WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.150 Thank you for everybody coming sir . 00:02.160 --> 00:03.160 Sorry . Every 00:05.660 --> 00:09.350 reach . Welcome . I'm 00:09.360 --> 00:11.416 from Louisville , new york up in the 00:11.416 --> 00:12.582 Catskill mountains . 00:14.820 --> 00:18.720 I really enjoyed by 00:18.730 --> 00:22.050 four years of marines that started in 00:22.050 --> 00:26.040 parris island south Carolina And 00:26.040 --> 00:28.210 I was flown from paris island up to 00:28.210 --> 00:31.740 here and I joined H and S 00:31.740 --> 00:35.700 company marines 37 00:35.700 --> 00:37.620 millimeter anti tank with toad . 00:39.540 --> 00:43.240 From there I went to the 4th marriage . 00:44.170 --> 00:47.570 Well with from there I went to Vegas 00:47.580 --> 00:50.120 with the eighth marines and back to 00:50.130 --> 00:53.880 Camp Azul aboard the Uss 00:53.880 --> 00:57.160 fremont APA 44 . 00:58.960 --> 01:02.110 Consequently the 4th parades 01:02.950 --> 01:05.500 and the ninth brings just came back 01:05.510 --> 01:08.140 from Gallagher from china 01:10.300 --> 01:12.850 And I went through the 4th Grade 01:12.860 --> 01:16.490 Charlie Company . 9th Marines is a 01:16.500 --> 01:17.340 machine gunner 01:21.520 --> 01:24.360 There with the 9th grade . I went to 01:24.370 --> 01:28.140 laboratory . This was in 1949 and 01:28.150 --> 01:29.960 Premier come back to camp . 01:34.020 --> 01:37.790 Uh huh . Six range . 01:39.670 --> 01:43.540 We're here And I was fortunate 01:43.540 --> 01:47.460 enough to join the 6°. Our derricks 01:47.470 --> 01:50.930 was just genocide made 01:50.930 --> 01:54.080 drake division headquarters was down 01:54.080 --> 01:57.700 here . Uh traffic services up here 01:58.320 --> 02:02.070 and was ever afraid great fables . 02:03.370 --> 02:06.870 Mhm So anyway , and 02:07.890 --> 02:10.430 March 1950 02:11.570 --> 02:14.890 six memories we left 02:16.010 --> 02:18.880 To go to Mediterranean for five month 02:18.890 --> 02:19.750 cruise . 02:22.720 --> 02:26.260 It was a nice cruise . We went to 02:26.270 --> 02:30.120 Turkey France , italy Greece . 02:30.130 --> 02:33.760 Portugal and 02:35.150 --> 02:39.000 In June 1950 the korean 02:39.000 --> 02:42.570 war broke all but we were combat 02:42.570 --> 02:43.737 strength battalion . 02:46.230 --> 02:48.710 Well , consequently we had orders was 02:48.710 --> 02:50.877 gonna stay and meditated for five more 02:50.877 --> 02:53.840 months . Well , it's kind of hard duty 02:53.840 --> 02:57.760 to take , especially visiting all 02:57.760 --> 03:01.670 these ports . But the next day 03:01.680 --> 03:03.624 we got orders what's going on duty 03:03.624 --> 03:05.624 outside of the mediterranean area . 03:07.510 --> 03:11.200 So through the Suez Canal over into 03:11.210 --> 03:14.640 Japan , you got reorganized and made 03:14.640 --> 03:17.330 the amphibious landing in september 03:19.370 --> 03:23.070 1950 . We matched on up through to the 03:23.080 --> 03:27.050 38th parallel without too 03:27.060 --> 03:30.510 much resistance and we came back to and 03:30.520 --> 03:33.880 aboard ship on the other coast of 03:33.880 --> 03:37.140 Korea . The one son who made the 03:37.140 --> 03:40.080 amphibious landing near , then passed 03:40.080 --> 03:43.560 down through to the chosen reservoir . 03:44.130 --> 03:46.350 That was when all hell broke loose . 03:48.220 --> 03:51.490 So thanksgiving , the army was 03:51.500 --> 03:53.556 fortunate enough to bring us up some 03:53.556 --> 03:57.120 turkey cooked there and 03:57.130 --> 04:00.270 we would go and get some 04:00.270 --> 04:03.990 turkey in our here and go back to the 04:04.000 --> 04:07.700 squad . So 04:07.710 --> 04:11.200 thanksgiving night , the temperature 04:11.210 --> 04:15.010 got just a little bit too cool . They 04:15.010 --> 04:18.640 estimated temperature to be 04:19.490 --> 04:23.140 30 - 35 below zero . We were 04:23.150 --> 04:27.140 far didn't have the equipment more 04:27.140 --> 04:29.840 than clothing direct kind of weather . 04:30.950 --> 04:32.950 In fact , I guess it was one of the 04:32.950 --> 04:35.720 coldest years of north Korea . 04:36.990 --> 04:40.700 So anyway , the night after 04:40.700 --> 04:44.180 thanksgiving , I froze my feet 04:44.190 --> 04:47.840 plans . Yeah . 04:48.920 --> 04:51.460 So anyway , I was 04:52.570 --> 04:54.460 evacuated back down 04:56.230 --> 04:59.970 a pork kangaroo and I was 04:59.980 --> 05:02.670 blown from there to Japan 05:04.050 --> 05:07.860 and it was a makeshift hospital there 05:07.870 --> 05:11.520 for just secure days , no 05:11.530 --> 05:14.650 treatment for frostbite or any 05:15.970 --> 05:16.720 from there . 05:20.590 --> 05:24.430 Two hawaii and spent a couple of nights 05:24.440 --> 05:26.860 in general Triple triple General 05:26.860 --> 05:28.690 Hospital 05:30.200 --> 05:32.270 for back to 05:33.040 --> 05:36.930 California . In California . 05:37.610 --> 05:41.510 We look back to new york . I was in 05:41.510 --> 05:43.900 ST albans naval hospital for christmas . 