Korean War POW finally gets his proof: Rollinsford man finds Foster's article detailing his capture by Chinese in 1952

From Fosters.com: Korean War POW finally gets his proof: Rollinsford man finds Foster's article detailing his capture by Chinese in 1952
ROLLINSFORD — In March 1952, Pfc. Raymond F. Brunelle was captured by Chinese forces for less than two hours, until he escaped by rolling down a snow-ladened hill in Korea.

For reasons unknown, 59 years went by without a record of Brunelle's experience as a prisoner of war coming to light — until now.

"I'm so happy that I have this," said Brunelle, pointing to a photocopy of a Foster's article written about his capture.

The record, a 59-year-old newspaper clipping from an April 1952 Foster's Daily Democrat edition describing Brunelle's capture and subsequent ground mine explosion that left him "seriously injured," is the only proof, other than his memory, of Brunelle's experience at the hands of the Chinese.

Last month, the clipping surfaced for the first time since it was printed and has finally given Brunelle what he's always wanted: validation.

It was a winter night in the hilly terrain of Korea in 1952. The 18-year-old Brunelle was stationed to guard his troop, the 40th Infantry, when he was ambushed by a Chinese solider. The two men wrestled in the snow until Brunelle said he came face to face with the barrels of two rifles. One man told Brunelle to stand up, in English, and two other Chinese soldiers grabbed each of his wrists. The group began to walk up a large, slippery hill when Brunelle remembered his time living in Japan. He said he recalled a diet of fish and rice.

"I said to myself, I can't live on that and I knew then I needed to get out of there," said Brunelle.

As Brunelle approached the top of the hill, he said he quickly moved his arms, causing the two men holding his wrists to slip and fall on their rifles. From there, Brunelle ran and somersaulted down the side of the hill, back to his fellow troops.

After Brunelle returned to his infantry, the Chinese retaliated and were met with gunfire. According to the newspaper clipping, "Realizing what was going on, Brunelle's buddy, Cpl. Lionel Jennings, opened up with his machine gun and further convinced them that Brunelle didn't feel like walking."

Two months after Brunelle was captured and then escaped from the Chinese, he was severely injured after his best friend and fellow solider from Cambridge, Mass., stepped on a mine. While his best friend was killed, (Brunelle's not sure if he was killed instantly or if it was prolonged), Brunelle sustained life-threatening injuries, including at one point, severe gangrene over most of his body.

In total, Brunelle spent two years and 25 days in hospital care, with much of that time being spent in a bedridden state. He was discharged from service at the age of 20.

"The good Lord didn't want me at that time," said Brunelle.

Brunelle, now 77, said the article surfaced when his sister-in-law was cleaning out boxes from her attic before moving to a smaller house. Brunelle said her father cut out the article and placed it between two sheets of paper in a box. This month, Brunelle's sister-in-law came to visit him and brought the article to show him.

"She asked me if I wanted to see it and I said 'Yeah, of course,'" said Brunelle. "I saw and I was like 'Holy cow!'"

Brunelle said for some reason, his brief stint as a prisoner of war was not recorded in his file, and therefore, was only recognized by his account of it. He said when he was in the hospital after the explosion in 1952, he didn't even know the newspaper article had been published. He said he had some idea that people knew of his accident because he received a couple letters sending him well wishes. Unbeknownst to Brunelle, these letter-writers had gotten his address through the Foster's clipping, which gave his address in case readers wanted to send him letters.

Brunelle, who has been a Pease Greeter for almost all of the 350 flights into the former Pease Air Force Base, said he didn't want recognition of his time as a prisoner of war for any sort-of medals or recognition. He said he's happy about the article, because for the first time, it's not just his word about his experiences.

"This is proof that it happened ... I don't want the medals," said Brunelle.