John Koontz
Bio
John Koontz was born on May 18, 1932, in Cozy Town, Pennsylvania. He attended a one-room schoolhouse with 43 students and completed his education through the 8th grade before pursuing a career in farming. In February 1951, he was drafted into the United States Army and, after completing basic training at Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky, departed for Korea three months later. He landed at Incheon and later traveled to Daegu, Busan, Seoul, and the 38th Parallel, where he frequently engaged in combat. Today, John Koontz believes that the fight in Korea was worthwhile, despite initially thinking that the conflict was unnecessary and futile.
Video Clips
The 38th Parallel
John Koontz describes his experience in the infantry at the 38th Parallel, where many North Koreans attempted to cross. He discusses the necessity to "fight our way out," which sometimes took hours and other times stretched into days. He expresses a reluctance to elaborate, saying, "I'd rather not talk about it," indicating his emotional struggle as he reflects on the horrors of war.
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Worth Fighting For
John Koontz believes that fighting for Korea was worthwhile, even though he didn't feel that way at the time. He vividly recalls seeing starving children who were without their parents. He shares that, if he could, he would like to return to Korea now.
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Video Transcript