05:46.420 --> 05:47.920 Oh , after 05:50.280 --> 05:51.740 my frostbite , 05:54.540 --> 05:58.460 March March 1st , I would 05:58.470 --> 06:02.050 set her discharge and sent to duty to 06:02.060 --> 06:05.840 Brooklyn Navy yard . I went home 06:05.850 --> 06:09.160 from the Brooklyn may be honored in a 06:09.170 --> 06:11.920 few days And March 06:11.920 --> 06:15.550 24 . I had a man automobile action 06:17.270 --> 06:21.000 at that time in the 06:21.010 --> 06:24.920 hospital up there . But my local 06:24.930 --> 06:27.980 family doctor had been a 06:28.760 --> 06:31.160 major in army 06:33.790 --> 06:36.180 and he wouldn't let them operate on me 06:36.780 --> 06:40.140 because I was in a coma , fractures 06:40.140 --> 06:43.070 call bring congestion with the jaw . 06:45.480 --> 06:47.710 So they came up from ST office , they 06:47.710 --> 06:51.210 were hospital loaded me in 06:53.850 --> 06:57.830 here I am to unconscious which is they 06:57.840 --> 06:59.173 didn't expect to live . 07:01.460 --> 07:03.780 Well the only thing I remember on the 07:03.790 --> 07:04.910 trip to new york 07:07.340 --> 07:10.580 was once they started or 07:10.580 --> 07:14.050 started and stopped in phoenicia new 07:14.050 --> 07:16.990 york I guess just wouldn't get go to 07:16.990 --> 07:20.320 the restroom , whatever . So 07:20.330 --> 07:23.510 we've got to ST all this naval hospital 07:23.520 --> 07:25.920 and I do remember him giving me a 07:25.930 --> 07:29.780 spinal tap as soon as 07:29.780 --> 07:33.640 they perform the operation mode . 07:33.650 --> 07:36.650 That way from the brain I came to 07:37.230 --> 07:40.980 and the doctors so you can feel that I 07:40.990 --> 07:42.934 must have made some motion . Yes , 07:42.934 --> 07:45.840 because they stuck it over my face . 07:47.970 --> 07:51.820 So here I am wearing a nice skullcap . 07:51.830 --> 07:53.720 I have 100 stitches in my head . 07:55.930 --> 07:59.520 Oh , I got out of the naval 07:59.520 --> 08:03.450 hospital and I was transferred over to 08:03.450 --> 08:06.820 Dover New Jersey Late Denmark over 08:06.830 --> 08:09.250 there was a rocket test station . 08:14.330 --> 08:18.020 I kinda in August one my 08:18.030 --> 08:20.900 time was up . I would like to have 08:20.900 --> 08:23.520 stayed in the service . I enjoyed the 08:23.530 --> 08:25.800 marines very much 08:28.080 --> 08:30.870 so . I give it a lot of thought 08:31.870 --> 08:35.120 and I didn't think yeah , 08:35.850 --> 08:38.680 a helmet would go well with a hole in 08:38.680 --> 08:41.970 my head so I took my discharge . So 08:41.980 --> 08:43.110 here I am . 08:48.200 --> 08:50.770 Thank you . Let's let's take a seat 08:50.770 --> 08:52.980 cause I'd like to , if you could , I'd 08:52.980 --> 08:55.150 like to uh kind of set the stage a 08:55.150 --> 08:57.372 little bit and then obviously we got to 08:57.372 --> 08:59.594 open it up for some questions with some 08:59.594 --> 09:02.140 of your experience . So uh Inchon 09:02.140 --> 09:05.040 landing , probably one of the biggest 09:05.050 --> 09:06.970 amphibious landings and I think 09:06.980 --> 09:09.147 probably the history of warfare , uh , 09:09.147 --> 09:11.990 given the tides , um , one of the 09:12.000 --> 09:14.167 things that we talk about all the time 09:14.167 --> 09:17.710 is the ability to ensure that were 09:17.720 --> 09:21.190 individually ready to go to war and 09:21.390 --> 09:25.280 that we are also enabling our , our 09:25.290 --> 09:27.623 units are organizations to be ready for . 09:27.623 --> 09:29.680 So you were in a quote unquote 09:29.690 --> 09:32.910 peacetime deployment , Mediterranean uh , 09:32.920 --> 09:35.230 what message would you provide these 09:35.230 --> 09:37.600 young N . C . O . S as far as the 09:37.600 --> 09:40.890 ability to transition from that type of 09:40.890 --> 09:43.150 environment to an environment where 09:43.160 --> 09:46.120 you're conducting one of again the 09:46.150 --> 09:48.261 oldest amphibious landings in history 09:48.261 --> 09:51.980 warfare . I was more of a daughter . 09:52.390 --> 09:56.340 Anyone know ? We 09:56.350 --> 10:00.200 never required a live Robin . We 10:00.200 --> 10:01.060 had 10:05.510 --> 10:09.350 set up and we practiced that . We 10:09.360 --> 10:13.150 moved the flight gun fire to move it 10:13.150 --> 10:15.590 over a little bit there , uh , 10:17.400 --> 10:19.920 Mortars at 25 . 10:21.560 --> 10:23.960 Well degree 1st ingredients . 10:25.590 --> 10:29.450 They didn't like the Mourners but 10:29.460 --> 10:33.320 once I inquired them , just , just a 10:33.330 --> 10:37.160 lot of water . Uh 10:38.190 --> 10:41.680 But we didn't have any idea 10:42.420 --> 10:45.450 we was going to be at war 10:46.370 --> 10:48.592 When we left for the very training . We 10:48.592 --> 10:51.060 all making a big joke about how many 10:51.070 --> 10:53.340 ribbons we have when we came back to 10:53.350 --> 10:56.240 the states . That's it . 10:58.160 --> 11:01.930 So so after uh you conduct 11:01.930 --> 11:04.420 the second amphibious landing was 11:04.430 --> 11:06.597 notable in the Green War at one time . 11:06.597 --> 11:10.190 Uh At that point it 11:10.190 --> 11:12.301 appeared that the offensive was going 11:12.301 --> 11:15.260 pretty well . But then of course as you 11:15.260 --> 11:19.060 noted uh one of the march up to re 11:19.060 --> 11:22.590 and uh chosen reservoir basically 11:22.600 --> 11:25.970 to Make sure that we set the stage . Uh 11:25.980 --> 11:28.880 it was 15,000 U.S . 