Zacarias Abregano
Bio
Zacarias Abregano was born on a plantation in the Ewa Section of Honolulu on September 6, 1930. At age nineteen he was drafted into the United States Army and sent to Schofield Barracks for basic training. Following sixteen weeks of training, he departed from Hickam Air Force Base and headed to Japan. He then boarded the General Nelson M. Walker for Korea. During his service in Korea, he remembers fighting on Pork Chop Hill and T-Bone Hill. Following his service in Korea he returned home and started a family. He proudly shares how his two sons joined the United States military and were both stationed in Korea. In 2001, he had the opportunity to travel back to Korea and will never forget the level of gratitude and appreciation they showed him.
Video Clips
They Fought on the Hills
Zacarias Abregano explains the routine of fighting for a period and then returning to the reserve line. Due to the fact that the hills were usually identified by numbers, he does not always remember the specific locations he was sent after leaving Pork Chop HIll. After wounding his hand, gives an account of receiving medical treatment in Japan and returning to the same company.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJej0EBXfY&start=479&end=557
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/zacarias-abregano#clip-1
Embed:
We Tried to Help
Zacarias Abregano describes the interactions he had with the Korean people and the lack of resources for the people. While on reserve, he recalls having a Korean bus boy wash their clothes. Around Christmas time, he remembers seeing a little girl in a village that kept looking at them. Because of this, he ended up giving her some of his C-rations. He explains that the Koreans were very poor and the soldiers tried to help the people.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJej0EBXfY&start=1217&end=1339
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/zacarias-abregano#clip-2
Embed:
Fighting the Cold
Zacarias Abregano provides a few details about the living conditions on the front line. Because of how cold it would be, he shares that he might only shower once a month during the winter. He recalls adding pills to the river water to make it safe to drink.
Share YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJej0EBXfY&start=1141&end=1195
Share from this page:
https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/zacarias-abregano#clip-3
Embed: