their supply lines, all the way back up the peninsula.
In one of several engagements near Unsan in late October-early November, Richardson and several of his comrades were captured by North Koreans.
They suffered cruelly in a march northward, criminally ill-clad for the Siberia-like weather. Many died; most were wounded or sick; all were severely malnourished.
The rest of Richardson's account is further confirmation of what other survivors already have told: the horrors and misery of POWs' life in North Korea. One thing still angering Richardson is the lack of military discipline among some POWs. Too often it was every man for himself, with the strong preying on the weak.
He feels that cohesion, despite being hard to achieve in their circumstances, would have improved their chances overall.
An armistice was signed July 27, 1953, and Richardson was released with other POWs in a prisoner exchange. He had been in five POW camps.
He stayed in the Army, married, had five children, and rose to the rank of colonel.
"Valleys of Death" imparts the immediacy of contemporary events and a sense of what it was like to be a soldier in that drawn-down postwar Army, depleted of men and material, frantically ramping up for a new war.
Roger K. Miller, a U.S. Army veteran, is the author of "Invisible Hero," a novel inspired by the life of an American POW in the Korean War.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Harper Meets War Vets In Burnaby
CFJC TV7, Kamloops, Canada: Harper Meets War Vets In Burnaby
Promises better relations with South Korea
The Prime Minister met with Korean War veterans in Burnaby last night before launching a foundation meant to enhance relations between Canada and South Korea.
Stephen Harper rounded up his day in the Vancouver area by announcing plans to increase business deals with the East Asia country while also attracting more Korean students to Canada.
Earlier Monday he commented on the turmoil in Libya and boosted his economic vision for the country under the sails at Canada Place.
Harper continues his West Coast visit today starting at a construction site in Langford on Vancouver Island and then making an announcement at C-F-B Esquimalt, in Sidney.
Promises better relations with South Korea
The Prime Minister met with Korean War veterans in Burnaby last night before launching a foundation meant to enhance relations between Canada and South Korea.
Stephen Harper rounded up his day in the Vancouver area by announcing plans to increase business deals with the East Asia country while also attracting more Korean students to Canada.
Earlier Monday he commented on the turmoil in Libya and boosted his economic vision for the country under the sails at Canada Place.
Harper continues his West Coast visit today starting at a construction site in Langford on Vancouver Island and then making an announcement at C-F-B Esquimalt, in Sidney.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Korean Air War, by Robert Dorr and Warren Thompson
Korean Air War, by Robert Dorr and Warren Thompson
Motorbooks, 2003
Oversize (Trade): 187 glossy pages, Acknowledgmwents, Bibliography, index. B&W and color photos scattered throughout.
Description
Korean Air War is an important chronicle of the air battles over Korea that is sure to thrill Korean War veterans, action readers, modelers, and air war historians. Part narrative history and part oral hyistory, this book presents a serious, blow-by-blow account of allied air operations from 1950 to 1953, peppered with dramatic, real life combat stories told by American, Australian, British and South African cobat pilots who were there. It is also a stunning pictorial record with 150 color and 50 black-and white photos of the planes, the pilots and crews, the nose art and markings, the bases and aircraft carriers, most of which are from the personal photo archives of Korean War veterans. Discover the history of air operations over Korea during one of the last century's most important military conflicts in Korean Air War.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: 1950
Chapter 2: 1951
Chapter 3: 1952
Chapter 4: 1953
Appendices:
Acknoledgments
Bibliography
Index
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Feb 15, 2011: 200 gather for Korean War battle anniversary
Stars and STripes: 200 gather for Korean War battle anniversary
JIPYEONG-RI, South Korea — Lee Jeong–hun recalled Tuesday how, as a teenager, his family and village were terrorized by the militaries of China and North Korea early in the Korean War.
He once hid in a pasture as Chinese soldiers forced their way into his home and cooked themselves a meal. Another time, a North Korean army official ordered the young man to guide a platoon to a specific part of the town.
“I was reluctant to do it, but the commander pointed his pistol at my grandmother, so I escorted his platoon,” Lee said.
It was 60 years ago this week that Lee’s hometown — then called Chipyong-ni — became the scene of what is widely considered to be the turning point in the 1950-53 Korean War.
The Battle of Chipyong-ni — which was fought Feb. 13-15 in 1951, about 30 miles southeast of Seoul — marked the first time United Nations Command soldiers succeeded in turning back the advance of the Chinese military.
When it was over, almost 100 U.N. troops and about 2,000 Chinese soldiers were dead or missing.
Lee, 79, was among 200 people in attendance Tuesday at ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the battle. He said he is part of an organization trying to raise money and collect artifacts for a museum it hopes to build, “so future generations understand the significance of this battle,” he said. “If we had lost that battle, Korea itself would not exist.”
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Tucker, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, told those in attendance that Chipyong-ni was an important transportation and communication hub, making it an attractive target. Outmanned by a ratio of roughly 15:1, he said, “For two horrific, bloody frigid nights, (allied) soldiers held against impossible odds. The courage and determination of these brave men made not only a tactical but strategic impact on the war.
Advertisement“Indeed, their actions helped shift the tide of the war,” Tucker said.