11:28.890 --> 11:32.540 forces against about 120,000 11:32.550 --> 11:36.170 Chinese forces at the time . And 11:36.830 --> 11:39.390 at that point it was about 72 years ago . 11:39.400 --> 11:42.560 Uh this week really that offensive 11:42.560 --> 11:45.800 started . Uh So with those types of 11:45.800 --> 11:47.744 environmental conditions we talked 11:47.744 --> 11:51.620 about how cold it was . Um How 11:51.620 --> 11:54.180 important is is the position that these 11:54.190 --> 11:57.730 N . C . O . S . Are in to ensure 11:57.740 --> 12:01.020 that that combat readiness in those 12:01.030 --> 12:04.930 extreme environmental conditions we 12:06.750 --> 12:08.870 we had no idea how cold 12:10.400 --> 12:10.930 ah 12:14.520 --> 12:17.560 nor does anybody else and 12:18.540 --> 12:22.080 we didn't realize that the chinese had 12:22.090 --> 12:24.680 hit us and had us trapped . 12:27.820 --> 12:31.500 I wanted a few get it back 12:34.690 --> 12:38.480 alive . I had 12:39.990 --> 12:42.910 a brother who was in a 12:42.920 --> 12:46.860 army and he was in a transport company 12:46.870 --> 12:49.110 and he saw my platoon 12:51.450 --> 12:54.720 today they got evacuated from Korea . 12:55.560 --> 12:59.320 Yeah he's told me he went up and 12:59.320 --> 13:02.910 nudged doing boy lee and erin the 13:02.920 --> 13:06.340 beach . He says , where's every boy 13:06.340 --> 13:09.830 looked up ? And he was just every gone , 13:09.840 --> 13:12.560 my brother's gone , gone where ? And 13:12.560 --> 13:14.640 the boy told him that I had been 13:14.650 --> 13:18.310 evacuated . Mhm . 13:19.290 --> 13:22.420 So consequently 13:23.780 --> 13:27.240 I guess out of 98 man , 13:29.050 --> 13:31.890 There was only eight or 10 13:31.900 --> 13:33.990 left . 13:36.920 --> 13:38.660 We some of them 13:41.440 --> 13:43.496 because then there had been in their 13:43.496 --> 13:46.530 sleeping bags and the chinese if they 13:46.530 --> 13:49.750 had ended them while he was sleeping , 13:51.460 --> 13:52.170 it was just 13:55.570 --> 13:57.681 so there's a there's a couple of very 13:57.681 --> 14:01.000 good books I know that um that 14:01.010 --> 14:03.980 commandant's reading list that uh that 14:03.980 --> 14:07.450 a lot of marines are encouraged to read ? 14:07.450 --> 14:10.190 I know on desperate ground is one of 14:10.190 --> 14:12.440 those books and that's by Hampton size 14:12.450 --> 14:15.680 and frozen chosen by uh for your 14:15.680 --> 14:17.900 general Simmons I know one that that's 14:17.900 --> 14:21.290 very accessible I think to folks at all 14:21.290 --> 14:23.457 levels , especially as more women like 14:23.457 --> 14:25.780 yourself is colder than hell , which is 14:25.790 --> 14:28.250 joseph book and now he's a 60 14:28.250 --> 14:30.139 millimeter mortar mint on any one 14:30.139 --> 14:33.560 millimeter . So you know , they're not 14:33.570 --> 14:36.210 the same as as a prior weapons platoon 14:36.210 --> 14:38.043 commander that has 60 millimeter 14:38.043 --> 14:40.950 mortars . Uh we we liked liked nice 14:40.950 --> 14:43.930 small chute scoot mortars . 14:44.960 --> 14:48.930 But how do you feel the lessons 14:48.940 --> 14:52.600 for from Korea have stood the test of 14:52.610 --> 14:56.110 time . You do you feel that there is 14:56.110 --> 14:59.870 whether it's a book or a movie 14:59.880 --> 15:03.110 or is there something that you think is 15:03.110 --> 15:06.740 important to take from Korea to ensure 15:06.740 --> 15:10.450 that these marines take forward for the 15:10.460 --> 15:12.127 teacher of the Marine corps . 15:14.710 --> 15:18.570 Well , I don't 15:18.570 --> 15:22.570 know but I do know that the 15:22.570 --> 15:24.850 Air Force part of the marines 15:26.910 --> 15:30.290 is just marvelous because 15:30.650 --> 15:34.500 they when they used to come in straight 15:34.500 --> 15:38.160 from , we can look 15:38.170 --> 15:41.130 up like this and see that violence 15:41.850 --> 15:45.430 thumbs up And the only time they didn't 15:45.430 --> 15:48.580 convince close strengthened it was when 15:48.580 --> 15:50.830 they had to pick up a bottle . 15:52.520 --> 15:55.890 No , essentially that you say that 15:55.900 --> 15:58.011 because you know , I think one of the 15:58.011 --> 16:00.010 things that makes the marine court 16:00.020 --> 16:03.870 different is a marine air ground task 16:03.870 --> 16:07.410 force than the MAg taf and the fact 16:07.410 --> 16:10.790 that we have marines that are flying in 16:10.790 --> 16:13.950 support of marines and that the marines 16:13.950 --> 16:16.190 that are flying in support of marines 16:16.200 --> 16:19.740 that there's that extra special bond 16:19.750 --> 16:22.930 and there's that extra special uh 16:22.940 --> 16:25.660 connection as marines that you don't 16:25.660 --> 16:27.549 want to let them down . And I saw 16:27.549 --> 16:31.160 firsthand in marjah where we were 16:31.170 --> 16:34.730 repeatedly denied permission to 16:34.740 --> 16:38.080 drop ordinance from other aircraft and 16:38.080 --> 16:40.540 other services . But you know who would 16:40.550 --> 16:42.910 fly for us for the cobra helicopter 16:42.910 --> 16:45.550 attack gunships and they would they 16:45.550 --> 16:49.080 would come right in and they would drop 16:49.080 --> 16:51.136 the ordinance that we needed because 16:51.136 --> 16:53.358 you know what they're marines , they're 16:53.358 --> 16:55.524 marines that were flying for marines . 