Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [111]
When I arrived the 23rd Regiment was located at Chaun-ni, which was on the north side of the Soyang River. At this time the river, which was normally a half-mile wide, was nothing more than a trickle of water.
Around 7:00 AM the following morning I went down for chow. As we hungry soldiers stood in line, the cooks suddenly slammed the lids on the pots and took off running. We began to yell at them, but soon realized they were being fired on by the Chinese. Needless to say, the situation had now turned chaotic.
The ROK unit that was our left flank had left and the Chinese began to rush in. It was now one American division against twelve Chinese divisions. We were outnumbered eight to one. We were completely surrounded.
During all the chaos I was able to grab a can of fruit cocktail, which I was eating when some Chinese soldiers eased up behind me and opened fire with their burp guns. Luckily for me they missed, but they got my can of fruit cocktail. As they continued to overrun us, two other guys and I jumped into a hole where we stayed until around 9:00 PM that night. Next came the difficult part, finding our way back to our unit. We did, but it took us five days.
During our journey, I almost stepped on the head of a Chinese machine gunner. If he had not been wounded, he would have shot me.
Of one-hundred and seventeen men in our company, ninety suffered injuries. This was consistent with all companies in all three battalions of the 23rd.
* * * * * *
On November 25, 1951, I left Korea from Inchon Harbor. As I stood on the deck, while the ship pulled out, I turned my back to Korea. I had already seen enough of the country. However, in 2000, along with other veterans, I went back and was glad I did.
~~Thirty-Four~~
Donald E. Barton
23rd Infantry Regiment
2nd Infantry Division
U.S. Army
Prisoner of War
On February 26, 1951, I sailed from San Francisco aboard the General Nelson M. Walker, headed for Korea. As the ship pulled away, a band standing on the pier was playing, “Farewell to Thee.”
After being at sea for twelve days we finally arrived at Yokohama, Japan. From there we were taken to Camp Drake, which was near Tokyo, for processing. A week later, we boarded a train bound for Sasebo, and then from there we took an overnight ferry ride to Pusan, Korea. As we docked in Pusan, on the 16th of March, a phonograph at the dock was playing, “If I knew you were coming, I would have baked a cake.”
I would be assigned as a medic to I Company, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Most of my time in Korea was spent working out of the 3rd Battalion aid station. Our main area of responsibility was from Wonju to Inje, including the Soyang River.
On the 16th of May, the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) started their spring offensive. The Tenth Corps called it the Battle of the Soyang River. Later it would be known as the “May Massacre.” Six Chinese divisions attacked along a twenty-five mile front, overwhelming us. As Item Company withdrew, I was ordered to stay behind and help evacuate the wounded.
The Chinese had set up a roadblock cutting off the Hongchon-Inje Highway, just north of the village of Hangye. Vehicles from both the 2nd and 3rd Battalion’s were trapped, and the wounded had to be evacuated overland from the valley floor. This had to be done by going up a hill and through the position held by Item Company.
When word came down for the 3rd BN to withdraw, Item Company was the last to receive the orders. We medics watched as the company withdrew, and waited for the arrival of the wounded. After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was probably only thirty minutes, they finally arrived. Drivers of the vehicles that were trapped behind the roadblock quickly dismounted and started destroying their vehicles by placing white phosphorus grenades on the engines;