“Before the Battle of Chipyong-ni, United Nations Command forces typically rolled with the punch when confronted by superior numbers,” he said. “Rather than stand and fight, the allied forces would withdraw to a rear position in order to avoid being encircled by the enemy.
“But it is here at Chipyong-ni that the 8th Army commander, Lt. Gen. Matthew Ridgeway, decided to make a stand,” Tucker said.
“In the aftermath of Chipyong-ni, the (Chinese) Army limped north,” he said. “It was the last Chinese offensive of the Korean War, and within four months the Chinese high command requested truce talks.”
South Korean Maj. Gen. Na Sang-woong said the Battle of Chipyong-ni and the Korean War taught his countrymen that “we cannot enjoy freedom and peace without a strong power” behind us.
“Even though the Cold War has ended in the other nations, the Korean peninsula is a lonely place still going through a cold war,” he said. “If North Korea does not give up developing nuclear bombs and missiles, under the propaganda of colonizing the South, it will difficult to have peace on the peninsula.”
JIPYEONG-RI, South Korea — Lee Jeong–hun recalled Tuesday how, as a teenager, his family and village were terrorized by the militaries of China and North Korea early in the Korean War.
He once hid in a pasture as Chinese soldiers forced their way into his home and cooked themselves a meal. Another time, a North Korean army official ordered the young man to guide a platoon to a specific part of the town.
“I was reluctant to do it, but the commander pointed his pistol at my grandmother, so I escorted his platoon,” Lee said.
It was 60 years ago this week that Lee’s hometown — then called Chipyong-ni — became the scene of what is widely considered to be the turning point in the 1950-53 Korean War.
The Battle of Chipyong-ni — which was fought Feb. 13-15 in 1951, about 30 miles southeast of Seoul — marked the first time United Nations Command soldiers succeeded in turning back the advance of the Chinese military.
When it was over, almost 100 U.N. troops and about 2,000 Chinese soldiers were dead or missing.
Lee, 79, was among 200 people in attendance Tuesday at ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the battle. He said he is part of an organization trying to raise money and collect artifacts for a museum it hopes to build, “so future generations understand the significance of this battle,” he said. “If we had lost that battle, Korea itself would not exist.”
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Michael Tucker, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, told those in attendance that Chipyong-ni was an important transportation and communication hub, making it an attractive target. Outmanned by a ratio of roughly 15:1, he said, “For two horrific, bloody frigid nights, (allied) soldiers held against impossible odds. The courage and determination of these brave men made not only a tactical but strategic impact on the war.
Advertisement“Indeed, their actions helped shift the tide of the war,” Tucker said.
“Before the Battle of Chipyong-ni, United Nations Command forces typically rolled with the punch when confronted by superior numbers,” he said. “Rather than stand and fight, the allied forces would withdraw to a rear position in order to avoid being encircled by the enemy.
“But it is here at Chipyong-ni that the 8th Army commander, Lt. Gen. Matthew Ridgeway, decided to make a stand,” Tucker said.
“In the aftermath of Chipyong-ni, the (Chinese) Army limped north,” he said. “It was the last Chinese offensive of the Korean War, and within four months the Chinese high command requested truce talks.”
South Korean Maj. Gen. Na Sang-woong said the Battle of Chipyong-ni and the Korean War taught his countrymen that “we cannot enjoy freedom and peace without a strong power” behind us.
“Even though the Cold War has ended in the other nations, the Korean peninsula is a lonely place still going through a cold war,” he said. “If North Korea does not give up developing nuclear bombs and missiles, under the propaganda of colonizing the South, it will difficult to have peace on the peninsula.”
Pentagon Marks Blacks’ Service in Korean War
Afro National News: Pentagon Marks Blacks’ Service in Korean War
Thank you. The two simple yet indelible words were the backdrop of the U.S. Department of Defense's 60th anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration, which celebrates African American’s contributions to the three-year battle.
Held in the Pentagon’s Auditorium, the event drew military veterans, decorated service men and women, civilians, families and friends who came out to pay homage to the African-American men who valiantly battled on the Korean peninsula to restore peace abroad even as their human rights were denied at home. Though their contributions may not have been appreciated then, a stirring rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Presentation of Colors set the tone for a ceremony which would recognize them as full-fledged heroes and equals to all men who served.
Jean Davis, outreach manager of the event, began the afternoon’s affair by recognizing the guests of honor and their “self sacrifice that paved the way for democracy.”
“Those who returned from that far off war received no parade; there was no media event to celebrate their accomplishments. In many respects that is why we are here today to reassure our Korean War veterans that America does remember the forgotten victory,” said Davis.
Following meditation, Col. David J. Clark, director of the 60th Anniversary War Commemoration Committee, remarked on the war’s legacy and the veterans’ unwavering loyalty during a time of segregation.
“If you think about it, this is one on of the most selfless patriotic acts of sacrifice in American history and for this reason alone America owes an unpayable debt to its African-American veterans… Thank God for African-American patrons.” These contributions, and those of other African-American troops, propelled the military to become fully integrated in the 1960s, he added.
