Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [188]
One morning, around 3:00 AM, we were awakened by MP’s telling us to get dressed and to gather all our personal belongings. We were then to go outside and board the waiting buses. As the buses pulled along side of a huge ship, we were ordered to disembark with all our equipment. After we boarded the ship, we were escorted to our pre-assigned ship compartment; this was to be the beginning of a twenty-one day journey.
On some days they would let us go on the top deck for some fresh air, but most of the time us low ranking soldiers would be pulling KP, or other duties aboard ship—sometimes for twelve hours straight. Due to seasickness, I spent seven days in sickbay. Finally, we reached Yokohama, Japan, where we stayed for three or four days. While here, we were taken to a rifle range for continued training. After the ship had refueled, we set sail again; this time for Korea. After about a three or four day voyage, we arrived in Pusan, South Korea.
After disembarking we were loaded onto trucks and taken to a troop-train, on which every window and door was riddled with bullet holes. Once we arrived at our destination, we again loaded onto trucks and headed to a large replacement station. This is where all the Army replacement soldiers were assigned to the different divisions in Korea.
The sergeant in charge had us stand in formation as he called out a name, and serial number. He then would tell that soldier which division he was to report too. I told Rudolph, “Well buddy, this looks like where we might have to depart from each other.” With tears in our eyes, we listened as names were being called. Suddenly, the sergeant said, “The following two soldiers move over here to my right. You’re assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division; Jerry Cunningham and Rudolph M. Randall.”
We loaded into a jeep and were taken to the 3rd Division. Here we were greeted by a captain who told us we would stay there for the night, and to get some rest. The next day, we would join our unit on the front line. With all those big guns blasting away in the distance, we didn’t get much sleep. Later that night, we were informed we both were assigned to Easy Company of the 15th Infantry Regiment.
After arriving in the rear of the front line, we were issued our basic weapons; a new BAR and a new .45 pistol. We had both scored as experts on these weapons during our basic training. Next we were taken to Easy Company and introduced to our platoon and squad leaders, along with the rest of the guys. I was assigned to the second platoon and Rudolph to the third. Shortly afterwards, I met my BAR assistant.
A few days later the second platoon was assigned the task of a night patrol, on the west side of Outpost Harry. Normally when a platoon goes on patrol, the squads go out at different intervals. The first went out at dusk, with the second going out at midnight to relieve the first squad. Out in front were our platoon leader and our point man. As we approached the first squad’s location, which was set up in a horseshoe shape, a soldier in their center opened fire on us. Our platoon leader ordered us to return fire, thinking the Chinese had captured the first squad and was ambushing us. Quickly both leaders contacted each other and ordered us to cease fire. Three soldiers were killed during this incident, including my squad leader—Corporal Frank Loiacono. As everyone was grouped together, crying and yelling at each other, the Chinese fired an artillery shell at us. If it had exploded, it probably would have killed all of us. Lucky for us, it landed in a wet, muddy rice paddy and did not explode. Headquarters ordered both patrols back to the MLR.
On another