Korean War Legacy Project

Fred Liddell

Bio

Fred Liddell enlisted in the Army at 18 and completed basic training at Fort Lewis in 1947. He was stationed in Japan for 30 months, loading supply ships bound for China during the invasion. He specialized in troubleshooting for the 2nd Division Army Signal Corps. On May 18, 1951, he was captured by the Chinese and held as a POW until after the 1953 Armistice. His captivity left him with PTSD, including vivid nightmares of being chased by North Korean soldiers. After his service, he revisited Korea through a POW program and was amazed by its modernization.

 

 

Video Clips

The Capture of Fred Liddell: POW

Fred Liddell remembers being captured by the Chinese in May 1951 at Hill 151 (Jirisan Mountain). His regiment was ordered to hold the hill until U.S. artillery arrived. As he descended, he encountered Marines near burning vehicles. Despite killing some Chinese soldiers, U.S. forces were surrounded, and injured soldiers were burned alive. Fred and over 300 POWs were forced to march to a cave, then to Camp Suan.

Tags: Chuncheon,Pyungyang,Suwon,Chinese,Fear,Front lines,Living conditions,Personal Loss,Physical destruction,POW,Weapons

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Knowledge of Korea

Fred Liddell recalls knowing much about the conflicts in East Asia, including Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and China. Unlike most soldiers, he and his fellow troops gained a deeper understanding of the region's political ideologies. As the war progressed, their awareness of the underlying turmoil grew.

Tags: Chinese,Communists,Fear,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,North Koreans,Prior knowledge of Korea,South Koreans

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Life in POW Camps

Fred Liddell shares the life he endured in multiple POW camps from 1951 until his release in 1953. At Camp Suan, the "hospital" was a death house where many prisoners died, including his friend. Surviving POWs could bury their comrades in shallow two-foot graves. Fred’s captivity left him with PTSD, causing nightly nightmares of North Korean soldiers torturing prisoners. To him, the North Koreans were far more terrifying than the Chinese.

Tags: 1950 Pusan Perimeter, 8/4-9/18,Busan,Suwon,Chinese,Fear,Food,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,North Koreans,Personal Loss,Physical destruction,POW,Pride,Weapons

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Korea Revisit Program in 1986: The Evolution of Korea

Fred Liddell was astonished by South Korea’s transformation when he revisited in 1986 through the Korea Revisit Program. He remembers Seoul’s train station and surrounding buildings in ruins, so seeing them rebuilt felt miraculous. At the Suan Cultural Center, he shared how the country changed from straw huts to modern homes and from manual labor to mechanization.

Tags: Panmunjeom,Seoul,Suwon,Civilians,Fear,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Modern Korea,North Koreans,Physical destruction,Poverty,POW,Pride,South Koreans,Women

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POW Release and Chinese Propaganda

Fred Liddell was released from Panmunjom on September 5, 1953, and flown to Incheon with other injured POWs. He recalls a North Korean soldier on horseback escorting them to Tent City for their release. The first U.S. meal, featuring roast beef, baked potatoes, and peas, upset his stomach. The most difficult part of captivity, however, was enduring Chinese lectures, which he recognized as lies.

Tags: 1953 Armistice 7/27,Incheon,Panmunjeom,Chinese,Food,Front lines,Home front,Living conditions,North Koreans,Personal Loss,POW,Pride

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Letters From Home as a POW

Fred Liddell recalls receiving a letter from his wife, who had given birth while he was a POW. Along with a photo of his wife and child, he was supposed to receive a religious medal, but it was taken. Upset, Fred screamed at the camp leaders and was punished by standing with arms outstretched overnight. He was grateful for another man thrown through the door, who helped him endure the long hours.

Tags: Suwon,Chinese,Civilians,Front lines,Home front,Letters,Living conditions,North Koreans,Personal Loss,Pride,Women

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