Following Clark's words, ally and benefactor of the men’s heroic efforts Brig. Gen. Lee Seo Young, South Korean defense attaché, extended his gratitude to the service men for their brave and devoted allegiance and commitment to defending Korea’s freedom.
“Because of the courage of many service men, the Korean flag still flies over the Republic of Korea. You won freedom, democracy and prosperity for our nation; that is what you fought for and that is what the Republic of Korea stands for now.”
Lasting from the 1950 to 1953, the Korean War claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Black Americans. Pegged as “the forgotten victory,” the African-American presence in the battle hides even deeper in history than the battle itself; it is rarely discussed. However, its lack of exposure doesn't lessen its impact or importance as it forever changed the relationship of two continents and initiated the desegregation of the armed services.
According to the event’s press release, in 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, securing the full integration of America's Armed Services. Thus, America went to war in Korea for the first time in her history with a military that reflected her diversity.
The ceremony culminated with the words of keynote speaker, Ronald M. Joe, of the Senior Executive Service.
“For too long, these were soldiers in the shadows…forgotten heroes,” he said. “Today it should be clear to you, all of you, that you are forgotten no more.”
Joe applauded the armed forces for their “impressive progress towards President Truman’s vision of an inclusive military that reflects the ideal of the nation but encouraged more diversity in upper ranks."
He added, “The transformation of the armed forces remains unfinished. Women and minorities are still underrepresented in leadership positions.
“[Even] in 2011, we are still faced with the quality of treatment, office making issues and the senior core is not as diverse as it should be. We need to make sure that the pathways to senior office positions are open to all.”
In admiration of the veterans’ selfless fight, he said, “Because of you we can build a big bridge and we can go across it to a better nation.”
The event ended with a viewing of the film, For the Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots and a panel discussion with seven distinguished service men, led by Robert V. Morris, author of Black Faces of War.
Thank you. The two simple yet indelible words were the backdrop of the U.S. Department of Defense's 60th anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration, which celebrates African American’s contributions to the three-year battle.
Held in the Pentagon’s Auditorium, the event drew military veterans, decorated service men and women, civilians, families and friends who came out to pay homage to the African-American men who valiantly battled on the Korean peninsula to restore peace abroad even as their human rights were denied at home. Though their contributions may not have been appreciated then, a stirring rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Presentation of Colors set the tone for a ceremony which would recognize them as full-fledged heroes and equals to all men who served.
Jean Davis, outreach manager of the event, began the afternoon’s affair by recognizing the guests of honor and their “self sacrifice that paved the way for democracy.”
“Those who returned from that far off war received no parade; there was no media event to celebrate their accomplishments. In many respects that is why we are here today to reassure our Korean War veterans that America does remember the forgotten victory,” said Davis.
Following meditation, Col. David J. Clark, director of the 60th Anniversary War Commemoration Committee, remarked on the war’s legacy and the veterans’ unwavering loyalty during a time of segregation.
“If you think about it, this is one on of the most selfless patriotic acts of sacrifice in American history and for this reason alone America owes an unpayable debt to its African-American veterans… Thank God for African-American patrons.” These contributions, and those of other African-American troops, propelled the military to become fully integrated in the 1960s, he added.
Following Clark's words, ally and benefactor of the men’s heroic efforts Brig. Gen. Lee Seo Young, South Korean defense attaché, extended his gratitude to the service men for their brave and devoted allegiance and commitment to defending Korea’s freedom.
“Because of the courage of many service men, the Korean flag still flies over the Republic of Korea. You won freedom, democracy and prosperity for our nation; that is what you fought for and that is what the Republic of Korea stands for now.”
Lasting from the 1950 to 1953, the Korean War claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Black Americans. Pegged as “the forgotten victory,” the African-American presence in the battle hides even deeper in history than the battle itself; it is rarely discussed. However, its lack of exposure doesn't lessen its impact or importance as it forever changed the relationship of two continents and initiated the desegregation of the armed services.
According to the event’s press release, in 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, securing the full integration of America's Armed Services. Thus, America went to war in Korea for the first time in her history with a military that reflected her diversity.
The ceremony culminated with the words of keynote speaker, Ronald M. Joe, of the Senior Executive Service.
“For too long, these were soldiers in the shadows…forgotten heroes,” he said. “Today it should be clear to you, all of you, that you are forgotten no more.”
Joe applauded the armed forces for their “impressive progress towards President Truman’s vision of an inclusive military that reflects the ideal of the nation but encouraged more diversity in upper ranks."
He added, “The transformation of the armed forces remains unfinished. Women and minorities are still underrepresented in leadership positions.
“[Even] in 2011, we are still faced with the quality of treatment, office making issues and the senior core is not as diverse as it should be. We need to make sure that the pathways to senior office positions are open to all.”
In admiration of the veterans’ selfless fight, he said, “Because of you we can build a big bridge and we can go across it to a better nation.”
The event ended with a viewing of the film, For the Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots and a panel discussion with seven distinguished service men, led by Robert V. Morris, author of Black Faces of War.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Ceremony Honors Service of African Americans in Korean War
US DOD: Ceremony Honors Service of African Americans in Korean War
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2011 – African Americans fought against Communism during the Korean War of 1950-53 to protect the rights of individuals, even as their own civil rights were denied at home, the Defense Department’s top equal opportunity official said here yesterday.
