Boonchai Kangkorn
Bio
Boonchai Kangkorn enlisted in the Thai Navy after high school and attended Navy NCO School before being deployed to Korea. In 1952, he arrived as a Petty Officer Class 2 and spent a brief period in Pusan before being assigned to the HTMS Prasae in the Korean Sea. The ship was attached to the U.S. 7th Fleet, offering some security for the crew. Kangkorn eventually rose through the ranks to become a colonel and returned to Korea in 2008 for a wreath-laying ceremony.
Video Clips
Arrival in Korea
After traveling from Thailand, Boonchai Kangkorn recalls his ship dropping off Army personnel in Inchon. He then spent a short time in Pusan while waiting for assignment to a ship bound for Japan. Eventually, he was assigned to the HTMS Prasae, which operated in the Korean Sea. His primary duty was serving as an anti-aircraft gunner.
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Encounter with Enemy Submarine
Boonchai Kangkorn served aboard the HTMS Prasae, which was part of the US 7th Fleet. He recalls occasional incidents where they were shot at from the shore, but the 7th Fleet would call in planes to handle the enemy. On one occasion, their ship detected a Russian submarine on radar. Despite the potential danger, Kangkorn felt more excited than afraid, partly due to his association with the US Fleet.
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