The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Chosin Reservoir, Korea (Nov-Dec,1950) - Apr. 7th, 2003

http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/ChosinReservoir.htm ^ | November, 2000 | Gina DiNicolo

[Taxman]

Your post caught my eye. Thanks for posting it.

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The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to

DAVIS, RAYMOND G.

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Korea, 1 through 4 December 1950. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: 13 January 1915, Fitzgerald, Ga.

Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Although keenly aware that the operation involved breaking through a surrounding enemy and advancing 8 miles along primitive icy trails in the bitter cold with every passage disputed by a savage and determined foe, Lt. Col. Davis boldly led his battalion into the attack in a daring attempt to relieve a beleaguered rifle company and to seize, hold, and defend a vital mountain pass controlling the only route available for 2 marine regiments in danger of being cut off by numerically superior hostile forces during their re-deployment to the port of Hungnam. When the battalion immediately encountered strong opposition from entrenched enemy forces commanding high ground in the path of the advance, he promptly spearheaded his unit in a fierce attack up the steep, ice-covered slopes in the face of withering fire and, personally leading the assault groups in a hand-to-hand encounter, drove the hostile troops from their positions, rested his men, and reconnoitered the area under enemy fire to determine the best route for continuing the mission. Always in the thick of the fighting Lt. Col. Davis led his battalion over 3 successive ridges in the deep snow in continuous attacks against the enemy and, constantly inspiring and encouraging his men throughout the night, brought his unit to a point within 1,500 yards of the surrounded rifle company by daybreak. Although knocked to the ground when a shell fragment struck his helmet and 2 bullets pierced his clothing, he arose and fought his way forward at the head of his men until he reached the isolated marines. On the following morning, he bravely led his battalion in securing the vital mountain pass from a strongly entrenched and numerically superior hostile force, carrying all his wounded with him, including 22 litter cases and numerous ambulatory patients. Despite repeated savage and heavy assaults by the enemy, he stubbornly held the vital terrain until the 2 regiments of the division had deployed through the pass and, on the morning of 4 December, led his battalion into Hagaru-ri intact. By his superb leadership, outstanding courage, and brilliant tactical ability, Lt. Col. Davis was directly instrumental in saving the beleaguered rifle company from complete annihilation and enabled the 2 marine regiments to escape possible destruction. His valiant devotion to duty and unyielding fighting spirit in the face of almost insurmountable odds enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

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I had the pleasure of introducing (I was the MoC) and then hearing General Davis speak at the West Virginia Veteran's Rally last May 30. Later, we went to dinner, along with CWO-4 "Woody" Williams, who won the Medal of Honor at Iwo Jima.

There I was, having dinner with two Medal of Honor winners (one a four star general) and two other US Marine veterans. Talk about sensory overload!

[SAMWolf]

That had to be an quite an honor! Thanks for posting the Citation.

[Darksheare]

Emoticon attack!
;-[ user is a vampire!

[manna]

Present!

[Light Speed]

Really enjoy reading the testimony of Korean War Veterans,Chosin and other events convey the spirit of the American soldier...other nations aswell.

The retreat from Chosin reminds me of that scene from the movie "Battle of the Bulge" when the U.S. forces were leaving Ambleive...
The Generals comment upon seeing the troops...."There not a rable...they're retreating like an Army.... theres fight still left in them".

Some of the photos of the soldiers making their way along the roads....was reminded by so many personal accounts at Chosin;
Men had to fall back ..a last ditch effert to find fuel...fix their tank or truck.
Men who indentified with their towed artillery piece or tank...ones who rode into battle...suddenly found themselves walking...cut off from their units...making their way in the mass of Kaki green...drawing comfort from the soldier next to them...a complete stranger.

Longing to make it out....longing to meet up with friends.

