NOTES
ORAL HISTORIES
Shortly after I returned from Iraq in 2005, the men of George Company approached me and kindly invited me to their reunions.The heart of this book is based on over a hundred oral history interviews with the men of George Company. I attended their reunions, went to their homes, and interviewed them on the phone over a five-year period. I interviewed many of the men multiple times to establish the veracity of their accounts, and they were corroborated by the accounts of their fellow George Company Marines as well as the unit histories, command chronologies, other after-action reports, and other primary source materials.
The book initially focused on the machine gunners and on Rocco Zullo. It grew from there to include several key riflemen and other individuals. It is impossible to capture all the stories of this unit. Many of the unit’s legendary figures have passed away, so through the eyes of these key people I hope to tell George Company’s epic story.
Oral history is designated (OH).
PROLOGUE
2 “It was like heaven,” . . . the war.” (OH); Roberts
“Have you talked to Rocco Zullo . . . dead!” (OH); Quotes come from an interview with Zullo and numerous other veterans of George Company who believed Zullo was killed during the war. Some members of the panel who organized the reunion knew he was alive, but most members of George Company did not know he had survived the war.
3 “Get your fucking guinea ass up here . . . ammo!” (OH); Zullo and about a dozen George Company men who remember Zullo’s bravery under fire. His bravery, in my opinion, and in the opinions of those I’ve interviewed who witnessed his actions, merits the Congressional Medal of Honor. Christ! Chinese are all around, (OH)
4 We made it, he thought. (OH)
“Captain, what’s our next move?” (OH)
“I can’t find a pulse,” (OH)
CHAPTER 1:THE “MINUTEMEN OF 1950”
5 “Minutemen of 1950.” (Lynn Montross and Nicholas Canzona, U.S. Marine Operations in Korea 1950-1953, Vol. II, The Inchon-Seoul Operation, 25 (Washington, DC: Headquarters Marine Corps, 1955).This is the official Marine Corps History of the war and will be referred to as (Vol. II) or (Vol. III)).
“I don’t give a shit . . . line!” (OH)
“You’re next.” (OH); I interviewed Tom Powers, Bruce Farr, and Bob Harbula over a period of many years. They all “fondly” recall their first encounter with the First Sergeant.
6 This guy is absolutely terrifying, (OH)
“MOS?” (OH)
“Wireman gunner.” Zullo shot . . . now.” (OH)
“I have three.” . . . me.” (OH)
“ . . . talk your ear off,” . . . guns.” (OH)
North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) rumbled across . . . in three days. (Roy Appleman, South to Naktong, North to the Yalu 15 (College Station, TX: Texas A&M Press, 1990))
7 “Perhaps we could do something about a couple of tanks.” (Joseph C. Goulden, Korea:The Untold Story of the War, 148 (New York: New York Times Books))
8 “making heads roll.” (OH); (President Harry Truman, Memoirs, Vol. II: Years of Trial and Hope, 1946-1952 (New York: Smithmark Publishers, 1996)
“dumb, spendthrift” brass in the military. (David McCullough, Truman (New York, Simon & Schuster, 1992)
“a police force for the Navy.” (OH)
9 . . . Marine Corps General Lemuel Shepherd, “If I had the First Marine Division . . . the war.” (OH); Shepherd; U.S. Marine Corps History and Museums Division.
Four hundred civilians immediately . . . tractors. (Vol. II, 31)
“We’ll be used to plug holes . . . precedent,” (Bill Sloan, The Darkest Summer, 92 (NewYork: Simon & Schuster, 2009); material is quoted from Craig’s original handwritten notes.)
10 “We waited till he said ‘go.’ . . . Marine. McKenna (OH); nearly to a man, practically all the veterans I interviewed echoed the same opinion as McKenna; Zullo possessed unparalleled leadership skills and was one of the “greatest Marines” they had ever met.
“We all worked as youngsters,” (Quotes and memories come primarily from my November 2007 interviews with Zullo and will be designated (OH) from here forward.)
“I love the Marine Corps . . . Marine,” (OH)
11 “Roc, we need a heavyweight in the fight.” (OH)
“How am I going to make weight?” . . . care of it.” (OH)
“knocked the hell out of the heavyweight,” (OH)
“Colonel, I heard the USS West Virginia . . . understand,” (OH)
“the old man.” (OH)
“We thought the Japanese were supermen . . . surrender.” (OH)
12 ‘For God’s sakes, be careful.’” (OH)
“Gunnery Sergeant, the lieutenant is dead.” . . . Machine-gun fire,” (OH)
“Every man for himself.” . . . a unit.” (OH)
“Remember, if you are the first sergeant . . . company.” (OH)
“All the men were very sickly . . . friends.” (OH)
13 “Every aperture on the cliff in front of us . . . “Follow me!” (OH)
“Stay right here,” (OH)
“I put my large index finger in the wound . . . relieved.” (OH)
In 1950, the regular Marine Corps, including George Company, was made up of a special breed of men,America’s elite. (I have interviewed 3,000 veterans and written five books on the OSS airborne, Rangers, and special operations troops of WWII: Beyond Valor; Into the Rising Sun; Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs;The Brenner Assignment; and They Dared Return.)
14 “a summer camp.” . . . all about,” (OH)
“We found out real quickly . . . Marine,” (OH)
“These guys don’t know shit from Shinola,” (OH)
“he would always spit out the right answer” . . . Marine at camp. (OH); Farr
15 I need a war. (OH)
16 “always together.” (OH); nearly the entire group of men I interviewed recalled the Hems’s unbreakable bond of brotherhood. “I had been in and out of more brigs . . . devil within ya, boy.” (OH) “he was a great older brother,” . . . to tease.” (Red Nash’s sister sent e-history to me.)
17 “Who do you want?” (OH); McNeive
“ultimate Confederate Warrior,” . . . this guy.” (OH); Carey
“We were all standing in a line . . . First Marines, 3/1.’” (OH)
18 “the worst training class ... his words. (OH)
19 “people from all over the country,” remembered one Marine, (OH)
“There was a little bit of rifle range training, but it was mostly just climbing hills.”
. . . rattlesnakes,” (OH)
“Throughout this period, . . . United States,” (OH)
“adjust their MOS” (OH)
Rap! Rap! (OH)
20 “suspended from his arms, almost holding them there,” (OH)
“Tell the captain what you . . . policies.” (OH); Westover fondly recalled the incident.
