Tag: Suwon

Political/Military Tags

1950 Pusan Perimeter, 8/4-9/18 1950 Inchon Landing, 9/15-9/19 1950 Seoul Recapture, 9/22-9/25 1950 Battle of Pyongyang, 10/15-17 1950 Wonsan Landing, 10/25 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir, 11/27-12/13 1950 Hamheung Evacuation, 12/10-12/24 1951 January 4 Withdrawal, 12/31-1/7 1951 Battle of Bloody Ridge, 8/18-9/15/1951 Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, 9/13-10/15/1951 Battle of Jipyeongri, 2/13-15 1952 Battle of Old Baldy, 6/26-8/4 1952 Battle of White Horse, 10/6-15 1952 Battle of Triangle Hill, 10/14-11/25 1952 Battle of Hill Eerie, 3/21-6/21 1953 Battle of the Hook, 5/28-29 1953 Battle of Pork Chop Hill, 3/23-7/16 1953 Sieges of Outpost Harry, 6/10-18 1953 Armistice 7/27 1968 Pueblo Abduction 1968 Blue House attack 1969 EC-121 1976 Poplar Tree Ax Incident 1983 Langgoon blowup 1996 Gangneung attack 1999 Yeonpyeong naval battle 2000 South-North Summit 2002 2nd Yeonpyeong naval battle 2008 Geumgang Mountain killing 2006 1st nuclear test, 10/9 2009 2nd nuclear test, 5/25 2010 Cheonan sinking 2010 Yeonpyeong Island bombing 2013 3rd nuclear test, 2/12 2016 4th and 5th nuclear tests, 1/6 and 9/9

Geographic Tags

Anyang Aprokgang (Yalu River)Busan Byeokdong Cheonan Cheongcheongang (River)Chuncheon Daegu Daejeon Dongducheon East Sea Euijeongbu Gaesong Gangneung Geojedo Geumgang Geumgang (River)Gotori Hagalwoori Hamheung Hangang (River)Heungnam Hwacheon Hwangchoryeong Imjingang (River)Incheon Jangjin Jipyeongri Kunsan Kunwoori Langgoon Masan Nakdonggang (River)Osan Panmunjeom Pohang Pyungyang Seokdong Seoul Sudong Suwon Wolmido Wonju Wonsan Yellow Sea Yeongdeungpo Yeonpyeong Yudamri

Social Tags

Basic training Chinese Civilians Cold winters Communists Depression Fear Food Front lines G.I. Bill Home front Impressions of Korea KATUSA Letters Living conditions Message to Students Modern Korea Monsoon North Koreans Orphanage Personal Loss Physical destruction Poverty POW Pride Prior knowledge of Korea Propaganda Rest and Relaxation (R&R)South Koreans Weapons Women

Andrew Greenwell

SCARWAF: Special Category Army with Air Force

Andrew Greenwell describes the special unit, SCARWAF, that he served in during his time in Korea. He shares that his unit was attached to the Air Force because, at that time, the Air Force did not have all of the capabilities to function and still relied on Army Engineers. He explains that his unit had a threefold mission which was to build, maintain, and defend.

Billy J. Scott

The Friendship of Two Strangers

Billy Scott describes his friendship with a KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the United States Army) named Pyon during his time in Korea. He recounts the opportunity Pyon was given to pay a visit to his family he had not seen in roughly a year's time. He shares that American soldiers gathered food, clothing, blankets, and money and gifted them to Pyon to secure his family's safety. He adds that he will never forget him.

Bob Imose

Making Sure Communication was Always On

Bob Mitsou Imose recounts one 1954 flight mission to penetrate air defense systems in the western part of the peninsula. He describes his time in Korea as a communication electronics officer with the 5th Air Force beginning in 1967, working in cooperation with the 8th Army Division, to ensure communication always remained on. He details the military bases he visited in Korea as part of his duties during this period.

Burley Smith

Hitchhiking Their Way Home

Burley Smith reminisces about the time he and a fellow merchant marine, Merl Smith, become stranded on a trip to see the front line. After hitching a ride up to the front, their pilot receives orders to head to Japan. He elaborates on their journey back to the SS Meredith Victory, which includes a ride in a Sherman Tank and an encounter with bed check charlie.

Charles L. Hallgren

Back to Korea During the Vietnam War

Charles Hallgren describes being deployed to Japan in 1970 for the purpose of inspecting Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units in Korea. He explains that Korea had tactical nuclear weapons which had to be inspected in various base locations on the peninsula. He describes his impressions of seeing a modernized Korea in 1970.