16:55.524 --> 16:57.747 I think that's a fantastic lesson and a 16:57.747 --> 16:59.880 fantastic point home , I had been 16:59.880 --> 17:03.660 aboard the aircraft carrier Lady in the 17:03.660 --> 17:05.960 mediterranean for just a short time . 17:08.110 --> 17:11.670 And anyway , the lady was there 17:12.800 --> 17:15.660 in people in Korea 17:16.610 --> 17:19.290 And we have a lieutenant commander as 17:19.290 --> 17:23.060 our guest speaker chosen few reunion in 17:23.070 --> 17:26.170 2000 , which was the first time that I 17:26.180 --> 17:28.160 had attended a reunion . 17:31.600 --> 17:35.430 And the guest speaker was the new 17:35.430 --> 17:39.320 project commander . And he started 17:39.320 --> 17:42.330 his marine where his speech with the 17:42.330 --> 17:44.219 marines were a miserable bunch of 17:44.219 --> 17:47.470 bastards . Well 17:48.910 --> 17:51.070 and brought silence to an audience . 17:53.510 --> 17:55.970 But when he got through with his speech , 17:55.980 --> 17:57.980 he had tears running down everybody 17:57.980 --> 18:00.660 shoots because he told how close they 18:00.670 --> 18:03.520 came on the street . 18:08.250 --> 18:11.160 No , I appreciate that . And the uh 18:12.410 --> 18:15.890 so we just celebrated the birthday this 18:15.900 --> 18:17.956 this month . But some of us may have 18:17.956 --> 18:21.490 celebrated two or three times depending 18:21.490 --> 18:24.440 on how many ceremonies . Uh you are a 18:24.440 --> 18:26.960 part of uh , which which is fantastic . 18:26.960 --> 18:29.182 I think so , major . And I , you know , 18:29.182 --> 18:31.310 we at least had two , maybe three uh 18:31.320 --> 18:33.350 cake cutting ceremony's which maybe 18:33.360 --> 18:36.290 four actually come to think of it . Um , 18:36.840 --> 18:39.450 what is about your experience ? I mean 18:39.460 --> 18:43.020 you're , you are someone who has a 18:43.030 --> 18:45.300 veteran of the korean war and and as a 18:45.300 --> 18:48.380 marine you have throughout your entire 18:48.380 --> 18:51.160 life . Um had this experience in the 18:51.160 --> 18:53.382 Marine Corps . What is it about being a 18:53.382 --> 18:55.790 marine after you left the Marine corps ? 18:55.790 --> 18:57.901 That's impactful . That that's that's 18:57.901 --> 19:00.560 different . I guess I'm still quite a 19:00.560 --> 19:03.390 lot of Murray because 19:06.500 --> 19:09.550 there's many things in civilian life 19:09.560 --> 19:11.710 that aggravates me to no way under 19:13.910 --> 19:15.740 one level his 19:15.740 --> 19:18.930 haircuts . 19:19.770 --> 19:22.690 Another one is not taking their hats 19:22.690 --> 19:26.160 off when they go inside , especially 19:26.160 --> 19:27.440 when they're eating 19:30.220 --> 19:34.200 marines . As far as I'm concerned the 19:34.210 --> 19:37.580 discipline and I 19:37.780 --> 19:41.130 still still all discipline 19:42.950 --> 19:45.780 very much so because the price is 19:45.780 --> 19:49.640 something out of shape I can't wait to 19:49.650 --> 19:51.170 get up to level it up . 19:53.880 --> 19:57.820 So I guess that's it . That's that's 19:57.830 --> 20:01.210 fantastic . I'd like to also open up a 20:01.220 --> 20:03.387 couple more questions but I don't want 20:03.387 --> 20:05.553 to have all the all the time up here . 20:05.553 --> 20:07.720 Um I'd ask you does any of the marines 20:07.720 --> 20:10.510 and N . C . O . S to start average just 20:10.510 --> 20:12.940 so that you know that the marines here , 20:12.950 --> 20:16.180 these N . C . O . S . Uh A lot of them 20:16.190 --> 20:18.860 are part of a group that really 20:18.880 --> 20:22.110 provides a sergeant major and I uh the 20:22.120 --> 20:25.560 ideas direction , a pulse on the 20:25.570 --> 20:28.990 italian . So I will say the value of 20:28.990 --> 20:31.330 the N . C . O . Has never been greater 20:31.570 --> 20:34.530 than it is today because I absolutely 20:34.540 --> 20:37.310 rely on these N . C . O . S . That you 20:37.310 --> 20:39.650 see in front of you in order to ensure 20:39.650 --> 20:41.706 that we're meeting the standards and 20:41.706 --> 20:44.060 that were being disciplined in our 20:44.060 --> 20:47.990 approach to training and equipping 20:48.000 --> 20:50.222 and employing the war fighters . Uh and 20:50.222 --> 20:52.890 then developing our war fighting skills 20:52.900 --> 20:55.740 as well . So these N . C . O . S . That 20:55.740 --> 20:58.280 you see up here are special viewing 20:58.280 --> 21:01.740 within this battalion . Uh but I turned 21:01.740 --> 21:04.690 it over to you marines ? Uh what 21:04.690 --> 21:07.200 questions do you have ? Uh for 21:12.820 --> 21:15.340 just a very generic question just uh 21:18.560 --> 21:22.130 why did you join the Marine corps ? Why ? 