Joseph Lawrence Annello
Bio
Joseph Lawrence Annello was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1933. He left high school early to join the United States Army, enlisting just a few months before the Korean War began in 1950. Serving in the 7th Regiment, 5th Division, he was first stationed in Japan, where he helped train Korean civilians for the conflict. He joined the fighting in Korea in late October and took part in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, facing a much larger enemy force. By spring 1951, he was on the Kansas Line, which suffered heavy losses. He was seriously wounded, captured by Chinese forces, and spent time as a prisoner of war. After surviving this difficult period, he was rescued months later. He chose to continue his military career and later served in Vietnam. Years afterward, he returned to Korea with a forensic team to try to find fellow POWs he had helped bury. He took pride in his service, despite the challenges, and was glad to see the Korean people overcome the hardships they faced.
Video Clips
Cross Cultural Training
Joseph Annello describes training Korean civilians to fight in the Korean War. He explains that they were unable to communicate well with either side not speaking the other's language, so they identified soldiers by the numbers written on their hats. He also discusses Korean soldiers getting sick from the American diet that was served to them.
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Stacked Up Like Cordwood (graphic)
Joseph Annello describes the cold winter's affect on dead bodies during the Korean War. He explains that bodies would be stacked up like wood and frozen limbs would have to be broken to evacuate them. He recalls never getting used to seeing human bodies treated in such a manner.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzCJFDPjFo&start=321&end=423
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/joseph-lawrence-annello#clip-2
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Wounded and Captured
Joseph Annello shares how he was shot in the legs and injured by a hand grenade. He recalls waking up the next day as Chinese soldiers poked him with bayonets and took him prisoner, but they left him behind because of his serious wounds. He describes the terrible conditions he faced when captured again.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbzCJFDPjFo&start=592&end=778
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/joseph-lawrence-annello#clip-3
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