Jim Morris
Bio
Jim Morris served in the US Air Force in Korea after the signing of the Armistice. He is classified Korean Defense Veteran since his service came after the war. He was a communications specialist with the Air Force. His assignment posted him on Baengnyeongdo, an island near the Northern Limit Line. As the armistice was recently signed, peace was not a given. The possible threat of violence kept the military on watch. His greatest fears included having to be on guard without Marine assistance, North Koreans attempting to steal gas and trucks, watching North Korean planes take off, and an enemy submarine surfaced near the island. Overall, he is proud of his service and happy that South Korea has remained an ally.
Video Clips
Jim Morris's First Horrific Impression of Korea
Jim Morris describes first entering Korea at Yeongdeungpo. He describes Korea as the worst smelling place because of human waste and filth as well as the smell of kimchi. He was astounded by a woman's dead body just left along the side of the road, allowing to rot there for several days. He also was amazed by the amount of bombed out buildings and utter destruction.
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Jim Morris Faces His Greatest Fears while in Korea
Jim Morris describes his fears at his first assignment at the air base near Kimpo. He relates the Marines that had been guarding the base pulled out the day after he arrived and left the Air Force to guard it themselves. He feared being shot and someone threw rocks at them but could never figure out who it really was. He says the North Koreans would attempt to steal gas and trucks from the base. He stayed on guard duty until being reassign to become a radio operator.
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Jim Morris Reflects on South Korea Today
Jim Morris is impressed with the growth of South Korea. He regrets not going back to South Korea earlier in life but said it was cost prohibitive. He has seen pictures of the growth of the country and explains it is beautiful, especially Seoul. He also recounts South Korea is a great ally of the United States.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqVwLWrAkQo&start=1790&end=1919
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/jim-morris#clip-3
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