Charles Washington

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Bio

Charles Washington served aboard the USS General M. C. Meigs (AP-116) with 5,200 troops and a crew of 250. Although the exact destination was kept secret, everyone aboard had a strong suspicion of their mission. Charles landed in Korea on Christmas Day, 1950. As a member of the 714th Transportation Battalion Railway Operations, he was responsible for transporting supplies by train to military camps, serving as a brakeman and dispatcher.

Exposure to the harsh conditions on the trains, particularly traveling through tunnels, took a severe toll on his health. He became gravely ill, initially suspected of having pneumonia, and was given only aspirin for his symptoms. His condition worsened until he was unable to walk. Charles was evacuated to Osaka, Japan, where he spent three weeks in the hospital. He overheard staff remark, “Shut his door—he is going to die.” Each time they closed the door, Charles summoned his strength to crawl over and open it, refusing to give up.

Eventually, he was transferred to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado. His wife regularly rode the bus to visit him throughout his 17-month hospitalization. During this time, he suffered from pleurisy, requiring daily drainage of fluid from his lungs, and his weight dropped to 128 pounds. Doctors warned that survival was unlikely and that even if he did survive, he would never work again.

Yet, through extraordinary perseverance and determination, Charles defied all odds. His daughter remembers him as the most determined and hard-working person she knows, proudly calling him her hero.