Speaking during a Pentagon ceremony to honor African American veterans of the Korean War, Ronald M. Joe, acting director of the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, said America now remembers the contributions of African American veterans during the war sometimes called “The Forgotten War” or the “The Forgotten Victory.”
“Yours is a distinguished generation in the history of African American military service,” Joe said to a group of seven Korean War veterans in attendance. “You belong to a legacy older than the Declaration of Independence, one that includes the legendary service of the Massachusetts 54th in our Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers in the West, the 92nd Division and the Tuskegee Airman of World War II.”
For too long, he said, the service of African Americans during the Korean War was forgotten, “but it should be clear to all of you that you are forgotten no more.”
Joe said the armed forces has played a pivotal role in the nation’s pursuit of equity for all Americans, following President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 Executive Order 9981, which called for the end of segregation in the military.
The Korean War “interrupted” work to desegregate all-black units, so many of those units went into the conflict.
It was when fighting intensified in Korea that the armed forces realized they had “a manpower problem,” Joe said. Increasingly, large numbers of black American draftees and volunteers were in the training pipeline, but no more room existed in the segregated units.
Joe said Army studies showed “integration was a more efficient policy than segregation.” The result, he said, was that “Black Americans were individually assigned to units on an as-needed basis, and the Army began working toward true integration.”
The last two years of the Korean War, after all-black units were disbanded and ended segregation in the U.S. military, African Americans had served in command positions, in elite units such as combat aviation, and served in a variety of technical specialties, Joe said.
The military began a social movement, he said, that served as a model or the nation and as a pattern for other military organizations. The armed force has made impressive progress toward equality, but work is yet to be completed, because women and minorities are still under-represented, Joe added.
A number of other speakers made brief remarks at the ceremony, including members of a panel of Korean War veterans; South Korean Defense Attaché Brig. Gen. General Lee, Seo Young; and Frank Martin, producer of “For the Love of Liberty: The story of America’s Black Patriots.” The audience watched a 15-minute segment of Martin’s four-hour documentary.
Today’s Black History Month observance stems from the Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemorative Committee, created by Congress to honor the service and sacrifice of Korean War veterans, their families and those who lost loved ones in the conflict.
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2011 – African Americans fought against Communism during the Korean War of 1950-53 to protect the rights of individuals, even as their own civil rights were denied at home, the Defense Department’s top equal opportunity official said here yesterday.
Speaking during a Pentagon ceremony to honor African American veterans of the Korean War, Ronald M. Joe, acting director of the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, said America now remembers the contributions of African American veterans during the war sometimes called “The Forgotten War” or the “The Forgotten Victory.”
“Yours is a distinguished generation in the history of African American military service,” Joe said to a group of seven Korean War veterans in attendance. “You belong to a legacy older than the Declaration of Independence, one that includes the legendary service of the Massachusetts 54th in our Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers in the West, the 92nd Division and the Tuskegee Airman of World War II.”
For too long, he said, the service of African Americans during the Korean War was forgotten, “but it should be clear to all of you that you are forgotten no more.”
Joe said the armed forces has played a pivotal role in the nation’s pursuit of equity for all Americans, following President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 Executive Order 9981, which called for the end of segregation in the military.
The Korean War “interrupted” work to desegregate all-black units, so many of those units went into the conflict.
It was when fighting intensified in Korea that the armed forces realized they had “a manpower problem,” Joe said. Increasingly, large numbers of black American draftees and volunteers were in the training pipeline, but no more room existed in the segregated units.
Joe said Army studies showed “integration was a more efficient policy than segregation.” The result, he said, was that “Black Americans were individually assigned to units on an as-needed basis, and the Army began working toward true integration.”
The last two years of the Korean War, after all-black units were disbanded and ended segregation in the U.S. military, African Americans had served in command positions, in elite units such as combat aviation, and served in a variety of technical specialties, Joe said.
The military began a social movement, he said, that served as a model or the nation and as a pattern for other military organizations. The armed force has made impressive progress toward equality, but work is yet to be completed, because women and minorities are still under-represented, Joe added.
A number of other speakers made brief remarks at the ceremony, including members of a panel of Korean War veterans; South Korean Defense Attaché Brig. Gen. General Lee, Seo Young; and Frank Martin, producer of “For the Love of Liberty: The story of America’s Black Patriots.” The audience watched a 15-minute segment of Martin’s four-hour documentary.
Today’s Black History Month observance stems from the Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemorative Committee, created by Congress to honor the service and sacrifice of Korean War veterans, their families and those who lost loved ones in the conflict.
'I was lucky': Korean War vet saw the horrors of war, but Mother Nature sent him home
BND.com:
'I was lucky': Korean War vet saw the horrors of war, but Mother Nature sent him home
BY SCOTT WUERZ - News-Democrat E-Mail
Print
Reprint or license
Text Size: tool nameclose tool goes here Collinsville native Wayman Milam, 82, joined the Army twice.
The first time came in late 1945 as World War II was winding down.
