Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [125]
Being the only one on base that had been to Korea, the captain asked me one day if I would escort the body of a fallen soldier home. I told him that during my time in service I had never disobeyed an order. However, if this was an order, I would not do it. I went on to tell him that I had seen enough death during my nine months in Korea and for him to see if he could find someone else. Shortly afterwards, he informed me that there was a guy on base from the same hometown as the fallen soldier, and that he had volunteered to escort the body home.
When it was graduation time, all the guys from the barracks marched around the parade ground for inspection by the base commander. As they marched they were guided by a soldier carrying a guidon—I was that soldier.
When the young recruits from my barracks graduated they presented me with a gift; a Parker pen and pencil set, which I still have to this day. The recruits from the other barracks also gave their sergeants gifts—the finger.
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I was discharged from the U.S. Army on July 5, 1952. On the 6th of July, Shirlene Fuchs and I were married.
~~Thirty-Eight~~
Fred Redmon
1st Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division
U.S. Marine Corps
As I hauled wheat from Kahlotus, Washington to the Port of Paso, I never envisioned that six months later I would be in the hills of Korea.
A reserve second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, here I was in Korea after an abbreviated “special” basic training. Having never fired an M-1 with live ammo, my Marine Corps experience was being one of two Marine midshipmen at the University of Washington; and one two week camp. I wasn’t sure I was ready, but I was told that I was.
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The following describes the events of April 22 through 26, 1951.
As a leader of the second platoon of George Company, 1st Marines, I stood there on that hill as the battalion chaplain came up the line talking to the troops. When he reached me, he stopped and asked how I was doing after the events of the past few days. I told him I didn’t know how to answer that question. He firmly grasped my arm and said, “Lieutenant, just be ready.” At the moment I didn’t understand the importance of his words.
The last three days had been very busy and the casualties heavy. After a visit to the regimental aid station, our third platoon Gunnery Sergeant—Harold “Speedy” Wilson—was on his way to Washington D.C. to meet with President Truman. He was to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his action the night before.
We were on Hill 902 and ready for a Chinese attack. After an all night firefight, where Wilson’s third platoon met the enemy head on and held our line, we moved off the hill. We settled in on a long ridge line with a far reaching valley to our front. To our rear was a peaceful looking river where the Army Engineers had constructed a first class bridge. To our right was a platoon from Charlie Company, 5th Marines.
With the Chinese close at hand, adrenaline was running high, thus sleeping was not a good prospect. Being on constant alert, we noticed a hay stack to our front that, as the day went on, changed positions. Our mortar section discovered the hay stack was in reality a tank positioning itself to fire on our lines. Throughout the night the Chinese kept probing our lines and started small fires. This lasted until dawn, but we held our lines.
Early the following morning the battalion operations officer, and our company CO, came upon the ridge line. We had a meeting about our southern advance that was slated for that afternoon. It was decided that George Company would be