21:22.770 --> 21:25.230 Well , in 1948 21:29.270 --> 21:31.020 I was working in the hayfield 21:32.700 --> 21:36.530 and I don't know why . And 21:36.530 --> 21:39.420 then making my mother to sign your 21:39.430 --> 21:41.620 papers for quite some time . 21:43.060 --> 21:46.540 And like his share 21:47.620 --> 21:51.370 just The # one factor , 21:55.330 --> 21:58.970 my mother informed me not to get a 21:58.980 --> 22:02.970 tattoo when I was in the 22:02.980 --> 22:05.540 bridge . Got you probably 22:06.280 --> 22:08.370 johnny bulldog . 22:14.950 --> 22:18.400 So I guess that said , and I 22:20.760 --> 22:22.760 like I said , I was always proud of 22:22.760 --> 22:24.670 marriage . Thanks . 22:29.430 --> 22:32.300 Um , My biggest question I guess would 22:32.310 --> 22:34.710 be , How did you build resiliency after 22:34.710 --> 22:36.766 you lost the marines that you served 22:36.766 --> 22:39.230 with ? How did you build resiliency 22:39.240 --> 22:41.240 after you lost the marines that you 22:41.240 --> 22:43.220 served with ? There were like 22:43.220 --> 22:47.020 casualties ? What anything did you do 22:47.030 --> 22:48.752 to be able to deal with that ? 22:50.740 --> 22:51.340 What 22:54.970 --> 22:58.710 I I 22:58.720 --> 23:02.210 drove truck for 30 23:02.210 --> 23:02.840 years 23:06.630 --> 23:09.490 and I retired from it and time was 23:09.500 --> 23:12.960 pressing on my hands . So I went to 23:12.970 --> 23:15.030 work pretty county worked there for 23:15.030 --> 23:18.010 seven years . But 23:19.060 --> 23:22.480 I had well both knees 23:22.480 --> 23:26.040 replaced right hip replaced 23:26.770 --> 23:29.960 left hip rod and screws 23:31.210 --> 23:33.920 right shoulders . Road . A cup , left 23:33.920 --> 23:37.170 shoulder is reverse board . 23:40.310 --> 23:42.530 You all know why ? 23:45.040 --> 23:47.580 Like I said , I'm still all green . 23:49.160 --> 23:52.090 Thanks sir . Hey , good afternoon . 23:52.120 --> 23:54.570 Thank you for your service . Um , My 23:54.570 --> 23:56.681 question is , what were your thoughts 23:56.681 --> 23:58.626 and feelings going into the war in 23:58.626 --> 24:00.681 Korea ? What were you feeling at the 24:00.681 --> 24:02.903 time ? Were your fellow marines feeling 24:02.903 --> 24:06.340 about the war ? You know , 24:08.300 --> 24:10.390 I don't know . I guess 24:12.950 --> 24:15.200 we gotta get out of this trap alive 24:16.350 --> 24:19.510 because There was a one 24:19.510 --> 24:23.180 boy 1818 24:23.190 --> 24:26.970 19 that was right on the trailer . 24:28.170 --> 24:31.420 He's been shot and uh blake 24:32.120 --> 24:35.900 and he said I'd be better off dead . I 24:35.900 --> 24:38.440 said no , I don't feel that way . 24:40.990 --> 24:44.910 But within 24 hours he was 24:44.920 --> 24:46.430 dead . 24:50.930 --> 24:54.610 But like I said , she did 24:55.370 --> 24:57.290 them or us . 25:00.620 --> 25:03.530 Little little did I know how much 25:04.860 --> 25:07.530 are important power ? 25:08.500 --> 25:11.800 Yeah , the 25:11.810 --> 25:15.080 greens here and the marines over here . 25:16.790 --> 25:20.660 So but like I said , like it's 25:20.660 --> 25:22.340 either them or us . 25:25.190 --> 25:28.470 So it's it's widely considered again 25:28.480 --> 25:30.480 for the marines that haven't really 25:30.480 --> 25:32.424 studied the chosen campaign widely 25:32.424 --> 25:34.536 considered one of the most successful 25:34.536 --> 25:36.758 withdrawals in military history because 25:36.758 --> 25:39.230 not only uh did the first Marine 25:39.230 --> 25:42.300 Division successfully escaped from the 25:42.310 --> 25:45.780 100 20,000 person trap that was 25:45.780 --> 25:49.510 set , but they did so with their their 25:49.510 --> 25:52.000 wounded uh their casualties and all of 25:52.000 --> 25:54.650 their equipment . Which when you start 25:54.650 --> 25:57.420 to talk about how do you 25:57.430 --> 26:01.140 successfully face adversity and how do 26:01.140 --> 26:04.170 you successfully uh face a situation 26:04.170 --> 26:06.114 where you could very simply in the 26:06.114 --> 26:08.130 chinese , uh we're expecting a 26:08.130 --> 26:11.200 surrender but that's not what happened . 26:11.210 --> 26:13.510 What happened was a breakout , a 26:13.520 --> 26:17.100 tactical withdrawal . Uh That ended up 26:17.110 --> 26:20.310 as a strategic victory because instead 26:20.310 --> 26:22.660 of a route with the surrender or 26:22.670 --> 26:24.830 destruction of marine division , what 26:24.840 --> 26:28.010 you have is the ability to then regroup . 26:28.020 --> 26:31.090 Uh Third battalion , seventh marines uh 26:31.100 --> 26:34.550 some may or may not know was the first 26:34.560 --> 26:37.100 battalion to conduct a hell born 26:37.110 --> 26:40.590 assault using helicopters . Uh So you 26:40.590 --> 26:42.740 want to talk about the resiliency of 26:42.750 --> 26:45.020 the battalion after Third Battalion 26:45.020 --> 26:47.990 Seventh Marines successfully withdrew 26:48.000 --> 26:51.380 from the chosen campaign . There was 26:51.380 --> 26:53.602 still enough combat power and there was 26:53.602 --> 26:55.658 still enough strength for them to be 26:55.658 --> 26:58.970 able to then reorganize , reequip train 26:58.970 --> 27:01.710 on something that they never even 27:01.720 --> 27:03.887 probably envisioned as far as boarding 27:03.887 --> 27:05.942 helicopters and then conducting hell 27:05.942 --> 27:08.190 born assault on the korean peninsula . 