"I was lucky," Milam said. "I missed the shooting. I worked in the occupation force, building an airport on the site of a former fighter base."
Korean War Veteran Wayman Milam. - Zia Nizami/BND
.Link: Our War: Korea ... More stories in our series
Times were tough when Milam got home. Hundreds of thousands of former soldiers and sailors flooded the workforce after World War II. He was forced to work midnights as a mechanic on the Pennsylvania Railroad and decided maybe the military was a better career choice.
He rejoined in late 1948 and would be on the front end of an ugly conflict.
"It seemed like things were going to be easy," Milam said. "They sent me to the Granite City Army Depot where it seemed like we spent most of our time playing sports and trying to stay in shape. But that all changed in June 1950 when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea.
"They locked us down and wouldn't let anybody on or off the base," Milam said. "In those days there were fears that some communists had set up operations in Granite City and everyone was tense about what might happen next."
Milam and the other men in his unit knew they were likely to be shipped off to war. They pleaded for the opportunity to visit their wives and kids before they headed overseas.
"We were finally able to convince the base commander to let us have a 36-hour pass," Milam said. "I had just rented a two-room place with my wife in Collinsville. We just bought new furniture and everything. I had to help her put it in storage and she went to live with her mother in Freeburg."
While most of the men from the Granite City Depot were headed to Korea, Milam was told he was going to Fort Riley, Kansas, to combat engineer school.
"When I arrived there, the first thing I saw was all of the trains with the heavy construction equipment on them," Milam said. "I was told not to bother to unpack because I wasn't going to be there long."
He was assigned to the 84th Engineer Battalion and, after a 21-day journey, landed in Pusan, South Korea. The unit participated in all 10 campaigns of the Korean War, building and repairing bridges and roads vital to keeping United Nations troops moving.
Milam was quickly given a reality check about the horrors of war.
His unit came upon a small shack and inside were the bodies of four North Korean soldiers. They were tied to chairs, posed as if they were sitting around a table with a whiskey bottle on it. Scribbled at the scene was the phrase popularized by American GIs during World War II: "Kilroy was here."
"I didn't know our guys were capable of that sort of thing," Milam said. "I still have nightmares about it."
One of his first jobs was to take part in the repair of a bridge that was damaged by communist forces. While the work was being done, one of the men in the unit wandered into a nearby railroad tunnel. He was injured when a land mine inside exploded as he poked around.
Two of the 84th's biggest projects in Korea were the replacement of the Freedom Gate Bridge blown up by North Koreans and the construction of the Teal Bridge. Both spans helped get United Nations troops across the Imjin River. Because of their work, the unit was known as the "Conquerors of the Imjin."
Because of the extreme weather conditions in Korea, many soldiers found Mother Nature to be as dangerous of a foe as enemy troops. In November 1952 Milam came down with a fever and was sent to a field hospital for treatment.
"I was waiting to see the doctor and they brought in three Chinese prisoners," Milam said. "They told me that, because of the Geneva convention, they needed to see them before they could take care of me. They were all filthy dirty and had some kind of stuff coming out of their mouths."
When he was finally seen by a doctor, X-rays determined that Milam had pneumonia in both lungs. He was put on a hospital train and shipped 300 miles to the south for care.
"I was so sick that I couldn't stand the smell of food," Milam said. "So, naturally, they put me next to the dining car and I had to smell it the whole way."
At a train station Milam's gurney was placed on the platform while he awaited the next leg of transportation. While he lay there, a couple of his buddies from his Granite City days came across him.
"They saw me lying there in my condition and thought that I had been shot up," Milam said. His buddies went to get some other guys from his old unit. But by the time they got back, he was gone.
He arrived at the hospital in Pusan just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Still turned off by the smell of food, when they placed a turkey dinner at the end of his bed, Milam kicked the tray onto the floor.
"The doctor was furious and he came over to ask what was the matter with me," Milam said. "I told him that I couldn't eat and he told me to come over near a window."
The doctor noticed in the light that Milam was jaundiced.
"He told me that I had hepatitis and that I was going home," Milam said.
'I was lucky': Korean War vet saw the horrors of war, but Mother Nature sent him home
BY SCOTT WUERZ - News-Democrat E-Mail
Reprint or license
Text Size: tool nameclose tool goes here Collinsville native Wayman Milam, 82, joined the Army twice.
The first time came in late 1945 as World War II was winding down.
"I was lucky," Milam said. "I missed the shooting. I worked in the occupation force, building an airport on the site of a former fighter base."
Korean War Veteran Wayman Milam. - Zia Nizami/BND
.Link: Our War: Korea ... More stories in our series
Times were tough when Milam got home. Hundreds of thousands of former soldiers and sailors flooded the workforce after World War II. He was forced to work midnights as a mechanic on the Pennsylvania Railroad and decided maybe the military was a better career choice.
He rejoined in late 1948 and would be on the front end of an ugly conflict.
"It seemed like things were going to be easy," Milam said. "They sent me to the Granite City Army Depot where it seemed like we spent most of our time playing sports and trying to stay in shape. But that all changed in June 1950 when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea.
