Tag: Monsoon

Harsh Weather in Korea

Al Lemieux describes the weather conditions in Korea. He explains how harsh the summers were for the young men who had to carry heavy loads. He also mentions being drenched during the monsoon season. Additionally, he describes the heavy snowfall they experienced, touching on the various types of harsh weather that they experienced during the war.

Dangerous Moments

Andrew Cleveland recalls never being attacked by enemy aircraft, but he does remember being attacked by mines. He remembers constantly looking for submarines, although he could not remember finding any. He shares he was generally out of harm's way from major combat. He remembers going through a typhoon, with waves so big that they split open part of the ship. He recounts not knowing if the ship was going to sink or turnover at the time, but adds they survived the storm and were able to repair the ship.

Keeping God Close

Clifford Wilcox talks about religion as a soldier on the front lines. He shares how prayer helped him persevere through the hard times and that he carried his bible with him. He recalls a time when a jolly Catholic Priest gets trapped by a. monsoon and preaches for days.

An American in Paris in Monsoon Season

Doddy Green, widow of veteran Ray Green, describes her husband taking part in a familiar American pastime while in Korea. She recalls, from one of his letters, him seeing the movie An American in Paris on Geojedo Island. She remembers him writing that he was drenched after the excursion due to it being Korea's monsoon season.

Not a Pacific Ocean / Un Océano que no es Pacífico

Domingo Morales Calderon describes his journey to Korea. He jokes about the fact that there is nothing pacific about the ocean as most of those on board the MacArthur Ship got sick on their thirty-day voyage due to the rough seas. He explains that his seasickness debilitated him to the point where he had to be hospitalized for ten days in Japan. He recalls understanding the devastation of war when he finally arrived in Korea in April.

Domingo Morales Calderón describe su viaje a Corea. Bromea sobre el hecho de que no hay nada pacífico en el océano, ya que la mayoría de los que estaban a bordo del barco MacArthur se enfermaron durante su viaje de treinta días debido a las olas. Explica que se enfermó tanto que tuvo que ser hospitalizado durante diez días en Japón. Recuerda como entendió la realidad de la guerra cuando finalmente llegó a Corea en abril.

Weather in Korea

Like many other soldiers in Korea, Donald Schneider talks about how cold it was during the war. He states that the weather was like that in Wisconsin- really hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. He said that the difference was the monsoon season, which would include massive amounts of rain in short periods of time.

Living Conditions

Elbert Collins explains that they were often limited to eating C-rations and smoking old World War II cigarettes. Some days, the C-rations didn’t arrive, leaving them without food. He describes the foxholes they slept in, including one he dug that later flooded. During this time, he admits he was terrified and frequently questioned why he was there.

Destination Unknown & Inchon Landing

Jake O'Rourke shares that he and other fellow soldiers boarded a ship in California, not knowing its destination, in September 1950. He recounts orders not being revealed until they were halfway across the Pacific and adds that he had never heard of Korea let alone where it was located prior. He recalls arriving in Japan and experiencing a cyclone before sailing on and landing in Inchon where their mission centered on cutting off the supply routes of the North Koreans.

Close Calls and Rough Rides

James "Jim" Cawyer discusses the large amount of Korean War casualties. He raises the point that many losses of life were not combat-related. He describes three examples of his own close calls he encountered during the war.

Monsoon

John Shea recalls the rain while serving in Korea. He details how it would be raining when he went to bed and still raining in the morning. He remembers freezing cold weather and trucks not starting.

Life on the Base and in the Brotherhood

John T. "Sonny" Edwards gives a brief description of the base in South Korea where he was stationed in 1957, south of the DMZ. He recalls always being on alert to respond if a siren went off at the DMZ. He discusses his personal admiration for military service and the distinctive brotherhood that comes with being a member of the armed forces. He describes his sentiment toward serving the United States and his strong feelings toward the symbol of the American Flag.

Remembrances of the Battle Field

Nick Ross describes leading Canadian troops in their first coastal battle. He recalls that many British troops in the area were completely wiped out, and the survivors were left hungry. During skirmishes in the Chorwan Valley, he found himself cut off from his platoon and under fire from snipers. The senseless killing of South Korean farmers and their families, along with the destruction of their crops and property, still disturbs him today.

