Willie Bacon, Sr.
Bio
Willie Bacon, Sr., was born in South Carolina and spent his early years working on a farm. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1951 and underwent infantry and engineer training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. During his engineer training, he learned how to build roads, bridges, and work in a sawmill. One of his most challenging experiences was building a bridge across a river, despite being unable to swim. In July of 1951, he headed to Korea on a troop ship that took twenty-nine days to reach Japan due to bad weather. Upon arriving in Seoul, he was struck by the sight of hills after hills. He was a member of the 73rd Combat Engineering Battalion, responsible for ensuring clean water for troops. He recalls hearing artillery shells flying over his location as he was stationed close enough to the front. Due to the cold weather, he had his duffel bag stolen by Korean civilians who wanted the clothes to stay warm. He spent thirteen months in Korea before deciding to return home instead of reenlisting. After his service, he became a member of his local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter and the American Legion.
Video Clips
Infantry and Engineer Training
Willie Bacon, Sr., shares his experience as a part of the infantry and later receiving engineering training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. He discusses his experience hunting with a shotgun, which helped him shoot the M1 Rifle. He explains that his battalion was made up of three companies, out of which two were all-white and his was all-black. He recalls running and walking long distances as the toughest part of his training. He remembers building a bridge across a river and feeling scared due to his inability to swim. He mentions working in a sawmill and the early hours of training.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPttqFA7R_8&start=369&end=594
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/willie-bacon-sr#clip-1
Embed:
Water Purification in Korea
Willie Bacon, Sr., was a member of the 73rd Combat Engineer Battalion, where he worked in water purification. He remembers working alongside three other people, pumping water from the Hangang River. He recalls the process involved purifying water using five-hundred-gallon tanks. He mentions that the area where he worked was part of the front lines, and at times, United States artillery was fired over where he was pumping water.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPttqFA7R_8&start=1159&end=1478
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/willie-bacon-sr#clip-2
Embed:
Living Conditions in Korea
Willie Bacon, Sr., recounts his experience of living in Korea. He describes residing in a squad tent, which was quite cold despite having a heater. He mentions having a Korean "house boy," a grown man, who kept their tent clean and could also procure whiskey for them. He recalls an incident where their duffel bags were stolen, and when they found them, they discovered that only clothes were missing, with no guns or equipment. He explains that Korean civilians stole the clothes to keep themselves warm.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPttqFA7R_8&start=1477&end=1774
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/willie-bacon-sr#clip-3
Embed:
Moving Water Purification with the Troops
Willie Bacon, Sr., describes how his unit would move with the troops. He explains they made a deliberate effort to remain close to rivers and dams to have access to clean water. He recounts the tragic loss of a friend in Korea who was shipped there two months before him and was killed on an artillery firing line. He mentions another friend who survived the same attack because he was on the other side of the firing line.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPttqFA7R_8&start=1776&end=1920
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/willie-bacon-sr#clip-4
Embed: