Korean War Legacy Project

William C. Hoehn

Bio

William C. Hoehn was drafted into the United States Army in 1952, choosing to accept his draft early after being laid off from his job. He soon found himself on a boat from San Francisco to Japan, where he transferred to a standing room only plane to Korea. He describes arriving in Korea to the sight of a train wreck, with bodies of civilians stacked like wood. He explains that the winters were extremely cold in Korea, so the men would warm themselves with pot bellied stoves in their tents at night. He also explains how the furnace used to warm the mechanic’s garage where he worked during the war was dangerous, including when a young boy tried warming himself with it and ended up with his pants on fire.

Video Clips

Quite an Arrival to Korea

William C. Hoehn describes arriving in Korea by first taking a slow boat from San Francisco to Japan. They then transferred by plane with standing room only passengers. He explains that when they came onshore, they came across a train wreck of Korean civilians.

Tags: Impressions of Korea,Living conditions,Physical destruction

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Pot Bellied Stoves Running on Gas

William C. Hoehn describes the cold winters of Korea. He explains that all the Army tents were equipped with pot bellied stoves to keep men warm. Most stoves were fueled with oil, but William C. Hoehn describes taking gas from the garage where he worked to fuel their stoves better.

Tags: Cold winters,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions

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Pants on Fire

William C. Hoehn describes the furnace that was used to keep the garage where he worked in Korea warm. He explains that a young Korean boy was standing in front of the furnace to get warm himself and caught on fire. He explains that the boy ran down the road on fire and that he had to chase him to put the fire out.

Tags: Cold winters,Impressions of Korea,Living conditions

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Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zpRX2xPiLY&start=598&end=645

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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/william-c-hoehn#clip-3

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