A FATHERS DAY REMEMBRANCE While The Pyrrhic Battle of Chosin Reservoir is primarily remembered as a battle of the U.S. Marines. Let us not forget that the U.S. Army was also present and suffered heavy losses under the Chinese human wave assaults. It is true that the Marines fought hard and took the brunt of the causalities and attrition. My fathers Army unit suffered 90% losses during the campaign. He seldom talked about his war experiences but I recall him telling about the conditions at Chosin during that brutal winter. The story came out in bits and pieces over a period of many years. I only recently learned that this is one of the battles where he was wounded. He was awarded two purple hearts during the Korean War but not for this campaign. He was wounded during the breakout from Chosin in a friendly fire incident. He managed to survive the legendary battle essentially unscathed. An Army artillery unit was ordered to stop any Chinese advance through the mountain pass after the last U.S. units got out. My Dads unit was the last formation to come through the pass. Unfortunately the Artillery unit had been told that all units had already left and to blast anything else that came through. The first shell hit the front of the M-4 Sherman tank that my Dad was riding on. He was sitting directly behind the turret. There were 11 other men from his unit sitting on the tank as well. All were killed instantly. My father was somewhat protected from the blast by the turret but his legs were badly injured. He was thrown off into the deep snow and presumed dead. He lay there for three days until they came to recover the bodies. They discovered that he was still alive. The bitter cold and frozen legs prevented him from bleeding to death. He served another 25 years or so until he retired a Command Sargent Major. To this day he suffers complications from the frost bite and injuries to his legs. I also recently learned that he has suffered from PTS syndrome for years. I recall times when he would become moody and withdrawn. As a kid, I never understood why. My father is a hero. My hero. He is a real superhuman being in both body and spirit. After his recovery from Chosin he volunteered for another tour and went back. I asked him why he went back. He told me that he felt his experience and leadership would help some of the new replacements survive and make it back home. He was that kind of guy. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chosin_Reservoir
Posted on: Sun, 15 Jun 2014 19:27:01 +0000
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