Voices from the Korean War - Douglas Rice [208]
~~Seventy-Nine~~
Robert Ericson
1st Marine Division
U.S. Marine Corps
As battalion bugler for the 1st Marine Division, I participated in Little Switch, which was the first prisoner exchange of the war. On April 26, 1953, at Freedom Village at Panmunjom, an exchange of wounded and sick prisoners took place. I helped serve as a stretcher bearer unloading the ambulances.
On July 27, 1953, I was at the United Nations Headquarters for the truce negotiations when the cease-fire agreement was signed. The signing took place at 10:00 AM, followed by a twelve hour artillery barrage. Then at 2145 hours the firing stopped, and for the next fifteen minutes we all held our breath expecting a renewal of firing—nothing happened.
I then directed my bugle over the camp and played Taps, signifying that the firing had stopped and that the truce was in effect.
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In honor of playing the bugle at the truce talks, I was invited to Washington D.C., on July 27, 1995 to be the official bugler for the dedication of the National Korean War Memorial. In commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the cease-fire, I was invited to Korea to again play Taps at Panmunjom.
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I have played the bugle now for sixty-five years, and have played Taps for over six-thousand Military Funerals.
~~Eighty~~
Where Are They Now
George Weidensall – After George left the service, he worked as a machinist. Eventually, he went into management and sales. The last fifteen years of his working career, he went into construction. This way he would stay in shape physically, for motorcycle racing. After reaching the age of seventy, he retired from work.
He lives in Beckley, West Virginia.
Raymond Fish – The first year after his discharge, Raymond worked for the Ashland Oil Company in Canton, Ohio. It was during this time he married a girl from his high school class. Their marriage produced five children.
In the fall of 1953, Raymond enrolled in The Ohio State University, where he graduated in 1959 with a degree in DVM. After thirty-six years of practice, he retired.
After his wife passed away, he remarried. He currently lives in Winchester, Virginia.
Richard “Dick” Franklin – Last known, Dick was living in Waco, Texas.
Joseph Marlett – While at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Joseph retired from the U.S. Army in 1968. He took a job as manager at the South Park Country Club in Fairdale, Kentucky. Two years later he went to work at International Harvester in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1976 he purchased a small farm near Marysville, Indiana where he lived for twenty-three years until his wife, Margaret, passed away.
He remarried Marita King-Phipps in 2001, sold his farm, and moved to Wentzville, Missouri. There they live today.
Harold Selley – Harold was assigned to the Medical Department of the Recruiting Station in Indianapolis, Indiana. After he was discharged, he stayed in Indianapolis and attended Butler University. There he received a B.S. Degree. He then went on to Illinois Wesleyan University, where he obtained his masters in Chemistry.
While teaching high school science in Illinois, he met and married another teacher. In 1962 they moved to Florida where he taught chemistry and physics. After retiring from the public school system, Harold taught eleven years in a Christian high school in St. Petersburg. He taught for a total of forty-three years.
He does Christian volunteer work.
He and his wife have five children. Currently they live in Punta Gorda, Florida.
George Porter – Last known, George is living in Florida.
Robert “Bob” Bouterse – Robert passed away on April 9, 2010 at Bay Pines, Florida.
Fred Connolly – Fred was discharged from the U.S. Army on August 4, 1952. After working for the New York Transit Police thirty-eight years, he retired.
After retiring, he and his wife moved to Turnersville, New Jersey. They have one son and one daughter.
Richard “Joe” Johannes – After leaving the Army in 1953, Joe attended the adult education program to complete high school. In 1955, he re-enlisted. After two tours