[June 19, 2016] One of the advantages of traveling throughout the United States is the privilege of meeting with military veterans who served in our country’s wars. Their stories amaze me to this day and whenever I get a chance to sit down and talk, that is exactly what I will do. Last week I met with a Korean War veteran who was one of the first ashore at the In’chon Landing and also fought at Chosin Reservoir.
As a member of the United States Marine Corps’ 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Marine Division, he and his fellow Marines tasted their first combat when they landed at Inchon in 1950 resulting in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations. The vet told me that his company commander was USMC Captain Robert H. Barrow, who would later become a four-star general and 27th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Many Marines in his unit went on to perform heroic acts across Korea and later in Vietnam.
His unit also was part of the force that was attacked by Chinese troops pouring across the border. The Chosin Reservoir is so deeply ingrained in the tradition of the U.S. Marine Corps that it’s mentioned in the Marine Corps hymn. The unit performed heroically when it successfully held a pass near Koto-ri in December. I was surprised by many of the stories of individual heroism that was never recognized and the many unexpected those Marines had to endure.
He told me, for example, about the strict order to never sleep in a sleeping bag despite the harsh winter conditions. This was so because Communist Chinese soldiers would catch the men sleeping in them and quickly overwhelm that unit. There was an incident where about 20 Marines were caught and killed in this very situation only a few days before the order was given.
The knowledge of our military veterans is often overlooked and the history of their actions in combat, while legendary, is being lost. I discovered that even this Marine veteran’s children knew almost nothing about his service in the Korean War. How sad it is when there is so little interest in discovering the past or learning valuable lessons from our fathers.
As my wife and I were leaving, he told me that he was happy to have survived but he was especially proud of his fellow Marines and the United States of America.
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