Korean War Legacy Project

Gerald Harbach

Bio

Gerald Harbach was born on April 12, 1929, in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was during the Great Depression that his father began butchering hogs out of necessity, thus establishing Harbach Meats. Upon graduating from Freeport High School in 1947, he had plans to attend college on a football scholarship, though a car accident altered his course and he went to work for the family business instead. He married and soon had a child, so he joined the National Guard to earn extra money. At the end of his first three year stint, he re-enlisted only for the Korean War to begin. With his unit mobilized and activated, he headed for Korea in September of 1952 with the 3rd Infantry Division, and he saw action in several hot spots, such as the Iron Triangle and Jackson Heights with the worst being at Outpost Harry. He remembered never being so out of breath with bullets flying by his head and shells coming down, just knowing that he would not make it out alive. He survived and did it for the love of his country, while understanding and respecting that the Korean people wanted the same freedoms.

Video Clips

Moment of First Combat

Gerald Harbach describes his first real moment of combat and how the weather impeded their efforts. He describes how water filling the trenches from heavy rains and then a sudden and drastic drop in temperatures made for a very difficult maneuver. He recalls they had yet to receive winter clothing and were sleeping standing up to avoid frostbite, though many did suffer from it. He remembers relieving the company on duty and shaking hands with one fellow only for him to fall dead minutes later from incoming shells.

Tags: 1953 Sieges of Outpost Harry, 6/10-18,Fear,Front lines,Weapons

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Just Keep Running

Gerald Harbach describes scenes of intense battles that he witnessed at Outpost Harry and Pork Chop Hill, as well as the Battle of White Horse. He recalls moments where all he knew to do was to try and keep running. He vividly remembers the sound of the bullets as they whizzed past his head.

Tags: 1952 Battle of White Horse, 10/6-15,1953 Battle of Pork Chop Hill, 3/23-7/16,1953 Sieges of Outpost Harry, 6/10-18,Chinese,Fear,Front lines,Weapons

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