"They locked us down and wouldn't let anybody on or off the base," Milam said. "In those days there were fears that some communists had set up operations in Granite City and everyone was tense about what might happen next."
Milam and the other men in his unit knew they were likely to be shipped off to war. They pleaded for the opportunity to visit their wives and kids before they headed overseas.
"We were finally able to convince the base commander to let us have a 36-hour pass," Milam said. "I had just rented a two-room place with my wife in Collinsville. We just bought new furniture and everything. I had to help her put it in storage and she went to live with her mother in Freeburg."
While most of the men from the Granite City Depot were headed to Korea, Milam was told he was going to Fort Riley, Kansas, to combat engineer school.
"When I arrived there, the first thing I saw was all of the trains with the heavy construction equipment on them," Milam said. "I was told not to bother to unpack because I wasn't going to be there long."
He was assigned to the 84th Engineer Battalion and, after a 21-day journey, landed in Pusan, South Korea. The unit participated in all 10 campaigns of the Korean War, building and repairing bridges and roads vital to keeping United Nations troops moving.
Milam was quickly given a reality check about the horrors of war.
His unit came upon a small shack and inside were the bodies of four North Korean soldiers. They were tied to chairs, posed as if they were sitting around a table with a whiskey bottle on it. Scribbled at the scene was the phrase popularized by American GIs during World War II: "Kilroy was here."
"I didn't know our guys were capable of that sort of thing," Milam said. "I still have nightmares about it."
One of his first jobs was to take part in the repair of a bridge that was damaged by communist forces. While the work was being done, one of the men in the unit wandered into a nearby railroad tunnel. He was injured when a land mine inside exploded as he poked around.
Two of the 84th's biggest projects in Korea were the replacement of the Freedom Gate Bridge blown up by North Koreans and the construction of the Teal Bridge. Both spans helped get United Nations troops across the Imjin River. Because of their work, the unit was known as the "Conquerors of the Imjin."
Because of the extreme weather conditions in Korea, many soldiers found Mother Nature to be as dangerous of a foe as enemy troops. In November 1952 Milam came down with a fever and was sent to a field hospital for treatment.
"I was waiting to see the doctor and they brought in three Chinese prisoners," Milam said. "They told me that, because of the Geneva convention, they needed to see them before they could take care of me. They were all filthy dirty and had some kind of stuff coming out of their mouths."
When he was finally seen by a doctor, X-rays determined that Milam had pneumonia in both lungs. He was put on a hospital train and shipped 300 miles to the south for care.
"I was so sick that I couldn't stand the smell of food," Milam said. "So, naturally, they put me next to the dining car and I had to smell it the whole way."
At a train station Milam's gurney was placed on the platform while he awaited the next leg of transportation. While he lay there, a couple of his buddies from his Granite City days came across him.
"They saw me lying there in my condition and thought that I had been shot up," Milam said. His buddies went to get some other guys from his old unit. But by the time they got back, he was gone.
He arrived at the hospital in Pusan just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Still turned off by the smell of food, when they placed a turkey dinner at the end of his bed, Milam kicked the tray onto the floor.
"The doctor was furious and he came over to ask what was the matter with me," Milam said. "I told him that I couldn't eat and he told me to come over near a window."
The doctor noticed in the light that Milam was jaundiced.
"He told me that I had hepatitis and that I was going home," Milam said.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Korean War era
Sign On San Diego: Korean War era
The Navy was somewhat marginalized immediately after World War II. The government decided to invest heavily in the Air Force and its ability to drop atomic bombs. Attention also turned away from carriers because they struggled to handle the new, fast, heavy jets coming into service. But the carriers quickly steamed to Korea at the start of the war and projected air power while the Air Force waited for a more favorable situation on the ground before establishing forward bases. In fairly quick order, the carriers also underwent the technical modifications that made it practical to operate jets from flattops. As it had done in World War II, naval aviation proved that it was essential to national defense.
Aircraft: F9F Panther
The Navy had been experimenting with jets since World War II, but they didn’t come into wide use until the Korean War, when the carrier-based F9F Panther emerged as the Navy’s top close-support strike aircraft. The plane flew more than 78,000 sorties and also performed well in aerial combat. A Panther was responsible for the Navy’s first air-to-air kill during the war, downing a North Korean Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter.
Aviator: Tom Tompkins (now 84)
A former enlisted sailor, Tompkins earned his wings in 1951, in time to fly AD Skyraiders off the aircraft carrier Essex during the Korean War. After one bombing run, white smoke began streaking from his engine. Enemy fire had punched a hole in the oil cooler. Tompkins steered his single-seater over the water, where he’d radioed a request for a Navy cruiser to create a “slick,” or a smooth spot in the swells, for him. He eased the Skyraider down on its belly in the water, stepped out on the wing and jumped into the drink. A helicopter picked him up. “The plane was perfectly controllable. I’m not going to jump out of an airplane I can fly,” recalls Tompkins, who now lives in downtown San Diego. “The whole thing happened so slowly, I didn’t really get panicked. I knew what I had to do.”