The Battle of Imjin River / La Batalla del Río Imjin

Pablo Delgado Medina provides an account of the Battle of the Imjin River which he considers to be the most difficult of the nine months he spent in Korea. He explains that troop placement created an iron triangle with a valley of death in the middle. He remembers the harrowing way in which they were forced to cross the river and the lack of air support for five days because of the monsoon season. He laments that a friend from his town and so many others lost their lives during those six days.

Pablo Delgado Medina cuenta la historia de la Batalla del río Imjin que él considera la más difícil de los nueve meses que pasó en Corea. Explica que la ubicación de las tropas creó un triángulo de hierro con un valle de muerte en el medio. Recuerda el peligro que enfrentaron cuando se vieron obligados a cruzar el río y la falta de apoyo aéreo durante cinco días debido a la temporada de monzones. Lamenta que un amigo de su pueblo y tantos otros perdieron la vida durante esos seis días.

The Voyage / El Viaje

Pablo Delgado Medina recounts the perilous journey to Korea. He remembers not knowing where they were being sent and only finding out they were going to war once they reached Japan and were asked to fill out paperwork for beneficiaries in case they were killed in action. He explains that the voyage was terrible as the food on board the boat was awful, and the boat encountered a typhoon which forced everyone on deck to wear a life jacket.

Pablo Delgado Medina relata la historia del su viaje a Corea. Recuerda que no sabía a dónde los enviaban y solo se enteró de que iban a la guerra una vez que llegaron a Japón y se les pidió que completaran el papeleo para los beneficiarios en caso de que fallezcan. Él explica que el viaje fue terrible ya que la comida a bordo del barco era horrible, y el barco se encontró con un tifón que obligó a todos en la cubierta con los salvavidas puestos.

Surviving the Elements in a Tent

Robert Johnson describes his living conditions while in Korea. It was extremely cold during the winter as they lived in tents. He also recollects on the food. After winter, they had to prepare for the floods due to all the snow melting and the monsoon season beginning.

Living through Typhoons

Robert Kohler remembers experiencing many typhoons in Okinawa. The storms would lift the roofs off of the huts that they were in. Robert Kohler says his most difficult time was doing guard duty outside, during a typhoon.

Harsh Weather

Vern Rubey recalls the harsh weather he experienced during his time in Korea and likens the cold conditions to Minnesota weather. He shares how a monsoon delayed his rotation back home. He recalls his journey home aboard ship.

Race against the Tide at Inchon

Victor Freudenberger describes the logistics of Inchon Landing. He shares that his role as an officer with a speciality in ammunitions was to prepare munitions for the first major battle of the Korean War. He adds commentary on how the tide played a crucial role in the timing of the landing.

The Tank on the Front-lines

Vincent Ariola remembers that South Korean soldiers were present in camps with American soldiers, but not brought north with tanks to prevent them from getting killed by American soldiers who could confuse them with the enemy. He describes fighting against forces atop Hill 266, at the Battle of Old Baldy. He remembers seeing a young American soldier in a foxhole before closing the tank hatch when firing broke out, and then seeing the same soldier dead after the firing stopped. His recollection includes his description of the hot atmosphere inside the tank.

A New Beginning

Vincent Ariola reflects on his difficulty forgetting things he encountered during his time serving in the Korean War. He calls the experience of being drafted a new beginning and describes why he believes it is. He description paints a picture of what life is like for a young man who is drafted and has never been away from home.

Submarines and Hurricanes

Willard Maktima shares a story about his squadron's mission to transport a detachment of United States Marines from Hamburg, Germany, to Sweden, in order to participate in the funeral procession of the Swedish king. He recounts how, during their journey, the ship's sonar detected submarines in the Baltic Sea, forcing the crew to be on high alert until they left the region. He recalls the ship encountering two hurricanes while sailing through the Atlantic Ocean. He describes the harsh conditions below deck and the ship's violent impact against the waves which he found to be a very frightening experience.

Living Conditions in Korea

William Duffy recalls his life on the frontlines. He remembers living in bunkers, which was basically a hole in the ground. He recalls cutting down a lot of trees to get material to build structures. He also remembers not wanting to be at the bottom of a hill when it rained because the bunker would fill with water.