Korean War Legacy Project

Marvin Garaway

Bio

Marvin Garaway was born on June 20, 1932, in Los Angeles, California. At the age of seventeen he felt he could not wait any longer to join the military and convinced his mother sign the papers for him to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. After landing in Korea with the 1st Marine Brigade in the Pusan Perimeter, he transferred to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. While fighting in the Battle of the Chosin (Jangjin) Reservoir, he incurred cold weather injuries and a shrapnel wound that left him unable to return to the front lines. He expresses great pride in his service with the United States Marine Corps and believes as a nation we must always protect our interest.

Video Clips

Headquarters Overrun

Marvin Garaway elaborates on the enemy taking the headquarters of the United States 5th Marines at the Chosin (Jangjin) Reservoir. Due to the extreme cold, they encountered problems with the weapons malfunctioning. Reflecting on his experience, he recalls another soldier providing him protection and a close encounter with the enemy. He describes the impact of an air drop, code name "Tootsie Roll," dropping a load of tootsie rolls and the tootsie rolls helping save their lives. Along with this information, he describes the impact of the cold weather and the lack of cold weather gear. He remembers how, after a short time, they are able to regain control of their headquarters.

Tags: 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir, 11/27-12/13,Cold winters,Food,Front lines,Weapons

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Injured During Evacuation

Marvin shares his experience during the evacuation from the Chosin (Jangjin) Reservoir. After being hit by shrapnel, he recalls being placed on the last flight to Japan. He recollects that if he was not on that flight, he would have marched the seventy-eight mile evacuation route. While in Japan, he recalls being evaluated for frostbite. He provides an overview of the assessment process for his cold weather injury.

Tags: 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir, 11/27-12/13,Front lines

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Complications from Injuries

Marvin Garaway shares that due to the severity of his condition he was not sent back to the frontlines and was offered a transfer to Hawaii. He describes experiencing immobility and swelling in his arm while in Hawaii. He recalls tense interactions with the doctors because of the treatment he received while in their care. He shares how he still experiences issues with mobility in this arm.

Tags: Home front

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