Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [185]
The truce talks seemed to be going smoothly, so a decision was made to switch sick and wounded prisoners; on the 11th of April, Little Switch took place. Our company was assigned the task of escorting the sick and wounded to Panmunjom; we traveled by train from Pusan. We accompanied fourteen train loads of prisoners, and I was a Quarters Guard on three trips. During each trip we were on guard for twenty-eight to thirty hours. After the prisoners were unloaded, each train car was cleaned. Needless to say, we slept on the return trip to Pusan. Our last load was on May 3, 1953, and then we returned to Koje-do—for more guard duty.
On the 1st of June, the 279th was relieved of it’s duties of guarding the POW’s and rejoined the division, which was in reserve near Inje. While we were in reserve, they put us through ten, eighteen hour days of training; this was to get us ready for combat—again. We moved to Sandbag Castle, where I was assigned to a .50 caliber machine gun.
We remained here until the 3rd of July, when the 224th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division relieved us. The following day we moved up to the MLR, which was located on Christmas Hill. As we marched by an ammo truck, every man was given a box of ammo. With the rain, and carrying our weapons and full gear, several of the guys had set their boxes along side of the road. It was a good thing the Chinese didn’t attack us during the night, so back down the hill I went to collect the ammo boxes.
The Chinese hit us every night and because K Company had lost so many men, L Company swapped positions with them. We held our ground until the 27th of July, 1953—the day the truce was signed.
The cease-fire took effect at 10:00 PM and it was so quiet, it was scary.
* * * * * *
I had the needed thirty-six points to rotate home, but the list that came down a few days after the truce just missed me. All rotations home were canceled so American POW’s could go home. Needless to say, I wanted to go home, but I was happier knowing these GI’s were getting out of those North Korean prison camps.
During the last of August, I received my orders to go home—what a happy day that was.[8]
~~Seventy~~
Dr. John Laura
120th Medical BN
45th Infantry Division
U.S. Army
Dentists were in high demand in Korea. Having completed one year of internship at University of Chicago Clinics, and four years of private practice in Syracuse, New York, I was encouraged to join the Reserves. A friend, who was a reserve officer, swore me in—I volunteered for active duty.
My first assignment was at the Brooke Army Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. While here I had an operation, which put me in Brooke Army Hospital. During my recovery, I was able to look around the hospital, particularly the burn ward. Little did I know that later that year I would see burn patients who would be sent to this very ward.
* * * * * *
After arriving in Yokusaka, Japan, I was taken by train to a port in south Japan for a boat ride to Pusan, Korea. From here I traveled by train to Seoul, for my assignment. I would be assigned to the 120th Medical BN of the 45th Infantry Division. Here I was given a “Chest 60,” which is the size of a footlocker. It contained everything I needed to practice; a collapsible chair; a foot treadle to operate the revolving hand drill; tools and supplies for fillings and minor dental surgery. I carried this with me as I moved around in Korea.
I would be assigned temporary duty to different outfits in the 45th. My first assignment would be at Camp Casey, where replacements for the division received their indoctrination. I did a lot of silver fillings and extracted many wisdom teeth that were partly erupted, and causing the individual trouble.
From there I went to the 245th Tank BN and as the division moved on and off the line, I moved with them. So, it involved a lot of packing and unpacking of my equipment. I always had a dental assistant to help me, and to keep