Korean War Legacy Project

Wayne Pelkey

Bio

Wayne Pelkey served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He served at the accessory Battle of Christmas Hill in July of 1953 to Pork Chop Hill. At Christmas Hill, he survived an artillery attack. This same attack killed three other soldiers and left him with a severe concussion. During the war, Wayne Pelkey served as a volunteer sniper. Wayne Pelkey, along with other members of the 45th Infantry Division contributed two months’ worth of pay for an orphanage for the Korean children. On another occasion, he had his Sergeant’s rank taken from him for helping a small Korean child with gangrene. He had 47 years of bitter memories of his service until he revisited Korea in September of 2000. The change that South Korea has undergone made his service worth all of the losses. Wayne Pelkey also had a modest advisory role in the creation of the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

Video Clips

Wayne Pelkey Wears the Poncho He Wore on Christmas Hill

Wayne Pelkey wears the poncho he wore on Christmas Hill where his platoon leader and two others were killed from a mortar only twelve days before the armistice was signed. One soldier died in his arms as he held him. This poncho was used as the model for the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Tags: 1953 Battle of Pork Chop Hill, 3/23-7/16,1953 Armistice 7/27,Front lines,Weapons

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Wayne Pelkey Helps Korean Children

Wayne Pelkey was amazed at the growth of the Korean economy. He only had bitter memories, especially how children were treated, until he returned to South Korea in 2000. While in Korea he would throw food to children even though he was ordered not to. On one occasion, an American soldier hit a Korean child and Pelkey threaten the soldier he would shoot him if he didn't stop. Later he helped start an orphanage and his sister adopted three Korean children.

Tags: Civilians,Food,Impressions of Korea,Orphanage,Poverty,South Koreans

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Wayne Pelkey Stripped of Sergeant for Helping Boy with Gangrene

Wayne Pelkey saw a Korean boy with gangrene and took him to get medical treatment. However, a military police officer tried to stop him because it was against procedures. Pelkey told him he would put 6 rounds in the MP before he even put his finger on the trigger. Pelkey was reported and was stripped of being a sergeant. He eventually was given two stripes back but he said the real medal for saving the boy was already in his heart.

Tags: Civilians

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Wayne Pelkey Is Wounded as His Friends Die but Received No Purple Heart

Wayne Pelkey and three others try to reinforce another company but are hit with a mortar round. The other three die but Pelkey survived with a severe concussion. He had to identify one of his friends that was decapitated by the mortar. He bled from his ears, nose, and mouth for two weeks even though there was not a hole in his poncho. Pelkey was not awarded a purple heart because his skin was not broken.

Tags: 1953 Battle of Pork Chop Hill, 3/23-7/16,Chinese,Weapons

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