Clayton Burkholder

The Forgotten War and Korea Today

Clayton Burkholder believes the Korean War is often called the "Forgotten War" because people were uncertain about how to deal with a communist country. However, he feels that significant achievements emerged from the war, especially due to the resilience of the Korean people. He takes take pride in his service, which contributed to South Korea's freedom today.

Letter Writing to Family and Fighting Men of Michigan

Clayton Burkholder recalls writing letters to his wife twice a week, sharing details about the propaganda posters he created. In addition to these posters, he also produced sketches of pilots, which he used to create releases for U.S. newspapers. These releases were sent to the pilots' hometowns to help publicize the war and keep the home front informed.

Life in Suwon

Clayton Burkholder slept in metal huts and buildings, where he also had access to a cafeteria for meals. As part of the headquarters staff, he spent most of his day in the office, working as an illustrator technician creating charts. He proudly shares photos he took during his time in Korea. Among the pilots stationed with him in Suwon were individuals who later became famous, including John Glenn and Captain Joseph McConnell.

Clyde D. McKenrick

What is Cryptography?

Clyde McKenrick describes cryptography as an older form of coding used to protect military communication. He explains that a cryptographer’s role involves encoding and decoding messages, ensuring secure communication between units. By doing so, they prevent the enemy from intercepting confidential information. This vital task played a key role in maintaining operational security during the war.

"What Kind of Trouble Are You In?"

Clyde McKenrick shares an amusing story about being called into the office by an alarmed personnel director after the FBI started asking questions about him. Puzzled, he had no idea why the FBI would be interested. He later learned that their inquiries were due to the security clearance required for his cryptographer role. This clearance was essential for handling classified information in his position.

A New Mess Sergeant

Clyde McKenrick explains his role as a personnel clerk in Korea, where he was tasked with assigning new personnel to their units. He recalls assigning a corporal to the duties of mess sergeant, a decision that unexpectedly worked out well. The assignment led to fortuitous results, benefiting both the unit and the corporal.

Delbert Tallman

Korea after the War

Delbert Tallman arrived in Korea after the war had ended. He remembers Suwon as a small town with only six or eight houses and a mostly barren countryside. His memories of Korea’s sights and smells are limited, something he regrets not documenting better. Reflecting on his experience, he wishes he had taken more care to record his time there.

Donald Duquette

A Famous Photograph

Donald Duquette discusses taking a photograph of John Allen (35th Infantry Division) going up a hill. This photograph, Donald Duquette's most famous, was published nationwide back in the United States. He shares the photo with the interviewer.

Edward Langevin

Scary but Fun

Edward Langevin describes his time in Korea in 1969. He remembers that it was “kinda scary” at the DMZ where they were repairing missiles because everyone was always on alert. He explains missiles needed to be replaced after the Pueblo Incident because they discovered many of the missiles did not work after testing them. However, he also recalls enjoying good times that included sightseeing around Seoul. He provides two of his cousins also served in Korea and he found one of their names in a recreation book during his time there.

Elburn Duffy

Recollections of a Revisit to Korea

Elburn Duffy shares he returned to Korea in 1987 as part of a trip sponsored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. He recounts how, during his revisit, he noted tremendous changes between the Korea of 1952 and that of the country over three decades later. He recalls they visited Taegu, Suwon, and Uijeongbu/Seoul. He explains the pride he felt being a part of something that helped the people of Korea.

Eleftherios Tsikandilakis

Destruction in Seoul

Eleftherios Tsikandilakis describes the extreme hunger and devastation he saw when he arrived in Seoul. He felt Korea was so severely impacted that it seemed a century behind Greece in 1950. He recalls how desperate Korean children begged UN troops for food outside restaurants and food tents. This memory has left a lasting impression on him.

Fred Liddell

The capture of Fred Liddell: POW

Fred Liddell was captured by the Chinese in May 1951 at Hill 151 (Jirisan Mountain). His regiment was supposed to hold this hill until the US artillery saturated the hill. As Fred Liddell went down a slope around rocks, he met up with the Marines that were milling around near multiple vehicles on fire. The Chinese surrounded the US soldiers even as Fred Liddell was killing some of them in the bushes. Injured US soldiers were burned to death in a hut while over 300 POWs were forced to march to a cave and then onto Camp Suan.

Comparing POW Camps

Fred Liddell had to survive in multiple POW camps from 1951 through 1953 when he was released. At Camp Suan (the mining camp), there was a "hospital," but it was really a death house. Fred Liddell tried to feed a friend of his that was in the death house, but he didn't survive the next day. The surviving POWs were allowed to bury their follow soldiers, but only in a 2 foot grave. Fred Liddell is surprised that some of the bodies of POWs have been identified and sent back to the US.

