Korean War Legacy Project

Gerald ‘Gerry’ Farmer

Bio

Gerry Farmer was born in Bethnal Green, England, in 1933. He was a kid during World War II and was conscripted in 1951. After a short basic training, he took a boat for five and a half weeks until he arrived in Korea at age nineteen. He served at the Battle of the Hook and was wounded when he volunteered to drive a jeep which was hit by a mortar round. While in Korea, he heard Michael Caine mention he was going to be an actor after the war as the young men were talking about what they were going to do upon returning home. He revisited Korea in 1981 and was impressed at the transport and buildings compared to when he was there during the Korean War. He remembers the Korean people were grateful for his service. He emphasizes he went to the Korean War as a boy and came out a man.

Video Clips

Arriving in Korea at Age Nineteen

Gerry Farmer describes arriving at Pusan at age nineteen. He shares his surprise that it was all Americans there, and he recalls hearing an American band playing music. He remembers traveling from Pusan by train to Hill 159.

Tags: Busan,Impressions of Korea

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Battle of the Hook 1953

Gerry Farmer describes the Battle of the Hook and how he was wounded. He says the Hook was action from the start compared to Hill 159. He recalls there being four or five solders in the bunker which connected to trenches and other bunkers. He adds there were different types of patrols.

Tags: 1953 Battle of the Hook, 5/28-29,Communists,Fear,Front lines,South Koreans

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Wounded

Gerry Farmer describes being wounded at the Hook after he volunteered to drive a jeep to Area 3. He remembers he was blown forty yards from the jeep, and adds he still has injuries and shrapnel in his back. He recalls being transported to a Norwegian MASH and then to Seoul where he underwent three operations.

Tags: 1953 Battle of the Hook, 5/28-29,Seoul,Communists,Fear,Front lines,Weapons

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Eyes Frozen Shut

Gerry Farmer describes the cold as unbelievable and recalls the temperature dropping to forty-two below at one point. He remembers his eyes would be frozen in the morning because they would go to bed wet. He explains had a parka that was warm and shares they were not allowed to wear the hoods to ensure their hearing was not hindered.

Tags: Cold winters,Living conditions,Message to Students

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