Ronald A. Cole
Bio
Ronald Cole served as a member of the infantry with the U.S. Army in Korea beginning in late 1953. He recounts a strong interest in the U.S. military as a young man due in part to family members who were employed by the defense industry. He carefully tracked major events of World War II as a child. He remembers the war breaking out while he was in high school, but his enlistment had to wait until he finished high school, a promise he made to his mother. Notably, he shares the experience of being brought back stateside shortly after his arrival in Korea due to being exposed to polio.
Video Clips
A Promise Kept
Ronald Cole vividly recalls the process of enlisting ultimately in the U.S. Army after keeping his promise to his mother to finish high school. With a strong desire to serve his country upon graduation from high school, he inquired with many branches of the service regarding becoming a pilot and serving in Korea. Ultimately, he did not end up as a pilot, but instead received training as an officer and served in the infantry. He offers a detailed account of what he remembers learning while attending El Camino High School about the events leading to the conflict which became the Korean War.
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Mortar Shells and Polio
Ronald Cole shares his experience of arriving in Pusan in December 1953 and being taken to the front line as part of an infantry replacement unit. He recalls on this trip to the front lines that the North Koreans fired a mortar shell at them and that they frequently caught infiltrators. He notes that his time in Korea was cut short due to being exposed to polio while in Korea. He offers an account of what happened to him as a result of this exposure.
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Remembering Post-War Korea
Ronald Cole served in the U.S. Army following the cease-fire in Korea. He offers details on what he remembers about the people and cities in South Korea while he was there. He talks about people being in poor shape and diseases being widespread. He notes that Seoul was still heavily damaged, but was making progress in rebuilding.
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Proud Korean War Veteran
Ronald Cole offers his impressions of Korea and the Korean people. He recalls fearing that North Korea would simply take over when the Americans withdrew. He speaks of pride in being a Korean War veteran. He shares the challenges that many Korean War veterans faced in receiving appropriate recognition when they returned and how those still impact them today.
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North Korea and South Korea Must Decide Their Own Destiny
Ronald Cole offers his thoughts on the state of Korea and its people since he left the country. He theorizes why the war occurred and the impact the Chinese had in its escalation. He shares what he believes needs to be done to reunify the two Koreas.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvi7nF2Ti2Q&start=1933&end=2185
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/ronald-cole#clip-5
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