Kenneth Newton
Bio
Kenneth Newton served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He describes his experience in the battles of Inchon Landing and Chosin Reservoir. He details memories of Chinese soldiers freezing to death in the harsh weather conditions while also speaking of a Chinese American officer’s bravery and wit. He speaks highly of the South Korean people and their gratefulness for efforts of the war. He offers a message of loving one’s country and of being a good citizen to younger generations.
Video Clips
Unaware Why We Are Here
Kenneth Newton describes his arrival in Korea during the Inchon Landing. He details being sent to Wolmido first to secure the location before moving into Inchon. He shares his first impressions of Korea and explains that he and other fellow soldiers were unaware of the political reasons for initially being there.
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Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Kenneth Newton recounts the days leading up to the Battle of Chosin Reservoir which included seeing Manchuria and partaking in a Thanksgiving meal. He remembers waking up to explosions late one night and realized they were under attack by the Chinese. He explains that chaos ensued, everyone being assigned a weapon and sent to the front lines.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2TCjCwFfg&start=660&end=882
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/ken-newton#clip-2
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Chinese-American vs. Chinese Soldiers
Kenneth Newton describes Chinese soldiers, sharing memories of them freezing to death due to the harsh weather conditions. He offers a story of an American officer with them who was Chinese and could speak Chinese fluently. He recounts the soldier's bravery and his ability to confuse the enemy by countering orders due to understanding the language.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2TCjCwFfg&start=1429&end=1652
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/ken-newton#clip-3
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A Message to America's Youth
Kenneth Newton offers a message to the younger generations. He shares that American youth could learn a lesson from the South Korean people regarding gratefulness. He encourages younger generations to find a love for their country if they do not already and to become stewards of good citizenship.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2TCjCwFfg&start=2113&end=2180
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/ken-newton#clip-4
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