Innovator: T. Claude Ryan (1898-1982)
Ryan founded the San Diego company that built the Spirit of St. Louis, the airplane Charles Lindbergh used in May 1927 to make the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris. Although Ryan had sold his interest in the company by the time of Lindbergh’s flight, he reconstituted the firm and did pioneering work as a builder and experimentalist. He introduced the Ryan FR Fireball, a propeller-and-jet-driven aircraft that the Navy introduced late in World War II. The plane wasn’t used in combat, but it helped the military transition to jets, which were widely used for the first time during the Korean War. Ryan also did groundbreaking work in Vertical and Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL), a field that produced aircraft that rose like helicopters and flew as planes. Starting in the early 1950s, Ryan also began producing the Firebee, a family of aircraft that included target drones and some the first unmanned aerial aircraft made for the military
The Navy was somewhat marginalized immediately after World War II. The government decided to invest heavily in the Air Force and its ability to drop atomic bombs. Attention also turned away from carriers because they struggled to handle the new, fast, heavy jets coming into service. But the carriers quickly steamed to Korea at the start of the war and projected air power while the Air Force waited for a more favorable situation on the ground before establishing forward bases. In fairly quick order, the carriers also underwent the technical modifications that made it practical to operate jets from flattops. As it had done in World War II, naval aviation proved that it was essential to national defense.
Aircraft: F9F Panther
The Navy had been experimenting with jets since World War II, but they didn’t come into wide use until the Korean War, when the carrier-based F9F Panther emerged as the Navy’s top close-support strike aircraft. The plane flew more than 78,000 sorties and also performed well in aerial combat. A Panther was responsible for the Navy’s first air-to-air kill during the war, downing a North Korean Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter.
Aviator: Tom Tompkins (now 84)
A former enlisted sailor, Tompkins earned his wings in 1951, in time to fly AD Skyraiders off the aircraft carrier Essex during the Korean War. After one bombing run, white smoke began streaking from his engine. Enemy fire had punched a hole in the oil cooler. Tompkins steered his single-seater over the water, where he’d radioed a request for a Navy cruiser to create a “slick,” or a smooth spot in the swells, for him. He eased the Skyraider down on its belly in the water, stepped out on the wing and jumped into the drink. A helicopter picked him up. “The plane was perfectly controllable. I’m not going to jump out of an airplane I can fly,” recalls Tompkins, who now lives in downtown San Diego. “The whole thing happened so slowly, I didn’t really get panicked. I knew what I had to do.”
Innovator: T. Claude Ryan (1898-1982)
Ryan founded the San Diego company that built the Spirit of St. Louis, the airplane Charles Lindbergh used in May 1927 to make the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris. Although Ryan had sold his interest in the company by the time of Lindbergh’s flight, he reconstituted the firm and did pioneering work as a builder and experimentalist. He introduced the Ryan FR Fireball, a propeller-and-jet-driven aircraft that the Navy introduced late in World War II. The plane wasn’t used in combat, but it helped the military transition to jets, which were widely used for the first time during the Korean War. Ryan also did groundbreaking work in Vertical and Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL), a field that produced aircraft that rose like helicopters and flew as planes. Starting in the early 1950s, Ryan also began producing the Firebee, a family of aircraft that included target drones and some the first unmanned aerial aircraft made for the military
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Retreat, Hell! We're Just Attacking in Another Direction by Jim Wilson
Retreat, Hell! We're Just Attacking in Another Direction: The Epic Story of the 1st Marines in Korea, by Jim Wilson
William Morrow and Company, 1988
349 pages, plus 16 pages of b&w photos, no index
Description:
On Saturday, June 24, 1950, a TEletype machine in the code room of the State Department in Washington, DC spewed out the information that North Korea had suddenly invaded South Korea. This is the epic story of how, within ninety days, the 1st Marine Division wa assembled in California-mostly from retreads of World WAr II-and shipped immediately to Korea.
Following the successful landing at Inchon, the 1st Marines were given the task of advancing through high mountain passes covered with ice and snow to the Chosin REservoir near the Yalu River. In their own words, here are never-before-told stories of hundreds of survivors of the 1st Marines who were suddenly confronted by an enemy that was not supposed to be there - seven divisions of experienced, well-armed Chinese soldiers.
In what remains as one of history's truly great feats of arms, the 1st Marines turned around and fought their way back through the Chinese to the sea, bringing with them most of their dead and all of their wounded.
Heroism, sacrifice, valor: This is the true story of gallant men.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Cable 925
2. Operation Yo-Yo
3. A New Enemy
4. The Reservoir
5. Yudam-ni
6. North Ridge
7. Charlie arrives
8. Retreat, Hell!
9. A Night of Fire
10. Hell Fire Valley
11. On to Koto-Ri
12. The Sea and Safety
Postscript
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Korean War veteran finally gets medals
RedlandsDailyFacts: Korean War veteran finally gets medals
SAN BERNARDINO - There are three years in 82-year-old Rudolph Cebalos Guzman's life that he can't remember anything good about.
They fall between 1950 and 1953 and include what was known as the Truman Year after President Harry S. Truman reinstituted the draft.
"It was just a lot of bad experience," said the white-haired, white-mustachioed San Bernardino man, from his draft notice and basic training at Fort Ord to his service in the Korean War to his discharge at Camp Stoneman, another California base.