27:08.200 --> 27:10.250 So , uh so it's a pretty , pretty 27:10.250 --> 27:12.120 incredible , pretty incredible 27:12.130 --> 27:14.297 battalion . Pretty incredible group of 27:14.297 --> 27:17.220 marines uh when you look at , you know , 27:17.230 --> 27:20.090 it's just that was that short time , 27:20.090 --> 27:22.530 their largest amphibious landing coming 27:22.530 --> 27:25.510 from a position of peace , right uh in 27:25.520 --> 27:28.970 Inchon to um one of the most 27:28.970 --> 27:31.081 successful withdrawals in some of the 27:31.081 --> 27:33.230 harshest conditions that you could 27:33.240 --> 27:35.510 possibly imagine in the chosen 27:35.510 --> 27:39.380 reservoir , uh from 27 november to one 27:39.380 --> 27:42.640 december 1950 then after that 27:42.640 --> 27:44.640 successful withdrawal to be able to 27:44.640 --> 27:46.862 have enough combat power and resiliency 27:46.862 --> 27:49.200 to then continue to press the attack . 27:49.210 --> 27:51.432 I mean , that's that's a pretty amazing 27:51.432 --> 27:54.580 feat . Uh Harkens back to the , you 27:54.580 --> 27:56.691 know , my time is Second marines when 27:56.691 --> 27:58.913 you know , the slogan keep moving , you 27:58.913 --> 28:00.969 know , is basically on everything in 28:00.969 --> 28:03.230 second greens and that has to be the 28:03.230 --> 28:06.030 mentality Keep moving . You know , 28:06.040 --> 28:08.930 whether whether it's scaling ladders at 28:09.580 --> 28:12.610 uh in order to get over the seawall 28:12.610 --> 28:14.610 with tides that are pretty much the 28:14.610 --> 28:17.160 most unique in any place in the planet 28:17.170 --> 28:20.880 or whether it's fighting through 30 28:20.880 --> 28:23.810 below temperatures . Uh , you keep 28:23.810 --> 28:27.070 moving or whether it's regrouping after 28:27.080 --> 28:29.810 you've lost two thirds of your 28:29.820 --> 28:32.390 battalion in combat and keep moving and 28:32.390 --> 28:34.670 you press the attack . So that 28:34.680 --> 28:36.513 mentality of keep moving and not 28:36.513 --> 28:38.820 letting adversity , not letting 28:38.830 --> 28:40.997 difficulties get in the way of mission 28:40.997 --> 28:43.274 success . I think it's just one of the , 28:43.274 --> 28:45.330 it's one of the timeless things that 28:45.330 --> 28:47.750 we've been fortunate enough to be able 28:47.750 --> 28:50.410 to reflect back on our legacy , what 28:50.420 --> 28:52.520 makes us different . So it's kind of 28:52.520 --> 28:54.940 like , again , just as as someone who 28:54.940 --> 28:57.107 studies a little bit of history , uh , 28:57.107 --> 28:59.107 some of the important things . Um , 28:59.107 --> 29:01.107 what other questions from the group 29:02.540 --> 29:04.950 question . But as a sergeant of marines , 29:04.960 --> 29:07.210 how did you manage to overcome and have 29:07.220 --> 29:10.060 the challenge is to create a sergeant 29:10.060 --> 29:12.004 of marines ? How did you manage to 29:12.004 --> 29:14.150 adapt and overcome ? So as a , as a 29:14.160 --> 29:16.450 sergeant , uh , were there are 29:16.450 --> 29:19.890 challenges that you face that you felt 29:19.890 --> 29:22.650 like you had to adapt and overcome 29:22.650 --> 29:26.560 those challenges with time ? I 29:26.570 --> 29:30.560 was PFC , a PFC as a , 29:30.560 --> 29:33.700 as a combat leader . As a PFC ? What 29:33.710 --> 29:35.654 are the challenges that you had to 29:35.654 --> 29:37.120 adapt to uh , 29:40.130 --> 29:43.900 to make sure that our guns 29:44.020 --> 29:46.090 had enough ammunition ? 29:48.510 --> 29:50.840 We had a quartermaster . 29:52.790 --> 29:55.800 Yeah . Said we was using too much 29:55.800 --> 29:59.380 ammunition . Oh , okay . 30:00.560 --> 30:02.990 Too many chinese . 30:03.740 --> 30:07.130 Yeah , I guess . Uh , 30:10.470 --> 30:13.710 right . I don't want , but 30:15.480 --> 30:16.190 very good . 30:18.820 --> 30:22.670 A rifleman had to adopt to 30:22.680 --> 30:23.770 be a Doberman , 30:26.940 --> 30:29.500 A machine gunner had to adopt 30:30.940 --> 30:34.490 to be a border or 30:35.120 --> 30:36.210 vice versa . 30:40.820 --> 30:44.820 We had a I had a company work . He 30:45.260 --> 30:49.080 was a doctor to 30:49.090 --> 30:52.720 be a rifle work and all the water 30:53.620 --> 30:54.880 ammunition carrier . 31:00.700 --> 31:03.830 I I had 31:04.870 --> 31:07.860 service manual ammunition at times 31:15.330 --> 31:19.280 because my 31:19.290 --> 31:22.270 assistant gunner , they've been 31:22.270 --> 31:22.900 wondering 31:28.960 --> 31:29.960 on your hands . 31:33.870 --> 31:36.410 The assistant end of 31:40.170 --> 31:41.190 like I should , 31:45.130 --> 31:49.050 oh God , I just love them even though 31:49.050 --> 31:52.090 I hated him when I before we got to 31:55.270 --> 31:57.970 but we had never fired a live drone 31:58.590 --> 31:59.820 until we got to . 