Philip Vatcher
Bio
Philip Vatcher was born in the town of Lynn, Massachusetts. He graduated high school in 1950 and enlisted in the National Guard during his high school years. After his schooling, he was drafted into the Army. After his basic training, he went to radio school. While in Korea, he was responsible for communications. From 1952-1953, he served in Korea, and set up network and wires for communications including the Panmunjom Peace Talk conferences in 1953. While in Korea, he was an avid photographer, curating his experience. He also volunteered with a Nazarene Missionary at an orphanage. He has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but has learned to cope through talking about his experience with fellow veterans in his association.
Video Clips
Destitute Korea
Philip Vatcher's his first impressions of Korea were that of a desolate landscape. He there weren't any trees, roads, and barely any shops. Korea during the war was like slave country when the Japanese ran Korea.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re8xwn19Ij4&start=270&end=410
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/philip-vatcher#clip-1
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Expendable Resource
Philip Vatcher was most bothered by the murder of a military officer in Korea. He witnessed an officer killed because his life was worth less than the value of a military jeep. Despite the circumstance, he understands that war is war.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re8xwn19Ij4&start=2826&end=2985
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/philip-vatcher#clip-2
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Civilian Rescue
Philip Vatcher details a time when they rescued a guy on the road. This man's intestines were outside of his body. They had to clean up his intestines and wrap him up. The man's life was sparred and he kept communications with him after the war.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re8xwn19Ij4&start=3020&end=3164
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/philip-vatcher#clip-3
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