Loren Schumacher
Bio
Loren Schumacher, sometimes known by Louis, attended La Rose High School and worked for his father on a farm before joining the Marine Corps in 1950. He describes extensive training in California for the harsh environments of the Korean peninsula. He describes the Marine Corps waking them up with guns to acclimate the new soldiers for constant disruption, in addition to cold weather training. He elaborates on the difficulty in sleeping during a war as guns and artillery are shot throughout the night as well as how he earned his Purple Heart medal.
Video Clips
Cold Weather Training
Loren Schumacher describes his arrival at Camp Pendleton and from there leaving for the mountains of California for Cold Weather Training at Pickel Meadow. He describes being paired with another soldier who he shared a pup tent with and the Permanent Party of Marines who disturbed the sleeping soldiers. He explains that the true purpose of cold weather training is to acclimate the men to cold weather as well as being disturbed night or day.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXapsVtUL-E&start=717&end=847
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/loren-schumacher#clip-1
Embed:
Sleeping Soldier in South Korea
Loren Schumacher describes the way soldiers slept in Korea, surrounded by gunfire and at two hour intervals. His tent was in front of a 105 Howitzer which fired interjectory fire every ten minutes. He goes on to describe being sent out to the line on the east end of the 38th parallel to watch and listen for the enemy and alternating two hour watches with his partner.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXapsVtUL-E&start=1227&end=1340
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/loren-schumacher#clip-2
Embed:
Surviving an Attack by the Chinese at Outpost Reno
Loren Schumacher describes an attack of Chinese forces on outpost Reno, sometimes called Yoke. He and thirty-six other soldiers were defending the outpost when a battalion of Chinese soldiers attacked them. He describes his Lieutenant calling in on a PRC-6 and reporting they were overrun and how the Captain at the command post ordered VT artillary to be fired on their position which ended the Chinese attack. He was wounded by a Chinese shell that exploded in a pit right in front of him, causing a concussion which is how he earned his Purple Heart.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXapsVtUL-E&start=1625&end=1878
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/loren-schumacher#clip-3
Embed:
Exploding Outhouses
Loren Schumacher describes the maintenance of the soldier's latrine by using gasoline and matches, including the dangers associated with such service. He explains how one day in particular, the maintenance man forgot the match to ignite the gasoline so he left to go retrieve a match. When he returned he threw the lit match into the latrine without noticing a soldier using the facilities. He explains that there were many ways to be killed in the war, not just in combat.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXapsVtUL-E&start=2465&end=2570
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/loren-schumacher#clip-4
Embed: