The United Nations mission in Korea “to repel armed invasion and restore peace and stability to the area” had been achieved. But public opinion polls in the United States indicated that pushing the North Koreans back to the Thirty-eighth Parallel was not enough; Americans decided they now wanted (as did many in the UN) all of Communist Korea defeated. Gen. Douglas MacArthur adamantly agreed, promising President Truman a complete victory and dismissing the possibility that the Chinese would intervene, despite their warnings to the contrary. Truman gave the go-ahead, and on October 9, 1950, the Eighth Army crossed the Thirty-eighth Parallel and moved rapidly up the peninsula. Two weeks later South Korean forces reached the Yalu River, which marked the border with China, and Communist North Korea seemed on the verge of collapse. And then Trumans’ worst fears were realized—the Chinese attacked. After secretly mobilizing in the hills of North Korea, they swiftly descended on and thrashed South Korean forces and isolated U.S. troops in early November. Truman, furious, considered halting the American drive, but was persuaded by MacArthur that the Chinese forces were paltry and would be beaten. Sgt. John Wheeler, with the Second Infantry Division, was dismayed to learn of growing ambivalence in the States about the expanded UN mission after the Chinese assault. Wheeler wrote to his father in Borger, Texas, to emphasize his unwavering commitment to their presence in Korea and the larger cause of eradicating Communism. Like many in the armed services, Wheeler believed that President Truman had gutted the military too severely after World War II. (The “WCTU” Wheeler alludes to is the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, an organization founded in the nineteenth century to protest the “dangers of alcohol.”)
5 November, 1950.
Dear Dad:
Sorry I haven’t written sooner. Have been working 7 days per week, day and night, sometimes as late as 11 oclock.
Glad to hear from you on my birthday. I must admit there are a lot of other places I’d rather be, but for the present I’m a hell of a sight better off than a few of my good friends who I’ll never see again.
Can’t say as I blame you, Dad, for your opinions of Mr. Truman and his administration. However, you must remember that his opinions as well as his actions represent the vast majority of the “Soft-bellied Americans” who, for the life of them, couldn’t see giving up a few of the needless luxuries of life to support a military machine big enough to protect the peace and liberty that they take for granted. Only those who have visited foreign countries can realize what they mean. It would be a good lesson to the Americans if they had to fight a war on their own soil, and had to lie for a short time under the sadistic rule of this band of perverted sadists who call themselves communists. They claim that they want to help the “worker”—all they want to do is to help themselves. Mass murder, rape torture, and starvation is the rule and not the exception with them. They have proved it here as well as everywhere else. I could see nothing more fitting for a young man to do then to devote his entire life to killing everyone of them.
I intend to get out of the Army myself as soon as I can, but hate to miss the chance of carrying out the aforementioned in the event there’s another war. The local Oriental population so bitterly detest them that collaborators during their short reign of power in this area are torn to pieces, or beaten to death by mob violence before they can even hope to be saved by a sentence to confinement for their acts. Americans had best prepare themselves for a bitter struggle in the years to come between two ideals, i.e., freedom and communism, both of which could never exist, and I think one of which will be totally destroyed.
I don’t like to sound like a pessimist (hope that is spelled correctly), or a ham actor, but above is the opinion of everybody over here. Their treatment of American prisoners of war is typical; at a place not too far from here bodies were found, some had been shot, some bayoneted and some wounded soldiers who were too sick to move were burned to death. I suppose you’ll read about this, or are the papers afraid to print such material, for fear it will shock some of the members of the WCTU. This organization should be put on the subversive list by Mr. Truman. It is too bad they can’t utilize some of their energy donating blood to the men who need it so badly, instead of displaying their morbidness by attempting to shut off our free beer ration.
Well, Dad, that’s about all I can say for now, except that the people in the US ought to do the same thing to their Communists that those people do over here. Since part of my work is in war-crimes, it might well be the reason for my violent conclusions.
Hope to be home next birthday.
Lots of Love,
John N. Wheeler
As suddenly and as stealthily as they had appeared in October, the Chinese troops seemed to vanish in mid-November 1950, pulling back into the northernmost mountains of North Korea. Their “warning” had been issued, and the world took heed; several nations proposed ending the fighting and relinquishing the northern provinces of Korea as a buffer zone to appease the Chinese. MacArthur would have none of it. “To give up any portion of North Korea,” he argued, “would be the greatest defeat of the free world in recent times.” MacArthur then launched a massive offensive on November 24 to overrun the North entirely. Once again confident of victory, MacArthur declared that American troops would be “home by Christmas.” And once again the Chinese mounted a savage counterrattack, pouring hundreds of thousands of troops into North Korea. Three months after he had written to his father vilifying the Chinese, Sgt. John Wheeler was face-to-face with the enemy and, wounded twice, came literally within millimeters of losing his life. Evacuated to a hospital in Japan, Wheeler was allowed only a brief recuperation. In a May 8 letter to his father, he related what had happened to him and expressed how stunned he was, considering the severity of his injuries, to be back in Korea.
Dear Dad:
I know the change in address is a surprise to you. It was to me too. Please excuse the long period between letters. I didn’t know where they were going to send me when I was discharged from the hospital about two weeks ago.
I was slated to go to the States for plastic surgery on my right ear, but the Chinamen started their big offensive and here I am. Still haven’t regained much hearing in the punctured right ear drum, and have been informed that I will never get all of it back. However, the aforementioned operation is forthcoming.
Me being back here is a typical example of some of the stupid and self-centered birdbrains who have never heard artillery or witnessed death, and who manage to stay in the rear echelon. I so heartily detest them for their stupid blunders and their soft lilly-white hands that I’d let the Chinaman take another crack at me before I’d go back and be amongst them.
At the present this regiment is in the rest area, and will be for about two more weeks. I’m serving as assistant platoon sergeant for the time being. Will probably be reassigned in the rear as soon as the regiment goes back in the combat zone; so I don’t think you’ll have to worry about me being on the line again. I have enough points to go home in a couple of months.
Was surprised how happy all of the boys were to see me when I got back. Some of them thought I had died and that they were seeing a ghost.
I found out that I got hit twice that day. The first was a bullet that went through part of my right temple, through the right ear and out the back of my head never going all the way into my head, but grazing it leaving quite a scar and a hole in the ear. Good thing it didn’t go all of the way in, or I would have come home sooner than anticipated, in a pine box. The second time was with mortar fragments while I was on my way to the aid station.
Found out we lost almost half the men in the company that day and the next. However, I was very pleased to find out through my buddies here that the gook who got me in the first place is now with his honorable ancestors.
Will probably be assigned to division rear as soon as the regiment moves back up. Could make Master Sergeant if I stayed here. However with this bum ear, I’d be six feet under before the orders were out; so I guess I’ll bid good-by to combat, at least for the rest of this war.
Well that is about all the news for the present. Will write as soon as I get reassigned. By the way, I’ve found out that George Swetich is not only alive but in his usual good state of health. Wrote him a ten page letter. Information was based on a Q. M. Graves Registration Report of the death of some one with a similar name. Never was dead sure about it in the first place.
Will write again soon,
Your loving son,
John
Incredibly, Sergeant Wheeler found himself in battle only a week later, and on May 18, 1951, he was taken prisoner by the Chinese. For over two and a half years Wheeler’s father heard nothing from his son. And then, in late September 1953, Mr. Wheeler received a typed letter from one of John’s friends, Gordon Madson, from Gowrie, Iowa, who was with John when he was captured.
My dear Mr. Wheeler,
I’m taking this oppurtunity to write you the complete details concerning your son whom was my very close friend and companion thru some of lifes darkest experiences.
John and I were captured on the same date, but not in the same position on the battle line. I was charged with the responsibility of defending my battalions rear during a withdrawal and protecting the evacuation of the wounded men. In my performances of these duties elements of my platoon including myself were overrun and cut off from main body. Although surronded with just our rifles and what limited ammo, we carried we held out for over an hour and a half replusing three banzi charges and inflicting great losses on our enemy and enabling the rest of the battalion to withdraw successfully. Being the assistant platoon Sgt. (platoon guide) I had upon me maps of our supply dumps of ammo, and rations I also had a complete roster of the men and weapons of my platoon. I could not afford to have the enemy obtain this valuable information so I withheld my identity as a Sgt. until I would have a chance to destroy this information. I succeded in destroying it a few days later and decided that I would carry out my mascarade as a Pfc. to the end.
The day after our capture we were taken to a collecting point for POW’s and it was there that I first met your son Sgt. John N. Wheeler. We were kept at this collecting point for two days and then began the long trek back and forth along the front line in the enemies rear. In my opinion they were using us for propaganda to instill courage in their own fighters by marching back an forth to show there men that after all americans are just flesh and blood and can be killed and captured. The food was terrible a handful of bug dust (Finely ground rice millet sorgum and wheat) or a small bowl of rice or one of sorgum. We got this twice a day and water was available only when we were marched across a mountain stream or by rice paddies. Disease and filth were the rule rather than the exception and we were not allowed the facilities of cleanliness. We were covered with body lice and various other parasites it was not long until men began to drop out and not be heard from again.
