Felipe Cruz
Bio
Felipe Cruz is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served during the Korean War. He received his basic training at Camp Del Mar and Camp Pendleton before being deployed to Busan, Korea, to serve as an amphibian tractor crew member. Later, when his company was assigned to the infantry on the Imjin River, he was chosen to work as a heavy equipment truck driver due to his experience driving trucks in his civilian life. His primary job was delivering supplies to the front lines. Upon returning to the United States in 1953, he worked as a truck driver for the Department of the Pacific in San Francisco until he was discharged in April 1954. For his service, he received various medals including the Ambassador for Peace Medal, which he was presented with during his return to South Korea in 1998 through the Republic of Korea’s “Revisit Program.” He takes great pride in the bond he shares with his fellow U.S. Marines, and he has attended numerous reunions with his fellow Marines.
Video Clips
Training and Operating Heavy Equipment
Felipe Cruz shares his experience of basic training in the United States Marine Corps. He comments on his training in rifle qualification, infantry, and amphibian tractor school. He recounts how he spent six months as a crewman on amphibian tractors in Busan, Korea, before being deployed to the infantry on the Imjin River. He notes that due to his prior experience in driving trucks, he was reassigned to the Headquarters and Service Company as a heavy equipment truck driver.
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Revisiting Korea
Felipe Cruz recounts his experience of supplying the infantry at the front lines during the Korean War. He proudly lists the medals he received for his service, one of which was the Ambassador for Peace Medal that he was presented with during his return to South Korea in 1998 through the Republic of Korea's "Revisit Program." He shares the highlights of his and his wife's trip to South Korea which included a visit to the location of the armistice agreement. He expresses he was initially reluctant to return to South Korea due to the devastation he witnessed during the war, but he acknowledges the positive impact the experience had on him.
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Induction into the U.S. Marine Corps
Felipe Cruz reminisces about his enlistment into the United States military in 1951. He recalls a sergeant from the United States Marine Corps advising him to relax and enjoy some coffee and cookies as he waited for his induction into the U.S. Naval Service which he initially believed meant joining the U.S. Navy. He recounts how, later, when he returned to the waiting area and helped himself to more cookies, he was reprimanded by the same Marine Corps sergeant who exclaimed, "From now on you don't move unless you're told." He highlights the strong bond among U.S. Marines and how he attends reunions for the amphibian tractor battalion he served in.
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Concluding Service Stateside
Felipe Cruz describes his experience of returning to the United States after the armistice agreement in Korea. He shares that during that time, he was suffering from an ulcer, which he was treated for at a naval hospital in Oakland, California. He notes that following a three-month stay at the hospital, he was to report to Del Mar near Camp Pendleton. He recalls how an officer gave him the option of reporting to Del Mar or working as a truck driver for the Department of the Pacific in San Francisco. He expresses his gratitude for getting the opportunity to conclude his service by driving trucks near his childhood home.
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