The Korean War 1950-1953

Korea 1950
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Spent my first year in the military there, I loved the country but it was damn cold there.
 
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USMC M4 1st Tank Bn, Korea 1950-53
Cpl Donald Perez is on right.
My brother's father-in-law was a tanker in the US Army in Korea, and he told me that he was envious of the Marines in their M4s as they were more dependable than the M26.
 
My Dad served in the 1st Marine Division and got the million dollar wound. My grandfather keep a diary of the action from the Croton, NY newspaper as they did a daily update from the front. He took the clippings from the paper and glued them into a diary. I still have it. It a interesting read.
 
Dutch Grenadier said:
How long did your dad serve over there?
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He Entered the Corp as a 1st lieutenant just at the end of WW2. I think he was Navy ROTC in college. I know that he graduated with a degree in Naval Engineering. He didn't see any action and was demobilized. He was in the reserves and got called up in September 1950, shipped out in early Nov. 1950 and was state side with a busted up leg by April 1951. He was at the Chosin. All of this is recorded by my Grandfather and my Mom. My mom and dad started dating before the war and when he got called up he kind of ended it. She was devastated. According to my mom, my dad had later said that he was afraid that he wouldn't return and didn't want to leave a widow. When he came home he was sent to a hospital in Portsmouth NH for treatment on his leg and my paternal Grandfather called my maternal Grandfather and told him my father was back. My mom lived in Boston and her brother (who was my dads roommate in college. That's how they met.) drove her up to see him. And the rest is history as they say.

My mom said the only time he would talk about it was when he drank. I guess my dads past is what has always made me fascinated about the military and military history. I, being a dumb kid, questioned him about it on a fishing trip when I was maybe 12. I asked him to tell me about the war. He said no. I, trying to push him to answer, asked if he shot anyone. And POW. I got slapped. Only time he ever struck me. And he never answered the question but I think his actions told the story. He passed from cancer in 1982.
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Louis said:
Why act like that? I've read other similar reactions when asked about the wartime past.
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I don't know. I guess no one really knows until you have experienced battle for yourself.
 
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