Korean War POW PTSD

Fred Liddell suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to the experiences that he had to endure as a POW during the Korean War. Nightmares would come every night where Fred Liddell was running from the North Koreans because they performed terrible torturous acts on POWs such as stabbing and shooting soldiers for no reason. Many people would think that the Chinese would be worse, but Fred Liddell saw first-hand the terror created by the North Koreans.

Korea Revisit Program in 1986: The Evolution of Korea

Fred Liddell could not believe that evolution of South Korea in 1986 when he revisited through the Korea Revisit Program. He remembered Seoul train station completely in ruins along with all the buildings, but when he saw it rebuilt, it was a miracle. When he visited the Suan cultural center, Fred Liddell was able to share all of the changes that he saw from 1951 to 1986 including straw huts to homes and women plowing fields to mechanization. Fred Liddell was invited to visit the hut where the peace treaty was signed, but he felt extremely nervous because it was so close to North Korea.

Letters From Home as a POW

Fred Liddell received letters from his wife who delivered their baby right after he was released from the hospital, but before he became a POW. He received a picture from his wife and the baby and it was supposed to contain a religious medal, but the medal was taken. Fred Liddell was so upset that he screamed at the leaders of the POW camp and was punished by standing overnight with his arms outreached. He was thankful that another man, who had been thrown through the door, was there to lean on during those long hours.

George Koustoklenis

All Moments are Hard in War

As a member of the Greek Expeditionary Forces, George Koustoklenis specialized in working with mines. Despite the inherent danger of this task, he managed to avoid injury, though he witnessed many comrades who were not as fortunate. He details his involvement in battles on Hill 381 and Hill 402, describing the daily struggles from May 1951 until his departure from Korea.

Ian J. Nathan

Platoons within Ten Company

Ian Nathan arrived at Pusan in September of 1951. After three weeks organizing the vehicles and men of Ten New Zealand Transport Company, his workshop platoon moved north to merge with other platoons. There was a lot of equipment needed to maintain military vehicles, but the jobs were shared among the skilled company of about fifty men.

James Bradshaw

Crash Rescue Duties

James Bradshaw explained his duties as a firefighter, rescuing pilots from burning planes. He said that this happened very often, saying "it looked like a huge wrecking yard on both sides of the runway." He remembered that many times they could not get the pilot out alive, especially when they crashed into the mountainside.

James C. Delong

Contact with the Enemy

James C. Delong describes the activities of the 31st Infantry Regiment from Inchon to Suwon including contact with the enemy. He explains that he landed in Inchon the day after the Inchon Landing. He goes on to explain there was little resistance on the way to Suwon because the North Koreans were trying to evade them, abandoning their tanks and everything along the way.

James Shigeo Shimabuku

Waves of Chinese Forces

James Shimabuku describes the situation in Pusan upon his arrival and recounts making his way up to Suwon. He remembers encountering the Chinese and recalls wave after wave of them. He shares that when the Chinese soldiers in the front died, the Chinese soldiers behind them would pick up their weapons and continue pushing forward.

John C. Delagrange

North Korean Defector - Kenneth Rowe

John Delagrange remembers the day No Kum Sok landed his MiG 15 fighter at Kimpo Air Base defecting to South Korea in 1953. No Kum Sok (Kenneth Rowe) wrote a book, and he heard about the incident first-hand during their phone conversations later in life. No Kum Sok was a North Korean pilot during the Korean War, but he stole a MiG-15 and flew over the DMZ to Kimpo Air Base to earn his freedom.

John Denning

Suwon Airbase - Combat Laundry Unit

John Denning describes his arrival in Korea at Suwon Air Base and his work in the Combat Laundry Unit. He explains that he supervised the people who were responsible for cleaning the clothes. He goes on to explain that the Papa San was a Sergeant in the Korean Army and was very effective at dealing with men who created problems and were brought in by the MPs.

Bed Check Charlie

John Denning describes the enemy's use of "Bed Check Charlie" and its effects upon the troops at Suwon Air Base. He explains that the enemy would fly low enough to drop had grenades onto the base and make the men have to get up and check on the situation. He goes on to describe the horrible living conditions of the local population outside of the Air Base. He recalls that in the aftermath of the war, people would often take packing crates and use them as shelters to live in for their families.