Your son was made squad leader of the first squad by the chinese (every eleventh man was a squad leader) and I was made squad leader of the ninth squad. On June 13th we arrived at a rest stop where we were to spend a few days. It was here that your son and myself were seperated from the main body of POW’s. The chinese knew that I had a few years of college and also that your son spoke very good english I believe that for this reason they took us away. We were taken to a place way back in the mountains with only a few Korean mud houses so far back in the mountains that there were not even any road or cart trails only a narrow foot path. They kept us there and used us to practice there English on. All the Chinese in the vicinity from the various Battalions Regt’s. Division’s at one time or another came to this Hdq. and talked to us interrigated us and asked thousands of questions concerning our families, our homes, about america and about our lives in the US Army. John and I were all alone with about two hundred Chinks. We ate with the common Chinese soldier and our duty was to make all the supply runs (approx. 15 miles one way) to bring rice sorgum ect. for everyone to eat.
While we were there and doing all this walking and marching our combat boots soon wore out and fell to pieces from the rough rocks and stones of which Korea is composed John wore a size 12 combat boot and when the Chinese gave us these rubber tennis shoes they had none large enough to fit him. Myself I wore a size eight combat shoe and they did have tennis shoes I could wear. Then along in July we were hauling logs on our backs and digging bunkers with Chinese guards on us. We were both very weak, I weighed less than a hundred pounds and I would say John probably didn’t weigh more than 115, but never the less they made us work. They said no work no eat and after all they had the weapons. Well during these heavy labors John contacted a skin disease, the backs of his hands, his nose, the backs of his ears became a real dark brown, yellow matter would form under the skin and break through and drain. He was given a small tube of our captured sufa salve and it seemed to dry it up and begin to heal, but we soon used it all up and then there was no more medical attention. They would give us none of there own. They made us eat alone then because they were afraid they would catch John’s disease.
On August 6th 1951. The Chinese told us that they were going to take John to a place where they were many american soldiers and that there were good Chinese doctors and medicene. John and I were very close friends after being through so much together we had often talked of our families and friends and I felt that I knew you and John’s sister real well. I am writing you this frankly and as in as complete a detail as is possible. I know that you and your wonderful family would want it this way and I do know that John would want me to. You have my most complete and heartfelt sympathy, John was the finest friend and buddie a fellow could ever have.
So on August 6th John left me along with three guards who accompanied him. The guards returned in about three days saying that John arrived safely at this camp and was taken immediately to the hospital. Just as John left me he presented me his most treasured belonging. I had no Bible with me at the time of my capture so John gave me his because he felt that I would need it being alone with the Chinese with no one to talke to noone to remember all the things we so dearly loved about our wonderful United States. I was deeply moved and as John walked away with his guards there were tears in my eyes and after he had disapeared over the mountain and I let my feelings go and had a little cry for no one ever had a truer friend or ever knew a better man. It was like losing a life long companion.
Well I stayed on alone with the Chinese there until Nov. 11, 1951 when I was also taken to the same place John had been sent to. We called it the mining camp for we did not know the name of it but it did have a big mine there. The Pow’s had already been sent to the rear and there were only a few of us there. A new group of prisoners arrived and we all went back to the far rear together on trucks. I arrived in Changsong camp #1. on Nov. 18, 1951. Most of the men there were at the mining camp at the time of John’s arrival on or about Aug. 8th. Needless to say that I enquired of many of them if they had ever known John, or had ever seen him. They told me that the so called hospital there was nothing more than the death house and that about one out of a hundred ever came back from there. They seemed to remember a Wheeler coming in there about that time and going straight to the hospital, and that he died shortly after that.
Now this is not conclusive evidence, but myself I can not help but feel that that is what must have happened. For there are hundreds of good american soldiers buried there at the mining camp that if they would have had just a little food and a little medicene would still be alive and able to return to there families. Life to the oriental is so very cheap they care not if you live or die had they given us enough food, clothing and medical care thousands more of americas finest youth would be alive to day. I have a deep hatred for the chinese and koreans for they are outright murderers and hope that some day they may be made to bear the full responsibility for there crimes against the human rights of man.
I still have with me John’s Bible and I would like to send it to you as a dear rememberance. I have read it through many times and it was a constant source of inspiration and strength to me, but as his next of kin and immediate family it should be yours so If you will please drop me a line I will forward it on to you. I have kept it in excelent condition always keeping it wrapped to protect it from the elements.
I am very sorry Mr. Wheeler that I cannot send you encourageing news, but I know that you would want to know exactly how it was and I have endevored to tell you. Once again I would like to express my condolences to you and your daughter your loss has been a very great one. I pray that the lord will grant you strength and guidance in this your hour of great sorrow.
most sincerely
Your friend always
Sfc. Gordon L. Madson