Wayne R. Uptagrafft
Bio
Wayne R. Uptagrafft was born in Mitchell, South Dakota, and worked on his father’s farm until he turned eighteen, having waited to come of age so he could join the United States Army without having to depend on his father’s signature. He received his basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, before going to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, for infantry training. It was there that he was recommended for training with the Special Forces. In December of 1950, he left for Korea where he helped train guerrilla soldiers for special operations, often through the DMZ. He returned stateside in January of 1953 and married his sweetheart, raising four daughters together while continuing to serve his community with the South Dakota National Guard. He shares he struggles to see veterans struggling with homelessness and lack of health care.
Video Clips
Living With PTSD
Wayne Uptagrafft discusses the difficulties of living with PTSD. He recalls how hard it was to remain classified as top secret for so long which rendered his inability to share his stories. He describes the social implications, such as sitting with his back against a wall in public, carrying pistols while walking in the middle of the night, and isolating himself from friends.
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/wayne-r-uptagrafft#clip-1
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Kill and Destroy
Wayne Uptagrafft describes his mission in Korea simply as to kill and destroy. He recalls training and leading guerrilla troops on night missions through the DMZ and being the only American in the raids. He recounts the night he was injured and the treacherous journey back to safety, having to spend the night in a bunker while injecting himself with morphine shots.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zKElLmL0A&start=253&end=404
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/wayne-r-uptagrafft#clip-2
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