Nelson S. Ladd

Bio

Nelson Ladd was drafted into the U.S. Army and completed basic training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he trained as a camouflage specialist before deploying to Korea in 1953. He then served as a surveyor with the 2nd Engineer Construction Group, Headquarters Company S2–S3, supporting major reconstruction projects during the Korean War, including Operation X-Ray, also known as the Libby Bridge. Beyond this mission, his unit cleared minefields, built helicopter pads, bulldozed mountains, and erected tents for refugees in Pusan. After the war, he helped mark the 38th Parallel at the DMZ. Following his service, he worked as a physicist at Goodyear Aerospace for over 25 years, working on various military projects and also on the Apollo 17 mission. When he returned to Korea in 2013, he marveled at the nation’s engineering achievements and growing prosperity.

Video Clips

Dear John Letter

Before deploying, Nelson Ladd planned to become engaged to a young woman he deeply loved. However, six months into his overseas service, he elaborates about receiving a letter explaining she had met someone else. Because he was 7,000 miles from home, he explains that there was nothing he could do about it. By the time he returned, she had already married.

Tags: Civilians,Depression,Front lines,Home front,Letters,Personal Loss,Women

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Operation X-Ray- The Libby Bridge Construction

Nelson Ladd details serving as a surveyor for the Libby Bridge, built over the Imjin River. This high-level steel and concrete bridge, still in use today, honors Sergeant George C. Libby of the 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion. He provides insight into Libby earning the Medal of Honor for his self-sacrifice at Taejon, Korea. Notably, Ladd attended the bridge’s dedication by General Maxwell Taylor on July 4, 1953.

Tags: Imjingang (River),Fear,Front lines,Personal Loss,Physical destruction,Pride,Weapons

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Prisoner Exchange

Less than a month after the Libby Bridge dedication, Nelson Ladd elaborates on witnessing a prisoner exchange between North and South Korea. On that day, he estimated that about 80,000 prisoners returned to North Korea, even though the South had held nearly 400,000. Notably, he recalls many prisoners discarding their issued clothing along the roadside, keeping only shorts and boots, while returning trucks collected the abandoned garments.

Tags: 1953 Armistice 7/27,Panmunjeom,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,North Koreans,Personal Loss,POW,South Koreans

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Advancements in Korea: Then vs Today

Nelson Ladd shares his amazement at the progress Korea has made and the ambition of its people during his 2013 visit. Despite having seen images of Korea beforehand, he recalls his concern that it might resemble other East Asian countries that had struggled to recover from past hardships. He reflects on how past agreements, such as the 1905 Taft–Katsura Agreement between the United States and Japan, played a role in the earlier occupation and oppression of the region.

Tags: Civilians,Fear,Front lines,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Modern Korea,Physical destruction,Poverty,Pride,South Koreans

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Military Allowances during Korean War

When Nelson Ladd was drafted, he recalls earning $88.50 a month. By the time he returned home as a corporal, his pay had increased to $135, along with an additional $50 in overseas pay. As a result, he was able to save enough money to purchase his first car for $1,600, while also helping to support his family.