Leo C. Jackey
Bio
Leo C. Jackey enlisted in the U.S. Army at age seventeen. He initially was sent to Germany following basic training, but when problems arose getting supplies to build the Berlin Wall, he was sent to Frankfurt. After serving nineteen months with the 18th Regiment, he was placed in the inactive reserves and sent back to Indiana. This did not last long as within a few months all inactive reservists from Indiana were recalled to active duty and sent to Ft. Hood, TX, for a two-week refresher course before being shipped to Korea. While in Korea, he served with the 3rd Division, 7th Infantry Regiment, Company B. He served just south of the Jangjin (Chosin) Reservoir. He notes the severe cold which often resulted in frozen feet and hands and having to combat these conditions with no special shoes, socks, or other equipment. He was injured in his hand while serving. Following his return to the States in 1952, he worked for General Motors for thirty-seven years.
Video Clips
Frozen to Death
Leo C. Jackey shares a moving memory. He remembers seeing lines of Korean civilians, including children, frozen to death with their hands up one morning while in the Jangjin (Chosin) Reservoir area. He speaks with pride of the small role he played in helping Korea pick itself up and rebuild itself into a leading economic power in the world.
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/leo-c-jackey#clip-1
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Making Their Way Down the Mountain
Leo C. Jackey recounts the challenges his unit and others faced in making their way down the narrow roads from the Jangjin (Chosin) Reservoir region. He recalls one truck getting too close to the edge and going over the side of the mountain. He shares his unit was one of the last to leave Heungnam.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbiwGoduZs0&start=975&end=1230
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/leo-c-jackey#clip-2
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