32:03.600 --> 32:05.900 Well I guess that's about 32:09.580 --> 32:12.710 what other questions . Yes sir . I 32:12.710 --> 32:14.877 would just like to ask , have you been 32:14.877 --> 32:17.043 back to Korea since you served there ? 32:17.043 --> 32:19.210 And can you tell us what your thoughts 32:19.210 --> 32:21.266 are on , you know the legacy of what 32:21.266 --> 32:23.321 you did there ? Um you know we could 32:23.321 --> 32:25.488 almost say that we're facing a similar 32:25.488 --> 32:28.360 situation where china and Taiwan and 32:28.360 --> 32:30.527 some might say you know that's not our 32:30.527 --> 32:32.693 fight but some would say you know , we 32:32.693 --> 32:34.860 fight for democracy across the world . 32:34.860 --> 32:36.860 I would just like to know what your 32:36.860 --> 32:38.916 feelings are on your legacy and what 32:38.916 --> 32:41.980 you did on behalf of another nation . I 32:41.990 --> 32:45.820 feel then we have to protect 32:46.530 --> 32:49.880 Taiwan any other countries . 32:51.180 --> 32:52.270 It's helped us . 32:56.420 --> 32:58.370 We might not like it look 32:59.510 --> 33:03.460 like the withdrawal from Afghanistan 33:03.470 --> 33:06.020 that aggravated me no energy . 33:11.280 --> 33:14.290 I just can't straight up 33:16.000 --> 33:16.600 and 33:19.720 --> 33:23.310 we're getting by and fuel from Russia 33:23.320 --> 33:24.760 which is our enemy 33:27.030 --> 33:28.350 which we shouldn't be 33:31.030 --> 33:34.830 so I 33:34.840 --> 33:37.960 don't know I'm not much of a 33:37.970 --> 33:41.260 politician look 33:42.010 --> 33:45.940 like I said we have to protect Taiwan 33:46.990 --> 33:50.190 and Korea because the korean 33:50.200 --> 33:53.820 people , I went back to Korea For a 33:53.820 --> 33:56.050 revisit program two years ago 33:57.020 --> 34:00.860 and the paid half 34:00.870 --> 34:04.830 layer fair from all that in new york 34:05.750 --> 34:08.730 back and one 34:09.620 --> 34:12.880 we got over to Korea to create number , 34:12.970 --> 34:13.970 paid everything . 34:16.660 --> 34:20.340 We have a 34:20.350 --> 34:23.850 couple korean couple 34:24.020 --> 34:27.770 water restaurant . Just know where I 34:27.780 --> 34:31.610 lived . And when they found out that I 34:31.620 --> 34:33.787 had been in Korea , they just couldn't 34:33.787 --> 34:37.570 do enough for me . They move from 34:37.570 --> 34:40.720 there to new york and when they should 34:40.730 --> 34:44.630 my wife and I coming and going out 34:44.890 --> 34:47.560 and hold the door . Watch 34:50.030 --> 34:52.800 if all of these other countries that we 34:52.800 --> 34:56.440 have protected . Did the same thing 35:02.630 --> 35:03.741 any other questions 35:09.070 --> 35:12.920 afternoon sir . Um when 35:12.930 --> 35:15.550 the war broke public , what type of 35:15.560 --> 35:18.370 change did you see within you and the 35:18.380 --> 35:20.047 fellow marines ? As far as uh 35:20.047 --> 35:23.560 camaraderie ? Well , 35:24.920 --> 35:25.750 you know 35:32.630 --> 35:35.730 we and like a show we should try and 35:37.690 --> 35:41.060 division three , 35:42.270 --> 35:44.700 we were pretty sure where we was going . 35:46.250 --> 35:49.970 Uh There was no 35:50.310 --> 35:51.520 happy thoughts 35:56.180 --> 35:58.510 but we were prepared . 36:02.600 --> 36:04.780 We climbed down cargo nets 36:06.330 --> 36:07.890 into the landing craft . 36:10.900 --> 36:13.380 There will be no more . How much 36:14.830 --> 36:17.370 who was going to be able to make the 36:17.370 --> 36:21.120 landing without being here ? What 36:22.270 --> 36:23.320 We're ready . 36:28.520 --> 36:30.742 Any other questions from the , from the 36:30.742 --> 36:31.742 group ? 36:34.450 --> 36:37.820 Sorry , I have one question , is there 36:37.830 --> 36:41.660 a leader that you had in the marine 36:41.660 --> 36:44.510 corps that stands out And why is there 36:44.510 --> 36:46.980 a is there someone who is your leader 36:46.990 --> 36:50.820 that you remember and why ? 36:51.760 --> 36:55.250 I have a sergeant some joy 36:56.040 --> 36:57.470 that had been in mortars 37:00.000 --> 37:01.160 quite some time . 37:04.410 --> 37:07.950 He was really a 37:07.960 --> 37:11.250 person . Yeah , 37:12.030 --> 37:14.070 it was a forward observer . 37:16.460 --> 37:17.960 He was a squad leader 37:22.240 --> 37:24.330 and I have more respect for him 37:26.080 --> 37:29.610 even though you know , but he did . He 37:29.620 --> 37:31.960 got killed in Korea . 37:34.710 --> 37:36.140 I never respected him . 37:41.920 --> 37:42.800 There's also 37:46.800 --> 37:49.850 when he was in Korea and he worked his 37:49.860 --> 37:51.820 way up through the lakes 37:54.240 --> 37:57.570 became general and he's okay 37:58.450 --> 38:00.660 Virginia . Right . The first time 38:02.700 --> 38:04.470 piece . All well and good . 38:07.060 --> 38:10.650 Thank you for that . Can any other any 38:10.650 --> 38:14.480 other questions ? Yes , I want we don't 38:14.480 --> 38:17.140 know the phrase once a marine always a 38:17.140 --> 38:20.770 marine . Uh sometimes we have the site 38:20.780 --> 38:24.270 on january . So my question for you 38:24.270 --> 38:26.390 sir . Um 38:30.160 --> 38:31.870 what does mean ? 