Cevdet Sidal
Bio
Cevdet Sidal served in the Turkish Army as a Signaller during the Korean War. He was born the youngest of three siblings in Istanbul, Turkey. Cevdet Sidal was part of the Battle of Kunu-ri and various other engagements with the enemy. The Korean War was a guerrilla-style warfare and Cevdet Sidal lost many friends and was in constant harm. While in Korea, Cevdet Sidal’s occupation of signaler was integral to the success of the fronts. A signaler sends messages about the needs of the troops, whether for ammunition or other supplies. He is proud of his service in Korea and considers the Republic of Korea as his own nation.
Video Clips
Battle of Kunu-ri
Cevdet Sidal describes intimate details from the Battle of Kunu-ri. This battle was the first engagement on foreign soil for Turkish fighters since WWI. Cevdet Sidal provides details about being surrounded and the heavy losses to the enemy. He also describes how there were enemy war planes used in the battle.
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Conditions of the Battle of Kunu-ri
Cevdet Sidal describes conditions at various battlefields. At the Battle of Kunu-ri the Turkish soldiers were surrounded. One Master Sergeant had to eat grass for three days. There was constant threat from machine gun fire. Also, the Chinese had aircraft support. Cevdet Sidal turned to praying due to fear of death. The conditions were so cold that water would freeze to your face.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6beGqUeksXo&start=799&end=1137
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/cevdet-sidal#clip-2
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Folly During Wartime: An Important Mission
Cevdet Sidal describes an important mission. The mission was to acquire Sul, a Korean Rice Wine from an Alcohol Factory. The Turkish troops drank at the factory. The troops had trouble returning to base. Taking over the Alcohol Factory meant they always had alcohol. Cedet Sidal also describes fishing by grenade. As a result, this provided fresh fish for the soldiers.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6beGqUeksXo&start=1368&end=1677
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/cevdet-sidal#clip-3
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