The reminiscing Tuesday afternoon was brought on by his daughter, Donna Guzman of Tucson, Ariz.
She wanted to surprise her father with the gift of his medals, which he did not receive when he was honorably
Rudolph Guzman, 82, stands outside his home in San Bernardino on Tuesday. Guzman was awarded three medals for his service in the Korean War. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer)discharged from his life in the Army. But she had second thoughts and "didn't want to open a can of worms," so she called dad first and asked his permission.
"I really love my dad," she said.
He gave his OK and she said he was pleased by her interest in his earlier life.
She contacted her congresswoman, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who started the machinery going to get the elder Guzman's hard-earned medals - the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars and United Nations Service Medal.
This was before the Jan. 8 tragedy in Tucson that killed six people and wounded 13, including Giffords with a through-and-through bullet wound to her head.
C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Giffords' office, said helping veterans obtain their medals and records of service is one of Giffords' favorite activities and she usually presided over the ceremonies.
Karamargin said Giffords' district is home to the ninth largest group of veterans among the members of the House.
On Tuesday afternoon in Tucson, retired Gen. John Wickham, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and Army chief of staff under President Ronald Reagan, presented Guzman's medals to Donna.
While the ceremony was under way, her father was at his home of 50 years, a residence he bought with a Cal-Vet loan in June 1960. It's probably the best thing he remembers about his service.
"The interest was low and they helped," he said.
His memories as an infantryman in the 2nd Division - the soldiers called it the "second-to-none" - are dark.
"The way the people were treated. The terrible conditions," he said.
"We were sleeping in bunkers and eating out of cans," he said.
And he carried the M-1 rifle and sometimes a carbine.
"It was a bad experience. Everything was hurry up and wait. You stand in line for breakfast and then it's time to get in line for lunch and sometimes you didn't get lunch."
There wasn't time to make friends, he said, "It was all passing through. They kept us on the move."
He and his wife have three daughters and a son, with Donna the youngest, and seven grandchildren.
After his discharge he worked at Norton Air Force Base and after it closed, he worked as a plasterer.
He didn't use the GI Bill for education and Cal-Vet was a better deal than the GI Bill if you entered service from California.
"No, I didn't use (the GI Bill)," he said. "I just got my discharge and mustering out pay."
His memories hold no pleasure for him but they have given his daughter plenty to be proud of.
SAN BERNARDINO - There are three years in 82-year-old Rudolph Cebalos Guzman's life that he can't remember anything good about.
They fall between 1950 and 1953 and include what was known as the Truman Year after President Harry S. Truman reinstituted the draft.
"It was just a lot of bad experience," said the white-haired, white-mustachioed San Bernardino man, from his draft notice and basic training at Fort Ord to his service in the Korean War to his discharge at Camp Stoneman, another California base.
The reminiscing Tuesday afternoon was brought on by his daughter, Donna Guzman of Tucson, Ariz.
She wanted to surprise her father with the gift of his medals, which he did not receive when he was honorably
Rudolph Guzman, 82, stands outside his home in San Bernardino on Tuesday. Guzman was awarded three medals for his service in the Korean War. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer)discharged from his life in the Army. But she had second thoughts and "didn't want to open a can of worms," so she called dad first and asked his permission.
"I really love my dad," she said.
He gave his OK and she said he was pleased by her interest in his earlier life.
She contacted her congresswoman, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who started the machinery going to get the elder Guzman's hard-earned medals - the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars and United Nations Service Medal.
This was before the Jan. 8 tragedy in Tucson that killed six people and wounded 13, including Giffords with a through-and-through bullet wound to her head.
C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Giffords' office, said helping veterans obtain their medals and records of service is one of Giffords' favorite activities and she usually presided over the ceremonies.
Karamargin said Giffords' district is home to the ninth largest group of veterans among the members of the House.
On Tuesday afternoon in Tucson, retired Gen. John Wickham, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and Army chief of staff under President Ronald Reagan, presented Guzman's medals to Donna.
While the ceremony was under way, her father was at his home of 50 years, a residence he bought with a Cal-Vet loan in June 1960. It's probably the best thing he remembers about his service.
"The interest was low and they helped," he said.
His memories as an infantryman in the 2nd Division - the soldiers called it the "second-to-none" - are dark.
"The way the people were treated. The terrible conditions," he said.
"We were sleeping in bunkers and eating out of cans," he said.
And he carried the M-1 rifle and sometimes a carbine.
"It was a bad experience. Everything was hurry up and wait. You stand in line for breakfast and then it's time to get in line for lunch and sometimes you didn't get lunch."
There wasn't time to make friends, he said, "It was all passing through. They kept us on the move."
He and his wife have three daughters and a son, with Donna the youngest, and seven grandchildren.
After his discharge he worked at Norton Air Force Base and after it closed, he worked as a plasterer.
He didn't use the GI Bill for education and Cal-Vet was a better deal than the GI Bill if you entered service from California.
"No, I didn't use (the GI Bill)," he said. "I just got my discharge and mustering out pay."
His memories hold no pleasure for him but they have given his daughter plenty to be proud of.
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