Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [176]
As the Corsair’s pulled up, and passed overhead, one of them still had a bomb hanging from its shackle—we kept our eye on that one. Once they were out of the area, we fired continuously until a rescue helicopter arrived. They were able to get the pilot out safely.
* * * * * *
In July we moved back to the rear. During one very hot, humid night we were issued a red alert, which meant an unidentified aircraft was in the area. It was pitch black, as there was no moon. Suddenly, we heard what sounded like a misfiring Briggs and Stratton engine, as it passed overhead going west to east. The sound stopped and it became deathly quiet. While it was over us, I swear I could have heard what sounded like the propeller of a small plane. Then the whole valley glowed with a white light that appeared to have come from about a dozen parachute flares. Luckily for us, nothing came from this, but it definitely got everyone’s attention.
* * * * * *
When we moved to our winter position in 1952, we positioned all eighteen guns in an “s” shaped valley along the Kumsong River. As I remember, HQ and HQ Service Battery were located at the bottom of the curve. Across the river, to the front and right of HQ, was a large, sandy cream colored spot where the Chinese had set up their artillery. One day after we had finished lunch, we received a red alert.
At the end of World War II, I was a fifteen year old kid, who like many other kids knew airplanes and how they sounded. We were all on the .50’s when we heard the sound of Rolls Royce-Merlin engines, which only meant one thing—F-51 Mustangs. There were four of them, with South Korean markings, coming up the river at a very low altitude. They must have been only one-hundred feet up when they passed overhead. All of us on the guns waved at the pilots, and they returned our waves.
After they flew over, they pulled up and began their attack. I believe it was on the railhead at Kumsong, which was located roughly a couple thousand yards to our northwest.
* * * * * *
While at this same location, we received another red alert. We noticed two vapor trails heading south. One appeared to be darker in color than the other. We had been informed that a MIG produced a darker vapor trail than our planes. It looked like a MIG was being chased by one of ours. Suddenly, both planes dove straight down.
The gunner on four and myself, were watching the chase through our binoculars. We saw the end of the vapor trail right above the ridge line. And without time to blink our eyes, a MIG-15 being chased by an F-86 streaked over our heads. They soon disappeared over the ridge. I never knew if our plane caught him or not.
* * * * * *
In May of 1953, I rotated home.
~~Sixty-Four~~
Kenneth Whitehouse
552nd Military Police Company
U.S. Army
I was born in East Chicago, Indiana, on June 17, 1929. When I was very young, my family moved to the small community of Ralphs near Deanefield, Kentucky.
On the 8th of February, 1951, I was drafted. I was sent to Fort Lewis, Washington for my basic training. After basic I would be shipped to Korea, where I arrived in early 1952. I was to be assigned to the 40th Infantry Division. However, six of us were pulled aside and given new orders. We were to report to the 522nd M.P. Company located on Koje-do Island, where the Chinese and North Korean Prisoners of War were housed.
When we arrived, it was the most eerie feeling I have ever had. Just before our arrival, General Dodd, the camp commander had been captured by some of the rioting prisoners, and the whole island seemed to be on fire. Anything that could burn was burning. Every compound (I believe there were eight) was flying communists flags and had signs tacked on poles, and the inmates were singing communist songs. It was very unnerving.