Charles Eugene Warriner
Bio
Charles Eugene Warriner was born on October 1, 1931 in Onida, South Dakota. He grew up on a farm and graduated from Watt High School in 1949. On November 5, 1952, he was drafted into the US Army and completed basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky followed by advanced infantry training. He was deployed to Korea and landed at Incheon in July 1953 and was deployed as a part of the 8th Army, 10th Corps, 92nd Engineer Searchlight Company based near Chuncheon. During his time in theater, he served as a searchlight operator and cook. He rotated back to the US and was discharged from the Army on July 27, 1954.
Video Clips
Korea After the Armistice
Charles Eugene Warriner talks about arriving at Incheon and his assignment near the DMZ in the time just after the signing of the Armistice. He describes building a bunker and collecting lumber. Although the war was over, you could still feel and sense the horror of war overhead.
Winter in Korea
Charles Eugene Warriner describes the winter conditions at his outpost near the DMZ in 1953. There was a terrible ice storm. He describes wrapping barbed wire around his boots to be able to walk upon the ice.
"You do crazy things"
Charles Eugene Warriner tells a story of how he took pest control into his own hands when faced with a rat problem in his mess hall. He shot the rat. He also describes how it helped not only the rat problem but to cure boredom as well.
Korean Children
Charles Eugene Warriner talks about seeing impoverished Korean children while on his way to his unit. He describes the emotional impact that the experience had on him. Many of these children were starving and had lost their families and homes.
Pumpkin Pie out of Strained Beans
Charles Eugene Warriner recalls a funny story when, as a cook, he came up with a clever way to use cans of strained beans. Strained beans was like baby food. He used them to create a pumpkin pie.