David Valley
Bio
David Valley was born on July 23, 1931 in New Hampshire. Growing up in Massachusetts, he enlisted in the US Army in 1949. He attended engineering school at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he was trained in mapping and mapmaking. He was deployed to Japan in 1950 and soon thereafter sent to Korea as the war broke out. While in Korea, he was attached to the 19th Regiment, 24th Division, participating in several battles, including the Pusan perimeter, the Invasion of Inchon, Seoul Recapture, Battle of Pyongyang, and the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He was assigned to a unit that guarded General Douglas MacArthur and served there until he rotated back to the US in 1952. Today, he is active in his local chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association.
Video Clips
Arrival in Korea
David Valley talks about arriving in Korea. He was sent to Jinju and attached to an intelligence reconnaissance platoon. He describes bring separated from his unit on his first night of fighting and having to make his way back while behind enemy lines. He also discusses a friend that was killed before his unit even learned his name.
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Unprepared for War
David Valley explains his lack of preparation for war as a 19 year old. He describes seeing the bodies of dead soldiers being unloaded from trains. He said he liked being assigned the M1 rifle instead of the BAR because he would be less of a target and the BAR was heavy. He claims he didn't know what he was doing as a green soldier and was taken under the wing of a World War II veteran.
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Feels Good to Be Successful
David Valley examines his participation the Pusan Perimeter, Invasion of Inchon, and Pyongyang battles. He says after they were pushed back to Pusan they had the North Koreans on the run after the invasion at Inchon. He witnessed North Korean soldiers stripped to ensure they did not have weapons. Although he did not like killing people, he notes it felt good to be successful. He says Pyongyang was already deserted when he arrived and had fun opening a bank vault in Pyongyang.
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Protecting General MacArthur
David Valley describes being selected to join a unit charged with protecting General MacArthur in Japan. He says he was only a guard but realizes the appointment may have saved his life because his old unit was overrun back in Korea. He shares MacArthur was very respectful with the lower ranking soldiers, was quite complimentary, and would engage with them in conversation when he had time.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qivvR2tn4GM&start=1315&end=1504
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/david-valley#clip-4
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"Do I Get a Purple Heart for This?"
David Valley tells a story about why he does not like kimchi. He shares retreating through a village and inadvertently falling in a kimchi pot and injuring his leg. He recalls asking the doctor if he got a purple heart for his injuries. He says the doctor replied not for kimchi but he could get some potatoes to go with it.
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/david-valley#clip-5
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