[Light Speed]

Voices from the past
Dates of Service: 1010/48 to 10/10/52
Units: USS Princeton CAG 19 VF-193
Story: SERVICE DURING THE KOREAN CONFLICT/written for USS Princeton History book should be available late 2001 In the summer of 1950, I had just completed electronics school in Memphis, TN. I was ordered to Geiger counter school in San Diego, CA. Upon arrival in San Diego, we noticed a high degree of alert and activity at the base. I soon learned of the Korean War and how it would change my life.
In a few short months, the USS Princeton CV-37 was taken out of mothballs, filled with ship¹s company reserves and headed for the Pacific. The 19th Air Group (the only regular Navy air group on the West Coast) was assigned to that ship as part of Task Force 77. Because of the success of the South Koreans and their allies, we looked forward to a leisurely training cruise to Hawaii. Our plans were to spend ten days at Pearl Harbor. Wrong!!
Two days later, we were on the high seas, planes groomed for action, flight deck crews readied, and magazines loaded with bombs. We stopped at Sasebo for fuel only - then on to Korea. On December 1, 1950, in Sasebo Harbor I spent my 21st birthday with the unique pungent smell of Japan.
Our first assignment was to give the Marines at Chosin Reservoir all the close air support that they needed. Slowly they made the march from the Reservoir trap through Hagaru-ri, Koto-ri, Hamhung and finally down to the transports at Hungnam. I found out later that this was one of the greatest moments in Marine history as they fought their way through enormous odds, out numbered 10 to 1. Most of the Marines had frozen feet or frozen fingers. The Navy had destroyers, cruisers, and battleships supplying full armament support . Then after evacuation they blew up the Hungnam Harbor. The survivors of that battle are known as "The Chosen Few". At a barbecue, years later in North Texas, I met survivors and they remembered the numbers and markings of my squadron¹s Corsairs. It was a thrill for me to meet with these heroes. Air Group 19 lost 51 planes and 15 pilots in close to 6,000 sorties but we had warm bunks and no one shooting at us. The Army and the Marines took the brunt of blows from the Communist North. Soon after, we were given 10 days of rest and relaxation in Sasebo. We stopped for a beer on the base at the service center. As we left the base, we met a guy we called "Tokyo Joe" as he was always just outside the base hawking his products in broken English. We were soon to find out that you could have a huge liberty for under $2.00 - anything you needed - for the prices in post-war Japan were great. After walking a few blocks to downtown Sasebo, I was to get my first insight into how different the Japanese were from Americans - a rickshaw with two very loud and very drunk Marine were yelling "hubba hubba". They quickly told the rickshaw driver (in Japanese) to turn left at an intersection and the rickshaw smashed into a small elderly black-robed woman with a cane and San Pan hat, knocking her about three feet in the air. There were at least 150 civilians at that intersection and no one helped that little old lady. She got up, shook herself off and proceeded about her business. Human life at that time had no value to the Japanese. What a change from the protected life I had known near Philadelphia.
Our first strike catapulted our squadron commander into the water. LCDR Clem Craig, later recalled seeing the propellers of the mighty Sweet Pea from under the ship. We knew they were there, but this was our first time a witness verified that they worked. Commander Craig was given a pint of whiskey to bring his temperature up after being rescued from the bitter cold water. We were never told who supplied the whiskey. Those destroyers were able to do many things that the larger ships did not allow. Our group rapidly got the reputation for destroying bridges. We were known as the "bridge busters". Cutting the supply lines, destroying tunnels and close air support were out main functions. The crew of the mighty Sweet Pea won many honors for replenishment and refueling records.
· First Jet Photo unit.
· First Group to start organized Bridge-busting campaign.
· First Carrier Jet squadron to drop bombs in combat.
· First AD Squadron to drop torpedoes.
· First Group to attempt tunnel- busting.
· First Team from Organized VA[N] Squadron.

On December 24, 1950, I lost a friend - Ensign H. V. Scarsheim. He had broken a wire in his helmet on an air strike the day before. I was soldering his helmet when my Chief Petty Officer informed me that we had lost "Scar" in that day¹s sortie. When you lose a friend, it really makes you understand how important the things you have been trained to do are and how they fit into the overall plan. My job was to check with the pilot as soon as he landed to find out if all his electronic equipment was working well. I watched many planes crash into gun mounts and was witness to many things that can happen on the dangerous deck of a carrier. With as many as 70 planes with spinning props, deck heaving in severe weather, I still am in awe that we had as few accidents as we did. One day we had all but one plane down safely. The one plane had a 265-pound frag bomb that couldn¹t be released at sea. When making the approach, the pilot took a wave-off and gunned his engine at the last moment. That jarred the bomb lose. I was standing at mid-ship and it looked like the bomb was coming down my throat. I dived for a ladder and luckily for me, I was third to reach it or I would have broken both arms. The bomb¹s propeller did not have enough rotations to alarm it and two brave ordinance men removed it from its nose-first position in the wooden deck and dropped it overboard.
Our first liberty in Yokosuka, Bob Klaus (a friend from my hometown in Norristown, PA) decided to walk from downtown and see some of the country. We came upon a small school with hundreds of children all dressed in black uniforms coming out of the school. They evidently had an English lesson that day and when I said "hello" every one of those kids said "hello". The hills rang with broken-English "hellos". That evening we found a dance hall and in short order we were jitterbugging with new friends to country music. They really loved the country and western music and it was hilarious to hear them try to sing the words.
Because of the years of sacrifice and war, very few homes were painted in Japan. Blankets were used to create walls. One room had a hole in the floor, as there was no indoor plumbing. Normally they had a huge pot for cooking and the women could not eat until the men finished. In Tokyo, I saw the famous police with pure white gloves directing traffic - mostly bicycles and steam engine taxis and rickshaws. The only modern advancement were their high speed trains.
In the spring of 1951, my air group was asked to burst the Hwachon Dam to help the Eighth Army. High level bombing had no effect, 2000-bombs were unsuccessful, so the next day we were able to burst the dam with AD dive bombers dropping torpedoes bursting the dam and providing a barrier between the advancing Red Army and our Eighth Army. This story got a lot of press back home.
I remember being in a teahouse in Yokahama when President Truman fired General MacArthur and replaced him with General Ridgeway. There was mixed emotions among the Japanese about this change, about 50 % were for it and about 50% against it. It took me about 30 minutes to find someone who spoke enough English that I could understand what had taken place. Sometime later in early summer, our relief squadron arrived and we were able to return home to the USA.
Submitted by
Ed Buckman VF-193 USS Princeton Task Force 77

[meenie]

There were many heroes that worked the mountain ridges that overlooked the battered columns of troops below on the road out. My cousin from the 1st Marines was one of these and told of some of the incidents they ran into. The bitter cold was one of the advantages that they had.

The cold was so severe that the Chinese didn't want to fight but most were more interested in staying as warm as possible. Desperate men do heroic things to survive. This group effort has to be one of the most heroic withdrawals in American military history.

[SAMWolf]

Evening Light Speed. Great picture of that snow covered carrier.

[KDD]

Thanks SamWolf...My father-in-law was with the 1rst Marines at The Chosin Reservoir. I sent him this page. These guys were truly "the greatest generation".

[SAMWolf]

You're welcome. Thank your father-in-law for his service.

[Taxman]

You are welcome. It was.

Both General Davis and CWO Williams are gentlemen, too, and very much "Old Corps." In addition, they are both very humble and are entertaining conversationalists and raconteurs.

[GailA]

Evening FRiends...today's graphic

[Soaring Feather]

Any one care to have a chuckle??

[Light Speed]

Being an individual who delights in research and the return....often enjoy the first response from others....be it a... ,"I was there...or a....I knew so and so who was there".

For this apsect..Freeper Foxhole provides a link to real history....the photos and info come alive.

As I type this post...am loooking at a U.S. Marine Corp helmet I aquired in the past.
It has the marine logo on a patch sown on the front...the liner is an old layered /glue cloth with green bands to ride on the wearers head next to the metal shell.
The outside has a reversable camo pattern...tan with 2 types of brown camo....the other is Kaki..with green and brown motling.
Did someone wear this in WW-2...Korea...Vietnam?
Unknown to me....but I do ponder what history the wearer was about to face.

The camo cloth does not have slits in it..except the tares that exist...
I think it to be old....and may have some story to tell.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Howdy all!

Did you hear the latest news? Saddam and sons are bye-bye.

Praise the Lord!!!

[PhilDragoo]

Battleground area-east shore of Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

Able Battery 57th FA, after guns were retaken east shore Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

57th FA manhandles gun to fire new azimuth as Chinese attack from all points of the compass-east shore Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

Battle action-east shore Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

Battle at the inlet-east shore Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

Death and debris are everywhere-Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

Besieged GI's await the next Chinese attack Chosin Reservoir
Ivan Long Collection

The only escape route left to the "few" survivors was across the ice of the reservoir.
Ivan Long Collection

[SAMWolf]

You sound like me, when I walk on an old battlefield, I can see and hear in my minds eye the story the ground has to tell

[SAMWolf]

Awwwwwwwwww shucks, tain't nuthin, Cote.