Life in Korea then and now

John Denning describes the living conditions of the South Korean people when he was there compared to when his son was in Korea more recently. He describes the people living in packing crates and huts with thatched roofs and the unpaved roads that were just mud and rubble. He describes the pictures he saw that his son recently took and being amazed at the vast developments and modernization.

Leo Calderon

You Can't Blame Them for Having Nothing

Leo Calderon describes his job maintaining security of the planes while being stationed in Suwon in South Korea. They had to guard the planes 24 hours a day. He worked 8 hour shifts. He describes how a papa-san tried to steal a tip tank and he had to chase him to retrieve it.

Lloyd Pitman

Enlisting in the U S Army

Lloyd Pitman had three brothers serve in World War II. One of his brothers was killed in action so his parents did not want him to serve at the age of 17 when he wanted to enlist. Therefore he waited and enlisted in the Korean War at the age of 18.

Landing In Inchon

Lloyd Pitman describes his first night in Korea. He arrived in Inchon on September 19, 1950. He and his fellow soldiers engaged the enemy and took the airfield at Suwon. He describes the enemy counterattack that overran their headquarters killing many.

Louis G. Surratt

Killed in Action Versus Missing in Action

Louis Surratt served in the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing at Suwon. Suwon had the longest runway in Korea and housed three different Air Force squadrons of about 30 pilots each. The 8th Fighter Bomber Wing oversaw the F80 Shooting Star. Louis Surrat's job was casualty reporting and awards and decorations. He estimates that around thirty pilots were reported as either killed or missing in action.

Two Brothers Serving in Korea

Louis Surratt was selected to spend Christmas with his brother. While he spoke on the phone with his brother to make plans, a deadly plane collision happened on the airport runway. All men aboard the two planes died in the crash. The high number of casualty reports that ensued meant that Louis Surratt could not join Donald for the holiday.

Life on Suwon Air Base

Louis Surratt describes daily living on the air base in Suwon. Overall the base provided safety and security, although many soldiers who departed on sorties faced danger and death. Stories of crashes reminded him of his fortunate situation.

Raymond L. Ayon

The War’s Painful Memories

Raymond L. Ayon vividly remembers his deployment to Korea, just two days after news of the war breakout on his base in Japan. Upon arrival in Suwon, he shares he could hear the sounds of artillery in the distance. He recalls how, as soon as he disembarked from the C-47 transport plane, he and other medical personnel immediately tended to the wounded and attended to casualties. He emphasizes he was taken aback by the number of pine boxes he saw, which he later discovered were caskets made by South Korean carpenters. He shares how his experiences treating young soldiers, many of whom were no more than eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years old, left him with painful memories he still carries with him to this day.

Stanley Jones

Ballistic Meteorology Work

Stanley Jones describes the work of ballistic meteorologists. He explains the codes used by anti-aircraft guns. He shares how this job supports military operations.

Experiencing the Front Lines

Stanley Jones describes the differences he saw between the National Guard and the traditional Army. He shares an experience he had where officers were relieved and chaos and mistreatment ensued. He describes where the ballistic stations were located as well as a situation concerning a fuel dump in Busan.

Thomas “Tommy” Tahara

Horrors of War (Graphic)

Thomas "Tommy" Tahara shares his experience seeing the use of napalm for the first time. He recounts the horrible effects napalm had on the North Koreans. He describes how he still remembers what he witnessed.

Titus Santelli

Arrival and Duties in Korea

Titus Santelli recounts his arrival in Korea. He explains that he was the only one in the area that knew about radar. This would later qualify him for running a radar gun bombsight shop on base. He describes having to help put fuses on bombs and load them onto planes.

Reflections on Service

Titus Santelli reflects on South Korea's progress since the war. He shares that he is proud of his service not because of heroics but because he feels it made him a grown and responsible person. He explains that his service allowed him to attend school upon his return.

Tony White

The Journey to Korea from England

Tony White shares when he left Southampton, England, the ship experienced a steering problem in the Indian Ocean which resulted in hitting the rudder with a sledgehammer in order to steer. He remembers how the ship diverted to Singapore. He recalls they also journeyed to Hong Kong and then to Kure, Japan, after enduring a typhoon. He remembers how spent three weeks in Japan training and then went on to Korea.

William D. Freeman

Recaptured as a POW

William Freeman details his experiences being recaptured as a POW after his release in Panmunjeom. He recalls the rough march to the camp and being buried alive after US forces blew up the camp. He discusses the differences in treatment by Chinese soldiers versus North Korean soldiers, describing the North Koreans as being the most brutal.