CHAPTER 2:THE GREAT GAMBLE
21 “deep resonance.” (Vol. II, 46)
23 “The best that I can say is that Inchon is not impossible.” (Max Hastings, The Korean War, 101 (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987))
“Admiral, in all my years of military service . . . in its operations.” MacArthur’s remarks are largely drawn from his autobiography (Douglas A. MacArthur, Reminiscences , 347-351 (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964) and Robert Debs Heinl, Victory at High Tide :The Inchon-Seoul Campaign, 40-43 (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1968)). See also (Goulden, 195)
“It is plenty apparent that here in Asia . . . in Korea.” (MacArthur, 350)
24 “The very arguments you have made . . . attempt.” (Goulden, 195)
Pulling his corncob pipe out of his mouth . . . crush them.” (Vol. II, 46)
“General, the Navy will get you to Inchon.” (Hastings, 102)
CHAPTER 3:VOYAGE
25 “You know, Dick, I’m not gonna make it home.” (OH); Carey
“Oh, come on.You’re going to . . . come home,” (OH)
26 “sickly looking” (OH); Several men, Hems in particular, recalled the automobile accident, which was confirmed by other men.
“I don’t care what you say . . . trouble.” (OH)
The men flocked around the seasoned NCOs. (OH)
“Being a machine gunner is yours to lose.” (OH)
“Training was rigorous . . . the dark,” (OH)
27 “Sometimes, they would throw . . . off,” (OH)
The men learned every aspect of the light . . . GoodEagle. (OH); I spent several evenings interviewing Mert GoodEagle and some of the other machine gunners at the 2007 George Company Reunion at Quantico.The book has a heavy focus on the gunners as a result of the friendships I formed with those men. Sadly, Mr. GoodEagle passed away a year after the reunion.
“Don’t make any friends, because you’re going to lose them.” (OH)
28 “I tried to get the men in as good physical conditioning as possible,” (OH)
“Many of the men picked on him,” . . . Pyle,” (OH); Farr
Sheets, blankets, soap . . . take.” (OH)
“rice paddy liberty,” (OH)
“We found a woman who was married . . . drinking.” (OH)
29 Miraculously, every morning at reveille . . . hangover,” (OH)
The forward observer team, recently detached from the Eleventh Marines, was an artillery unit organic to the First Marines. I have interviewed every surviving member of the forward observer team assigned to George Company. While memories fade with time, the men corroborated each other’s stories. They all praised Clark Henry for his leadership and friendship, which has lasted over sixty years. Give Me Tomorrow is not so much a history of George Company as a unit, but a history of the friendships of the men of George Company and their exploits. These men tell the larger story of the company. I initially started with the machine gun section, which was also attached to George, and the story of Rocco Zullo. The story grew from the machine gun section and Zullo to riflemen and includes the forward observer team listed in the 3/1’s task organization as “Ln Team & FO Party, 2dBn, 11th Marines” in (3/1 Special Action Report, November 22, 1950, Lt Col.Thomas L. Ridge, U.S. National Archives; hereafter SAR I).
Starting at the Solomon Islands, Henry fought . . . observer. (OH); I have a copy of his Purple Heart citation.
30 “You’re not welcome in this bar.” (OH)
“Where have you been?” (OH)
“These men were in a brawl with us,” (OH)
31 The captain of the Japanese crew . . . radioman. (OH); Westover
The “brief for the Inchon landing was . . . one,” (OH)
32 “completely lost it.” (OH)
“ Joe, you’re the BAR-man now.” (OH)
CHAPTER 4: INCHON
33 Smoke combined with . . . landing area. (OH); I interviewed scores of the men, and “manmade darkness” caused by the smoke came up several times. The epic nature of the panorama is seared in their minds and became the most vivid memory and opening scene for this chapter.
“Hey, they’re shooting at us!” (OH)
“Keep your fucking head down!” (OH)
Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick! (OH)
A machine gun zeroed in on the LVT . . . recalled. (OH)
“How do I load my M1?” (OH); Powers recalled the scene.
34 “like a sphinx” (OH); McNeive
“Ready the ladders!” (OH)
“Bring up the cutters!” (OH)
Thud! A sniper round struck Barnes . . . (OH)
35 “This was a wake-up call,” (OH)
“We were in a dangerous place . . . life.” (OH)
Without hesitating, Lieutenant Carey . . . with the sergeant,” (OH)
“The sniper’s up in the stack!” (OH)
“They had us zero in . . . recalled Enos. (OH)
36 “Keep your head down! Keep your head down!” (OH)
“He [Garcia] was around . . . mother,” (OH)
“well lubricated” . . . Jamison,” (OH)
37 “spotted movement on top of Radio Hill.” (OH)
“You sons-of-bitches, stop firing! . . . wounded,” (OH)
After the friendly fire incident . . . First Platoon,” (OH)
That night, George Company . . . in pain.” (OH)
38 “everyone liked” (OH)
“I left one squad as a base of fire . . . to the right.” (OH)
“The North Korean made a sudden move . . . Carey. (OH); I conducted dozens of
oral history interviews with General Carey.
I just killed a man who was surrendering. (OH)
“The round I fired hit his pistol belt buckle . . . prisoners. (OH)
CHAPTER 5: TANK!
40 “I smelled the dead burning . . . forgetting.” (OH)
41 “That Corsair never came out of . . . destroyed.” (OH); Hock
The pilot of the plane, Captain William F. Simpson . . . the day. (Vol. II, 134)
“There were burnt bodies everywhere . . . burning,” (OH)
The Marine tank column passed . . . bodies” (OH)
42 “Our M26 fired at point-blank . . . ear,” (OH); Hock
“Why didn’t he fire? I will never know . . . of us.” (OH)
“The entire column fired, riddling . . . ditch. (OH)
“dirty look.” (OH)
43 “Things were getting really hairy . . . beer can,” (OH)
“Are those your short rounds?” . . . Korean rounds.” (OH);Westover also remembers
seeing Clark Henry, as does Fred Hems.
“They dropped a mortar between . . . bleeding. (OH); Hock
“Throw a grenade!” (OH)
44 “The man was absolutely fearless . . . mad at me,” (OH)
“You better go over there . . . Sergeant.” Powers (OH)
“He came over to the First Sergeant . . . kill me!” (OH)
“I don’t mean to get vulgar . . . Zullo was there.” (OH)
“Look who’s coming up the road!” Dick Carey (OH)
“bullets flying around him.” (OH)
“The general fell over” and . . . Lieutenant?” (OH)
“I’m just trying to keep you from . . . kill me.” (OH)
CHAPTER 6:YONGDUNGPO
46 “Blood was all over the place . . . fifty years.” (OH); confirmed by Banks.
“Our corpsman cut off her arm . . . tiny arm,” (OH)
47 “If Yongdungpo is lost, Seoul will fall,” (Vol. II, 205)
“The men didn’t look menacing . . . ROKs.” (OH)
“Go get Sergeant Binaxis!” . . . your rifles!” (OH)
48 Suddenly, with a flick of a wrist . . . seconds.” (OH)
“Binaxis is KIA.” Hock reflected . . . colorful.” (OH)
“There was a dike on either side . . . attack,” (OH)
49 “I saw the bullet take off half his face,” (OH)
“mission, but what were we going to do? . . . to die.” (OH); Hems
“Corpsman up!” (OH); Interviews with several men.
“Blood spots from the powder burns covered my face,” (OH)
“I remember seeing the sticky, searing gas-jelly . . . bones.” (OH)
50 “I couldn’t raise George Westover [on the radio], and . . . no cover.” (OH)
“I planned to make the attack with two squads forward . . . third squad,” (OH)
“Fix bayonets!” Sergeant Tillman yelled . . . forever?” (OH); Hock
We’re in serious trouble, (OH)
“I knew if we didn’t move forward . . . the left,” (OH)
“Move it! Move it” (OH)
“It could have been from the covering . . . sure.” (OH)
Nevertheless,Tillman remained cool . . . been there.” (OH)
51 “It was covered with maggots . . . again,” recalled Hock. (OH)
The North Koreans were only yards away . . . enemy,” (OH)
“Skipper, we found a brewery,” . . . “Let’s go.” (OH)
“the clear measurement tubes on the side of the tanks.” (OH); Westover
52 “It was warm and green,” (OH)
“We wanted it. Warm, green beer—there was nothin’ like it,” (OH)
“we found a dead North Korean in one of the large vats,” (OH)
“It seemed like we had shits for a week,” (OH)
CHAPTER 7: SEOUL
53 Boom! Splash! (OH)
“Our DUKW operator moved the rudder back and forth to zigzag the vehicle, making . . .” (I interviewed Orace Edwards, who gave me his e-history. Portions of this quote and others in the book are derived from that e-mail, along with the oral history interview I conducted.)
54 After Inchon, Kim Il Song had heavily . . . Mao’s army. (Vol. II, 233)
55 “As we were going up the rise in the field . . . lot of casualties. (OH)
56 “New was choking on his own blood . . . fire hydrant.” (OH)
CHAPTER 8: URBAN HOLOCAUST
57 “Corpsman up! Corpsman up!” (OH)
“I couldn’t save him! . . . “his best friend” (OH); several men recall this scene.
“a North Korean woman armed with a rifle . . . house,” (OH)
58 “The medic just cracked up . . . hanging out,” (OH)
“so thick you could see the bullets.” (OH)
“As we were going up Ma Po Boulevard . . . name (OH)
He’s a World War II vet . . . us. (OH)
“He had just saved my life . . . painful,” (OH)
59 “Are you hit?” Westover asked . . . first time. (OH)
“We gotta move!” (OH)
“Mother of God,”. . . “He’s dead.” (OH)
“When the tank’s 90 fired . . . buildings,” (OH)
60 “Just nerves,” he said. Lilly’s dead.” (OH)
“cut a Marine in half” (OH)
“I remember the after-effects . . . the war.” (OH)
“With the curve in the road, there was such heavy fire,” (OH); the George Company men came up with several novel solutions.
61 “Someone threw out the grenades . . . withdrawal.” (OH)
“First Sergeant, how about taking . . . McKenna.) (OH)
“Don’t fire until I tell you too.” (OH)
“I made it clear if the enemy fired . . . recalled. (OH)
62 “someone got trigger happy and fired into the tunnel,” recalled Hems. (OH)
“Now they’re not going to come . . . ’em all.” (OH)
“You stupid son of a bitch. Do you want to die?” (OH)
“I felt bad about it . . . teenager.” (OH)
“Later, Hems would recap . . . the fuck up!” (OH)
“My boondockers were coated . . . stench,” (OH)
“I wanted to take them prisoner . . . win wars.” (OH); I will never forget Rocco
telling me this in the living room of his home.
CHAPTER 9: NORTH KOREAN COUNTERATTACK
63 “Tanks! Tanks! Tanks!” (OH)
“The fire team began to call in mortar . . . Banks. (OH)
“You will push your attack now . . . forces.” (Vol. II, 262)
“The order went out exactly as General Almond . . . delay.” (Vol. II, 262)
64 “Son.” Known for his aggressive . . . the Dread,” Appleman refers to his “power, brusque manner, and sometimes arbitrary actions.” (Roy Appleman, Escaping the Trap: The U.S. Army X Corps in Northwest Korea (College Station, TX: Texas A&M Press, 2000))
“He [Almond] and O.P. [Smith] just didn’t get . . . division should.” (Edwin Simons, Frozen Chosin: U.S. Marines at the Changjin Reservoir, 4 (Washington, DC: U.S. Marine Corps Historical Division, 200))
“I want you to coordinate your attack . . . jump off.” (Heinl, 233)
65 “inadequate.” (Heinl, 233)
“You could hear the clanking of the T-34’s . . . street,” (OH)
“landed unexploded on a Marine’s shelter . . . post.” (OH);Walerski, Sagan
“Friendlies coming in! (OH)
“I could hear a tank coming up closer . . . run faster.” (OH); Edward’s e-history.
“All of the sudden, Edwards . . . my head,” (OH)
66 “Does anybody have any M1 ammo?” (OH)
“I never wanted to be caught unprepared . . . the barrier,” (OH)
“As I was reaching for the extra bandolier, the T-34 fired another round,” (OH)
“I reached for him, but I knew he was . . . July.” (OH)
“Son, if you load, I’ll fire.” (OH)
67 “It backed up in an arc and . . . wall,” (OH)
“to stop it from firing and . . . firing.” (OH)
“We were on the phone all night,” (OH)
In the maelstrom, a small George Company . . . Platoon (I interviewed surviving members of the Collin’s patrol and Mr. Collin’s wife. Collins passed away several years ago.)
68 “his brains slid out,” (OH)
“He changed positions with me and saved my life.” (OH)
CHAPTER 10: RETROGRADE
69 “fearless” and “liked to get into trouble,” (OH)
“I remember looking inside of the hatches . . . seats.” (OH)
70 “Our objective was to cross over . . . side of it,” (OH)
“We had a stumbled upon the royal palace . . . inside.” (OH)
71 “There was blood all over the place.... arms and legs.” (OH)
“We didn’t know who they really were.... the story. (OH)
“They took him around a corner, and the shot rang out,” (OH)
“security service” . . . “butt-stroked” (OH)
72 “Drive over that SOB if he doesn’t move.” (Sloan, 300).
“Three months to the day after the North Koreans . . . were broken.” X Corps Communiqué 5, number 1445, Sept. 26, 1950, New York Times during that time period.
Mr. President, by the grace of a merciful Providence . . . your constitutional responsibilities. (Heinl, 254-255)
73 Several shards of broken glass hit . . . ceremony. (Vol. II, 284)
“We love you as the savior of our race . . . Korean people?” (MacArthur, 356)
Mr. President, by the grace of a merciful Providence . . . your constitutional responsibilities. (Heinl, 254-255)
On September 27, President Truman authorized MacArthur . . . territories. (JCS 92801, National Archives)
74 “I found a barbershop,” recalled Hock . . . cover me.” (OH)
“Where are you from?” Hock . . . the cheese?” (OH)
“I still have one of them, which has burn marks on its edges,” (OH)
“Everyone had a sword . . . pretty cocky,” (OH); it seemed that nearly everyone found a sword, including the FO team; see photo of Clark Henry in the photo section.
75 “Bellhops!” The army belted back . . . chicken shit.” (OH); nearly a dozen men I interviewed fondly remember this scene.
“Who’s in charge of this outfit?” . . . grenade?” (OH)
CHAPTER 11: WONSAN
76 “Get the men into formation,” (OH); several members of G Company recall Hallawell’s watch being the only working watch in First Platoon.
“I had a great affinity for these men,” (OH)
77 This dumpy, pear-shaped guy from H and S Company is going to lead us? (OH)
“We didn’t think much of him . . . Company.” (OH)
This isn’t the typical spit-and-polish officer.This guy looks frumpy. (OH)
“began having weight problems” (Tom Barlett, “It Might Have Been Different if Col. Lewis B. Puller Said ‘No!’” Leatherneck Magazine, 46, November 1986)
“I want to go over. I want to fight,” . . . a captain?” (Leatherneck)
78 “Sir, we have no more special services gear.” . . . not play.” (Leatherneck)
“Would history have been altered if Col. Louis B. Puller had answered ‘No’?” (Leatherneck); The Leatherneck article asks a compelling question. But the reader might ask, after reading Give Me Tomorrow, what if Task Force Drysdale failed to break through the Chinese and George Company and the other elements of the task force were not able to reinforce East Hill? Several historians have ignored O. P. Smith’s own words, which stated that while the cost was significant, the elements of Task Force Drysdale that did break through played a “significant role” in the defense of Hagaru. This also provides the seed for the nature of this untold story.
79 “I got the impression initially . . . requested to do.” (Simons, 70 and also OH)
80 “We were just anxious... get on land.” (OH)
81 “Ha! We got here before the Marines this time!” (OH)
“That pig would sure be good after . . . part do we take?” (OH)
“We’ll give you all that food for the pig.” (OH)
82 “He wanted the pig’s head,” recalled Harbula. (OH)
“It was really good food; everyone had a pork chop . . . the tankers.” (OH)
CHAPTER 12: MAJON-NI: LUCK OF THE DRAW
83 “We need a platoon to take prisoners . . . other supplies,” (OH)
“The charismatic platoon leader accepted . . . shirking.” (OH)
84 “defensive position at Majon-ni . . . , this road-net.” CG 1st MarDiv message to CO 1st Marine Division. 3/1 Action Report, 1 Jan 1951, Ridge, 3-5.The report is located at the National Archives and hereafter referred to as (3/1 Special Action Report, January 1951, Ridge. Hereafter SAR II.).
“control roads to the north, south, . . . and Wonsan.” (SAR II)
85 “ambush alley.” (OH)
86 “I’m really not quite sure why we were chosen. But our part of the perimeter wasn’t seeing any action, so we were asked to join Second Platoon that day,” (OH) Please try something, go ahead, so I can shoot ya, he thought. (OH)
“We hated the North Koreans; . . . around Seoul,” (OH)
“scared” (OH)
87 “widow makers.” The Marines called them “burp guns,” (OH); I am a gun collector.
88 “with their eyes open, in the middle of the road.” (OH)
“I hit several of them, I know it . . . machine gun? (OH)
“Let’s get out of here!” (OH); confirmed by several George veterans.
“I was in the back of the truck when two guys . . . burp guns.” (OH)
89 Hock “cut loose” (OH)
“Brooks, the man next to me, was hit,” (OH)
“shaking like a leaf.” (OH)
“We gotta get the hell out of here . . . on the back!” (OH)
“I can sure try.” (OH)
“Don’t move until I tap on the cab of the truck” [indicating he was ready with the machine gun]. (OH)
90 “We kept up a steady stream of fire ... a lot of fire,” (OH)
“unconscious,” (OH)
“We’re going to get our boys out of there.” (OH)
“Don’t worry about your buddy; he’ll be okay,” (OH)
91 “You ain’t getting out of here that easy.” (OH)
“reducing visibility to almost zero” . . . several mines,” (OH); (SAR, 6)
92 “The prisoners caused no trouble and . . . as prisoners.” (SAR II, 9)
George Company, took a total of 1,395 prisoners. (SAR II, 9)
CHAPTER 13: GOLDBRICKING IT
93 As the men made their way through the courtyard . . . 1938 Nash automobile. (The church scene comes from the oral histories of multiple George Company veterans including Roberts, who vividly recalls the ruined house of worship.)
94 “Put all of your gear in front of you.” (OH)
“Listen up, people, open up your mess kits . . . any extra noise,” (OH); Roberts
“whose voice you could hear over a mile away,” (OH)
“I was still in a state of shock from what happened at Majon-ni . . . a machine gun,” (OH)
95 At this point, 70 percent of George Company . . . and NCOs alike. (OH)
These men don’t know shit from Shinola, (OH)
“Sarge, this guy came all the way from division . . . the service,” (OH)
“Are you sure these guys are all Jewish?” (OH)
“Yes, they are, Rabbi,” Smokey shot back . . . their hats on.” (OH)
“Bob” Camarillo walked into camp . . . staff sergeant,” (OH); the two men have been friends for sixty years and confirmed each other’s recollection of the preceding account.
96 “Don’t let it happen again.” (OH)
“We were very nervous sitting on gasoline barrels all day,” (OH)
“Do you want to survey your weapons?” . . . Marine lingo. (OH)
97 “Everything that came from the Army . . . commandeer it!” (OH)
“If you do, take off your leather sling . . . with theirs.” (OH)
“like starving locusts” (OH)
“Jewel was an expert scrounger, and a real piece of work,” (OH)
“Apparently, Jewel being the piece he was . . . rail yard.” (OH)
“Take it back!” (OH); confirmed by Banks and Camarillo
“The two looked like movie stars,” (OH)
“When we heard the firing . . . and rolled,” (OH)
98 “All the old souls from Inchon and Seoul bailed off the train in a heartbeat,” (OH) “the attack.” (OH)
“Nobody quite knew what they were firing . . . civilians,” (OH)
“Cease fire!” “Cease fire!” (OH)
The firing stopped . . . captured enemy weapon (OH)
“Lieutenant, what are you doing here?” (OH)
“I would have followed that man anywhere,” (OH)
“Next, the Congresh.” (OH)
99 “Dick, you’ve seen enough.” (OH)
“made everything slimy.” (OH)
“He turned and looked at us, and . . . ominous look,” (OH)
“That ominous look was all that . . . the enemy!” (OH)
“That man ruled the roost, even our officers were afraid of him.” (OH)
“When I heard that China had entered . . . the changed.” (OH)
I knew it was possible that we might make . . . Christmas,” (OH)
100 As is so often the case in American military history . . . new war.” (OH)
“Quite often they waved flags, or handkerchiefs... to see us,” (OH)
“I will get us some more gas,” volunteered one of the men at the table. (OH)
The man returned with a full jerry can . . . in here,” (OH)
101 “Evacuated to the rear, he returned to active duty several months later. (I interviewed Jim Byrne, who provided the details on this George Company warrior’s tragic death.)
CHAPTER 14:THE ROAD NORTH
102 “Saddle up!” (OH)
“Most of my time from Majon-ni . . . was surreal,” (OH)
103 “I remember seeing the remains of a damaged helicopter . . . make it.” (OH)
“Was this the dog that had not yet barked?” . . . on the other side? (David Halberstam, The Coldest Winter, 435 (New York: Hyperion, 2007)
“Victory was won in Korea.” (OH)
104 However, the Chinese had clearly signaled their intention . . . of self-defense.” (Jung Chang and Jon Halliday, Mao: The Unknown Story, 378 (London: Jonathan Cape, 2005))
MacArthur’s staff and the general himself failed to connect the dots . . . in great strength.According to notes from the JCS compiled by General Omar Bradley, submitted to Senate Committees in 1951, MacArthur informed the president that “only 50,000 to 60,000 could have gotten across the Yalu River.”
A small CIA station located in Japan . . . People’s Liberation Army (PLA). [According to OSS interviews I conducted and also mentioned in (Halberstam). See also (Goulden).]
“They have no Air Force. Now that we have bases . . . the greatest slaughter.” Notes from the JCS compiled by General Omar Bradley, submitted to Senate Committees in 1951.
105 Another 125,000 or more cleverly positioned themselves around the First Marine Division and X Corps. (Figures vary on the actual number of troops; on the low end, it is 125,000. Other sources state, however, that it was approximately 150,000.)
The Communists constructed a massive trap to “consume” UN troops. (Chang- Halliday) While some critics consider this book “biased” against a dictator who murdered millions of his own citizens, it nevertheless has published several cables between Stalin, Mao, and Kim. The cables are revealing and speak for themselves.
107 “It is snowing thicker than cow shit on the reservoir,” [This section and scene is quoted from Russell Spurr, Enter the Dragon: China’s Undeclared War Against the U.S. in Korea 1950-1951, 168-170 (New York: New Market Press, 1988.) Spurr’s outstanding book provides the often ignored Chinese perspective on the war and stems from scores of interviews with Chinese commanders and his “20 visits to China.”]
“grind down” the Americans. (Chang-Halliday, 382)
He later told Stalin that after losing 100,000 Chinese soldiers . . . will back down.”
(Chang-Halliday, 383)
108 Mao planned for the long war . . . great masses.” (Chang-Halliday, 383)
“The Chinese soldiers may be considered as volunteers and . . . the Chinese,”
(Chang-Halliday, 379)
Mao officially authorized a name change for the PLA . . . to help you.” (Chang-Halliday, 379)
109 Mao had a lot of people he wanted to “get rid of.” (Change-Halliday, 379) This statement is based on oral histories in this book from several Marines who encountered POWs who were former Nationalist Chinese soldiers. It is also confirmed in additional sources, including Change and Halliday’s.
“the perfect chance to consign former Nationalist troops to . . . hanging back.”
(Chang-Halliday, 382-383)
Attacking in wave after wave, the first two waves of men . . . fallen comrades. (OH) Battalion and regiment forces linked to the same ethnic and . . . 30,000 troops. (Vol. III, 86)
111 “In those days, it was like complete insanity in the Command,” (Halberstam, 438)
“he was facing two entire Chinese Divisions.” (Halberstam, 439)
Almond flatly stated, “That’s impossible . . . North Korea!” (Halberstam, 439)
“We are still attacking and going all . . . stop you.” (Halberstam, 439)
“Soon we will meet the American Marines . . . snakes in your homes.” (Andrew Greer, The New Breed: The Story of the U. S. Marines in Korea, 234 (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1952))
“It looked like a giant circus . . . Koto-ri.” (OH)
CHAPTER 15:THE ROAD TO HELL
112 “so each of us had one eye out watching for the enemy on either side.” (OH)
“Get your asses up!” (OH)
113 “At 20 below zero . . . touching it,” (OH)
a massive Chinese army of twelve infantry divisions . . . destroy them. (Various sources peg it between 120,000 and 150,000.) (Spurr, 167); (Vol. III)
“Once I learned we were being hit from . . . to die.” (Russ Clay Blair, The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950-1953 (New York: Times Books, 1987)); Martin Russ, Breakout:The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950, 270 (New York: Fromm International, 1999))
Murray issued a simple order to his men: “All hands. Make sure every shot counts.” (Russ)
114 Hagaru-ri with its supply dumps ... at all costs. (Vol. III, 197)
Hagaru-ri had to be reinforced immediately . . . infantrymen.” (Vol. III, 235)
115 “I’m Lieutenant Colonel Drysdale, and I’m here to take you to Hagaru-ri.” (OH)
A Marine who was near the George Company command post at the time, recalled Drysdale introducing himself: “They [the British] were spit-and-polish and professional, clean shaven.We were dirty and combat worn.” (OH)
“Task Force Drysdale,” a 900-man plus task force, which included 41 Independent Royal Marine Commando, George Company (Vol. III, 228). Task Force Drysdale consisted of an estimated strength of 922 men and 141 vehicles. The task force lost 75 vehicles to the Chinese and had approximately 321 battle casualties including 162 KIA.
“A task is all we ask,” (OH)
116 “danger close,” (A term describe to describe when fire is too close to friendly units.)
“The napalm was awesome. Fireballs . . . 300 yards away,” (OH)
“Let’s give it a bloody go!” (OH)
“A sea of green berets bobbed up and down, as the Royal Marines assaulted the hill,” (OH)
“Be calm, my boy.” “Shit was flying all around both of us,” (OH)
“Leslie, Leslie, where are you? Leslie, go out and strike out that gun.” (OH)
“Leslie looked about fifteen years old,” (OH)
“We were on the ridgeline going up. . . machine gun fire.” (OH)
117 “Get your asses up!” (OH)
“the snow erupted” (OH)
“Tillman’s down!” (OH)
“I saw his steel helmet tumbling . . . moaning;” (OH)
“I was looking straight at his face... in the snow.” (OH)
“Fuckin’ gimme me that!” (OH)
118 “He hit it!” “He hit it!” (OH)
“It was nip and tuck until First Sergeant Rocco . . . of the hill.” (OH) (Vol. III, 226)
“Saddle up!” (OH)
CHAPTER 16: ROADBLOCKS
119 “The mortar went through the canvas cover . . . the truck,” (OH)
120 “grouped together like a football huddle . . . bananas,” (OH)
“We’re going back toward Hungnam,” . . . reassurance,” (OH)
This is the end of the road. (OH)
Any second they are going to open the doors, spray the inside with machine-gun bullets, and hurl grenades, (OH)
“I often think about it, and to this day . . . ambulance,” (OH)
121 “It was like the old Wild West as the Indians fired on the wagon train,” (OH)
“We would have to get behind the tires of the truck . . . went down,” (OH)
“almost like a mother hen.” . . . fucking rifles!” (OH)
“exploded, sending splinters of wood everywhere.” (OH)
Bullets [were] coming through the canvas covers . . . and prayed. (OH)
122 “When we got on and off the trucks, that’s when . . . available truck.” (OH)
“I don’t think we are going to make it . . . Joe.” (OH)
“A cornered rat will fight fiercely if it is . . . the attacker.” (Greer, 96)
“The opinionated young man,” (Simons, 61)
123 “Every time the tanks shot, the world fell . . . it was a nine-hour fire fight.” (OH)
124 “Am I okay?” Powers pulled gauze from his . . . a scratch.” (OH)
“Let’s get ahead!” . . . “along!” (OH)
“We had to break through to Hagaru-ri . . . damn war.” (OH)
“Fifteen or twenty yards and they . . . the Pacific,” (OH)
CHAPTER 17: “AT ALL COSTS”
126 “Press on at all costs.” (OH and Vol. III, 231)
“Very well, then.We’ll give them a show.” (Russ, 234)
127 “infantry elements mixed with headquarters troops.” (OH)
128 “I was so mad. I was so goddamn mad . . . something about it!” (OH)
“Get your guinea ass up here, and go . . . around, (OH)
“It seemed like we hit the entire Chinese army . . . the masses.” (OH)
“Bullets were flying everywhere,” (OH)
Bove heroically continued running up and . . . for ammo” (OH)
Suddenly, PFC William Baugh screamed, “Grenade!” (OH)
129 “I really miss that Jeep. It had my . . . the coat,” (Leatherneck, 47-48)
“As the trucks were going by, my first sergeant . . . and stop.” (Leatherneck, 48)
“mount up.” In the corner of his eye . . . a Chinaman.” (OH)
“The Chinese were all around us. . . . several times,” (OH)
130 “all hell broke loose.” OH
There was a wall of machine gun fire . . . where we’d been. (OH)
Unflappable, Captain Sitter directed his men . . . face out!” (OH); (Leatherneck, 49)
“I’m hit.You now have command.” (OH)
Sitter responded, “All right. I’m going to get the tanks . . . anybody behind” (Leatherneck, 50-51)
“A truck loaded with men got hit with . . . a ravine.” (OH)
“I was afraid the truck would roll over on me . . . mountainside,” (Edward’s e-history; my oral history with him.)
“I had on four layers of clothes, plus a parka . . . hold me up,” (Edward’s e-history; my oral history with him.)
131 “It was pitch dark except for the occasional light from tracers.” (Edward’s e-history; my oral history with him.)
I’m captured, thought Edwards. Chinese were . . . make it out of this.” (Edward’s e-history; my oral history with him.) “Let’s go, let’s go!” (OH)
132 “After the last roadblock, I saw a tent, and lights for the airfield,” (OH)
“The lights for the airfield—they were . . . the world.” (OH)
“You could put your goddamn fist . . . stupid?” (OH)
Using weapons no larger than 75 mm recoilless rifles . . . break through. (Vol. III, 232-233)
133 “He was no more than eighteen years old . . . lost in Korea.” (OH)
“Initially, I demanded the CCF [Communist Chinese Forces] surrender,” (OH); I also had a fine interview with Col. Preston McLaughlin, who added to the narrative. John was his uncle and the man who inspired him to join the Corps. (OH and Vol. III, 233)
134 The Chinese accepted his surrender with those terms. (Vol. III, 233)
CHAPTER 18: HAGARU
135 “Jeez, are we glad to see you!” (OH)
Olmstead responded, “Why?” . . . we’ve been?” (OH)
136 “Klondike mining camp” (OH)
“41 Commando present for duty.” (Simons, 70)
Boom! Boom! Boom! (OH)
I had jumped into another truck and . . . medical condition. (OH)
137 “Your back hurt so badly on the frozen ground . . . Camarillo. (OH)
“Cough, cough!” A faint sound from the . . . “Cough.” (OH)
My God! He’s alive! he thought. (OH)
138 “Things became very hazy for me. . . 118th.” (OH); Zullo letter to Powers.
Air and artillery power pulverized Chinese . . . some units. (Vol. II, 236); (SAR II)
“O. P. Smith . . . 300 seasoned infantrymen.” (Vol. III, 235) Remarkably, numerous authors fail to appreciate the significance of Task Force Drysdale. Their words confound the veterans of George Company. “Attempting to reinforce Hagaru, Task Force Drysdale has been massacred.” (Blair, 509) “In view of the disaster which had befallen Task Force Drysdale the day before.” (Blair, 511) “With the demise of Task Force Drysdale.” (Hammel 353) “The road to the north of Koto-ri had been closed by the destruction of Task Force Drysdale.” (Hammel 357) All of these misstatements contribute to the untold story of George Company.
CHAPTER 19: EAST HILL
139 “They were so hard you had to leave them in your mouth . . . your teeth,” (OH)
“Now you see that hill over there.” (OH)
“That’s our next job!” Sitter proclaimed . . . secure it.” (OH)
How are we going to do that with this shot-up company . . . mountain? (OH)
141 “George Company really saved our asses,” (OH)
“We screamed the rebel yell at the Chinese and fired back at them,” (OH)
“all over the place.” (OH)
142 “He was in terrible shape... quilted uniform,” (OH)
“kid from Howe Company” (OH)
“Shoot that son of a bitch. He killed one of my buddies.” (OH)
“I think we shot him enough,” (OH)
“we looked each other in the eye for . . . shooting him.” (OH)
“We had to lay across the ground . . . dig in,” (OH)
“We didn’t have any mortars or machine guns . . . attacked in force,” (OH)
“They had been blown to pieces . . . out of his dungarees,” (OH)
“I made my peace that night,” . . . get out of this. (OH)
“We were sacrificial lambs,” recalled Leibee . . . “I am.” (OH)
“Then, you’re relieved,” (OH)
143 “I didn’t want to turn it in,” recalled the sergeant . . . all over again.” (OH)
“a sharp left turn to attack either side of the ridge.” (OH)
“My lungs and throat burned from the bone-cold . . . mummies,” (OH)
“The bullets were like angry hornets hitting . . . getting it.” (OH)
“[We] hacked away at the frozen earth with . . . step forward.” (OH)
144 “Let’s go, Joe.” (OH)
“Take it easy.There is plenty of time to get even.” (OH)
Initially, we were held in reserve . . . overwhelming fire. (OH)
145 The platoons formed a reverse L like line along the top ridge. (Vol. III, 238)
“That was the only entrenching tool in First Platoon,” . . . was so hard,” (OH)
“We were exhausted and we knew the Chinese . . . for protection” (OH)
“Get me a dead body.” (OH)
146 “Get your ass down!” barked Hock . . . went flying,” (OH)
“I’m hit. I can’t move.” (OH)
Wham! (OH)
“One round hit four of us,” (OH)
I’m so thirsty, (OH)
“The sip would have killed me,” (OH)
“You should have died on that hill.” (OH)
“What are you going to do? You’re going . . . that simple.” (OH)
CHAPTER 20: “WE’RE GOING TO FIGHT LIKE HELL!”
147 “I’ll never forget Powers’s face as he . . . was yesterday,” (OH)
“the hill literally moving.” Like “an army . . . upon us,” (OH)
Shā! Shā! Shā! [Kill!] (OH)
148 “Holy shit! There are gooks all over the place!” (OH)
“In my dreams, I’ve been fighting on that hill . . . green tint.” (OH)
“glowed like a neon light” from thousands . . . barrel.” (OH)
“crimson” (OH)
Clack! . . . Misfire. (OH)
“I survived five campaigns in the Korean War . . . I could do,” (OH)
“Pull back!” yelled an officer. (OH)
“They were all over us,” recalled Harbula . . . “they stop, period.” (OH)
They’re all dead, (OH)
“Bob, don’t leave me.” Harbula turned . . . out of here.” (OH)
149 “I know three men that predicted their own death within three hours.” (OH)
“I won’t live to see the top of the hill.” . . . come daylight.” (OH)
“More ammo!” (OH)
“Oh, my God!” (OH)
“When Bobby went down. I passed him . . . him out.” (OH)
I have to get them back to his family. (OH)
“There is no way to explain how I felt about . . . “Bobby is dead!” (OH)
“PFC Farr! Is Hallawell wounded . . . the hill.” (OH)
“You are not,” Sitter snapped. “If he is dead . . . hill, period.” (OH)
150 “I jumped on him with my bayonet . . . trousers!” (OH)
Mortar shells dropped from the sky and detonated . . . top of us,” (OH); Henry’s
account is confirmed by the surviving members of the FO team.
“They were all over the place.They were . . . that night.” (OH)
“Chinese were everywhere—it was a . . . shoot him.” (OH)
151 “I think I’m hit.” In a somewhat comical . . . me know.” (OH); I have Walerski’s official Purple Heart documentation confirming the event took place on East Hill on the night on November 30-December 1.
“Sitter told him [Henry] he was in charge,” . . . over the place.” (OH); I have Henry’s original Bronze Star documentation confirming his leadership on East Hill.
On the back side of the L, defending the lower . . . and firing,” (OH)
“positioned on a slope perpendicular to the crest . . . Chinese.” (OH)
“The combat was so close. I was blasting . . . around us.” (OH)
“Lincoln!” Enos replied, “Abraham.” . . . “bayonets and rifle butts.” (OH); (Leatherneck, 49-50)
“I carried a pistol: that’s all I had . . . rifle,” (Leatherneck, 49-50)
152 “They were right on top of us as we slaughtered . . . ammunition.” (OH)
“It was fun killing ’em until we realized later . . . you’ll lose ’em,” (OH)
“If the machine guns were firing, we knew we could hold.” (OH)
“My left glove and gauntlet came clean off . . . bleeding.” (OH)
As Roberts and his foxhole buddy made their way . . . 2447720 out there. To hell with old 2447720, (OH)
153 Roberts called to Piccolo, “Follow my voice and . . . my voice.” (OH)
“Thank God, you made it. Go up and take over the First and Second Platoons,” (OH)
“Dark shadows of the enemy seemed all . . . remembered Carey. (OH)
“dropping between ten and twelve Chinese.” (OH)
154 “Keep ’em coming.They are coming fast!” (OH)
“I’m doing the best I can.You just keep ’em as accurate as you can,” (OH)
“One—Two! One—Two!” (OH)
“Wambatu!” “Wambatu!” (OH)
“They were mingling all around us . . . my M1 Garand,” (OH)
“Captain, what happens if we’re surrounded?” (OH)
“We’re going to fight like hell!” (OH)
155 “Sarge, I killed a lot of people.” (OH)
“That’s the business we are in,” (OH)
“a whole lot of dead” (OH)
“had to be picked up with a shovel.” The man’s . . . mortar round.” (Video tape from Fred Hems in which he and his brother were interviewed by a family member); (OH)
“Who is this?” (OH)
My God, it’s my close friend. (OH)
156 “Made in China” and a cigarette case. (OH)
“Here’s Bobby’s watch.You know the promise we made to each other.” (OH)
“One of our sergeants ordered us to finish off any survivors,” (OH)
“I refused the order! The sergeant went . . . see them!’” (OH)
“War is hell and some things that happen . . . killing.” (OH)
CHAPTER 21: HOLDING THE LINE
157 “Has anybody seen my brother?” (OH)
“I was really lucky,” (OH)
158 By December 1, it was only 40 percent complete . . . feet long. (Vol. III, 245-246)
159 He later became a high school principal. (OH)
“Retreat, hell, we’re just attacking in a new direction.” (Vol. III, 334)
Time described the Eighth Army’s rout . . . American history . . .” (Vol. III, 334);
Time, December 11, 1950; Newsweek, December 11, 1950.
160 “Litz the blitz” (OH)
“In our order for the march south, there are . . . Hagaru.” (Russ, 305); Russ, a Marine, spent years interviewing many of the key commanders who are now deceased.
Lieutenant Colonel Ray Murray, CO of . . . us and them.” (Russ, 304)
161 “Only half of them would land anywhere . . . the target area.” (Ron Wyman e-history and unpublished memoir. I also extensively interviewed the retired sergeant major at the 2008 George Company reunion and via telephone.)
“I would throw out an illumination grenade about twenty yards . . . the attackers.” (OH)
“I heard voices in the gulch over to our left.”(OH); confirmed by Camerillo
“Can we go see what is going on?” Henry asked . . . men.” (OH)
162 “I’m not sure if we hit anything, but the talking stopped and they dispersed” (OH)
“I started making my way up the hill, but . . . get anywhere.” (OH)
“No, son, you’re in no condition... flown out.” (OH)
163 “I put them further to the right because I didn’t . . . gone, bugged out.” (OH); (Ron Wyman e-history and unpublished memoir)
“Where’s the bug-out route if we get overrun?” . . . that moves.” (OH); Powers
“I survived the Battle of the Bulge, but this is worse.” (Interview with General Olmsted, January 2010)
164 “Here comes Colonel Faith in his shiny helmet . . . the rest of us.” (Russ, 275)
[GIs] were burned to a crisp, their skin . . . shoot them. (Russ, 275)
165 “Faith extended his right arm toward the . . . as well.” (Russ, 277)
“Shoot anyone who tries to run away,” Faith barked. (Russ, 277)
“Far from hindering the escape of the Army . . . Oriental mentality.” (Vol. III, 244)
166 “You people will shape up and look sharp. We are going in like United States Marines.” (Russ 277)
“looked like zombies” (OH)
“It’s the Fifth and Seventh coming in,” (OH)
“I heard the Marine hymn in the distance . . . on the hill.” (OH)
167 Inside Hagaru-ri, Lieutenant Colonel Murray . . . could do it.” (Russ, 361)
For the first time in weeks, most of the First Marine Division . . . mustache in my life.” (OH)
I had about four layers of clothes on . . . fire also. (OH)
168 “kidneys froze.” (OH)
“I cried, I’ve never cried so hard in my life just trying to relieve myself,” (OH)
“We received a replacement who had . . . the line with us.” (OH)
“That night a rumor went around the company . . . Mongolian Calvary?” (OH)
“Do you take out the horse or the rider first?” (OH)
“They came charging toward us at dawn, a daytime attack,” (OH)
169 “There was firing from the Chinese . . . on them.” (OH)
“Several of them had feet that were elephantine . . . a lot worse.” (OH)
CHAPTER 22: BREAKOUT
170 We’re going to hold our position until the Seventh Marines . . . like Marines. (Russ, 361)
171 For one thing, I kept wondering if Koto-ri . . . the trestle below it. (Russ, 278)
172 “The enemy could not have picked a better spot . . . other way out. (Russ, 277)
“It was a damn serious situation,” recalled Lieutenant Colonel Partridge . . . “Never heard of it, General.” (Russ, 357)
173 “There were fires going off and explosions everywhere,” (OH)
“As we sat in company formation in the middle of Hagaru-ri . . . it in stride.” (OH); Ron Wyman e-history
“As I looked up at the hill, I remembered the five-day . . . for sixty years.” (OH)
174 “To this day, I don’t know how we did it . . . to boot camp,” (OH)
“I recall lifting the helmet off a wounded Marine and . . . to beat.” (OH)
“I admired those artillerymen. Normally the 105s . . . in place,” (OH)
Why didn’t they take the boots? (OH)
175 “Those sons of bitches probably got my Jamison.” . . . grandmother.) (OH)
“It was really uncomfortable, two guys that were six feet tall . . . about home,” (OH)
As the men poured in, the garrison swelled . . . Commandos. (Vol. III, 307)
“We took some incoming mortar rounds near the Brockways . . . out of there,” (Russ, 414) 17
6 Using Chinese prisoners to move the ties . . . problem. When the ties ran out, frozen corpses of Chinese soldiers were placed in the crib by the POWs. (Eric Hammel, Chosin, Heroic Ordeal of the Korean War, 391 (New York: Vanguard Press, 1981))
“It was like opening a farm gate . . . chasm].” (Russ, 416)
CHAPTER 23:THE LIVING WALKED. THE DEAD RODE
177 “Don’t take our pictures! Don’t take our pictures!” (OH); Powers and Hems
The Third Platoon, not so camera shy, said, “Take ours!” (OH)
178 “quiet Marine who never said anything, but did his duty.” (OH)
In Duncan’s words: Dawn was just over the horizon. A Marine . . . to thaw. (David
Douglas Duncan, This is War!, 144, New York: Harper Brothers, 1951)
“What would you want if you could have any wish?” (Duncan)
“That photo represents all of us who were there.” (OH) I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Duncan; he is a living legend. I’m extremely grateful that he generously allowed my publisher to use the photo for the cover of this book.
179 “It was the one time Captain Sitter actually . . . sleeping bags,” (OH)
“I remember standing up in my bag with my M1 Garand in my hand.We needed the bags just to stay alive.” (OH)
“threadbare,” (OH)
“I’ll never forget the expression on Carlos’s face as we tried in vain to stay warm,” (OH)
“Fred, I just can’t stay awake.” (OH); letter written by Fred Hems to Carl Sitter.
Meekly, Hems responded, “Nash, I know . . . our bags.” (OH)
“surrounded by hundreds of Chinese soldiers,” remembered Hems... overrun.” (OH)
180 “Where are the grenades?” (OH)
“Give me your carbine!” (OH)
“How far can you fire to your right?” Hems barked . . . was dead.” (OH)
As a flare went up, Hems glanced at his watch . . . assistant!” (OH)
“Where the hell are your gloves?” (OH)
“I took them off and can’t find them.” (OH)
“I killed Red Nash.You’re going to have to work the gun; I can’t do it.” (OH)
181 “Give me tomorrow,” (OH)
“Here they come!” (OH)
Clack! . . .Thud! (OH)
I’ll never forget thinking to myself, God . . . my life,” (OH)
Ping! (OH)
182 “I was sure I was hit,” (OH)
“cut loose” another burst. Daniels’s bullets blew a hole “about the size of my fist” (OH)
“blowing out the Chinaman’s backbone.” (OH)
By dawn, the attack was over . . . over 350 Chinese. (Vol. III, 324)
“There were thousands of them,” recalled Powers. (OH)
“It was wild. People were shooting . . . we’ll shoot!” (OH)
183 “The Chinese are amongst us!” (OH)
“It was like a fucking bowling alley. Bodies, limbs, and heads were flying everywhere!” (OH); despite the fact the Chinese used the civilians as human shields and civilian deaths occurred, the U.S. Navy evacuated tens of thousands of civilians, a remarkable achievement given the nature of the battle.
“They were swarming all over us, and we were fighting them off hand to hand.” (OH)
“I shot him in the face with my .45, and the bullet split apart his nose,” (OH)
“I wrestled him to the ground and . . . popping out.” (OH)
“We’re pulling out. Get on the tank!” (OH)
Boom! (OH)
“everything turned white,” (OH)
184 “For the rest of my days, I see that Chinese soldier . . . strangle me,” (OH)
CHAPTER 24:THE FINAL PUSH
185 “It was like a sheet of ice going down . . . the abyss,” (OH)
“Don’t look down!” somebody yelled . . . chasm,” (OH)
186 “I tried not to look down, but it was absolutely frightening,” (OH)
After the final elements of the convoy . . . “bulletproof.” (OH) Hems
“Our steps got smarter. Puller made . . . Marines!” (OH)
“Sorry you can’t have those.They’re wired to be blown.” (OH)
“We fuckin’ want ‘em.” . . . want.” (OH)
“In twenty minutes, we were all sick as dogs,” (OH)
“It was orderly chaos, but as PFCs . . . get us out,” (OH)
187 “The nicest thing in my life was being on that ship.” (OH)
“It was finally warm,” (OH)
“You men are Marines right? Come with me.Take my bunk.” (OH)
“I decided to take an icy cold saltwater . . . washed away.” (OH)
Who could be making snowmen . . . next spring.” (Spurr, 265)
EPILOGUE
189 Bobby, I’m here, Bruce Farr thought . . . your place. (OH) Farr
190 “I went to tell them good-bye.” (OH)