38:38.730 --> 38:39.730 Right , 38:42.330 --> 38:45.610 I mean for once a marine , always a 38:45.610 --> 38:48.350 marine . I think you were talking about 38:48.360 --> 38:50.960 that before too . When you're talking 38:50.960 --> 38:53.510 about the principles of 38:53.520 --> 38:57.310 discipline and standards that you've 38:57.320 --> 38:59.980 taken with you from the Marine Corps . 38:59.990 --> 39:02.310 I don't know . I don't want to answer 39:02.310 --> 39:05.300 the question for you . But I know that 39:05.310 --> 39:07.310 you know , once a marine , always a 39:07.310 --> 39:11.100 marine , a couple of things that 39:11.110 --> 39:14.040 come to mind or what is it that 39:14.040 --> 39:16.950 separates the marine corps from any 39:16.950 --> 39:19.240 other branch of service or any other 39:19.240 --> 39:21.930 profession , be it military or civilian 39:21.940 --> 39:23.510 discipline . 39:27.550 --> 39:29.950 Very much disappointed 39:31.130 --> 39:34.900 because you 39:34.900 --> 39:38.510 see soldiers lesser 39:38.520 --> 39:39.410 sold , 39:41.700 --> 39:45.220 but still they range 39:45.230 --> 39:48.170 there dressed right , 39:50.280 --> 39:51.840 get prepared 39:54.170 --> 39:57.820 and like they always are your range . 40:04.290 --> 40:07.340 No , I think that's a , you know , 40:08.100 --> 40:11.520 take me from my own experience um in 40:11.520 --> 40:13.742 Iraq where you know when you talk about 40:13.742 --> 40:15.964 discipline and how important discipline 40:15.964 --> 40:19.690 is , it separates marines from other 40:19.690 --> 40:23.530 services . I think that there's a , 40:23.540 --> 40:25.730 there's a misconception that when you 40:25.730 --> 40:27.786 get to combat , you don't have to be 40:27.786 --> 40:29.850 disciplined , you don't have to wear 40:29.850 --> 40:32.017 your uniform the right way . You don't 40:32.017 --> 40:34.239 have to do the things that you focus on 40:34.239 --> 40:36.461 a garrison . But what , what I found in 40:36.461 --> 40:38.850 Iraq was the exact opposite . That it's 40:38.850 --> 40:41.680 the discipline of making sure that you 40:41.680 --> 40:44.510 have dry socks on is the discipline of 40:44.520 --> 40:47.010 making sure that your canteens are 40:47.020 --> 40:49.131 filled with water before you step out 40:49.131 --> 40:51.620 on any patrol is the discipline of 40:51.630 --> 40:53.730 making sure that the patrol leader 40:53.740 --> 40:57.360 checks everybody before you leave for 40:57.360 --> 41:00.350 that patrol or for that operation . And 41:00.360 --> 41:04.090 that individual and discipline is 41:04.090 --> 41:06.710 actually even more important for all of 41:06.710 --> 41:09.000 those little things in combat than it 41:09.000 --> 41:12.240 ever is in Garrison . But it's 41:12.250 --> 41:15.890 those behaviors that you develop in 41:15.890 --> 41:18.100 garrison that enable you to be a 41:18.100 --> 41:20.830 successful leader , be a discipline 41:20.830 --> 41:23.410 leader when you're in combat . When 41:23.410 --> 41:26.130 it's very , very hard when you have 41:26.140 --> 41:29.000 again sub 30 degree temperatures , 41:29.010 --> 41:32.000 environmental conditions , the enemy , 41:32.010 --> 41:34.490 all casting a vote on whether or not 41:34.500 --> 41:36.556 you're gonna be disciplined and then 41:36.556 --> 41:38.730 having that discipline to be able to 41:38.730 --> 41:42.080 successfully carry out your mission , I 41:42.090 --> 41:42.610 had 41:48.190 --> 41:50.470 my store leader , 41:51.880 --> 41:55.780 he insisted to keep your 41:55.780 --> 41:59.590 socks dry ? So 41:59.600 --> 42:00.840 consequently 42:04.140 --> 42:04.990 if you could 42:09.600 --> 42:12.210 like maybe just take all your sleeping 42:12.220 --> 42:15.480 bag and put them on , that would be the 42:15.490 --> 42:18.020 way to keep your feet dry . 42:19.390 --> 42:22.930 What your 42:22.930 --> 42:26.600 squat playing your weapon , 42:27.350 --> 42:31.250 It's hard to keep your socks dry . 42:31.930 --> 42:32.580 Four 42:35.590 --> 42:38.930 long enough to put him 42:38.930 --> 42:42.890 on . Oh no , 42:44.290 --> 42:47.810 you're a ship toes 42:49.990 --> 42:53.300 are stiff . They've been gonna walk . 42:55.550 --> 42:58.820 Look , it's hard , I can't flex them . 43:00.230 --> 43:02.990 two years ago , out in Colorado , 43:05.280 --> 43:08.910 my son didn't know that . I couldn't 43:09.230 --> 43:11.990 bend my toes . He's dead . 43:13.570 --> 43:15.960 How come you ? Can ? I said , John , I 43:15.960 --> 43:17.904 said , I have met bill white toast 43:17.904 --> 43:21.140 since 1950 . I said , look at that . He 43:21.140 --> 43:23.910 said that that does it Carol . 43:26.770 --> 43:29.570 Well , certainly right now we've kind 43:29.570 --> 43:31.740 of been at it for , I guess almost 45 43:31.750 --> 43:33.861 minutes now and I wanna be respectful 43:33.861 --> 43:36.390 of your time . Uh anything else that 43:36.400 --> 43:38.733 you'd like to say to the , to the group ? 43:38.733 --> 43:41.630 I mean , you certainly uh can't thank 43:41.630 --> 43:43.686 you enough for taking the time to be 43:43.686 --> 43:45.908 here today and anything else you'd like 43:45.908 --> 43:49.820 to share with you and thank you , 43:53.170 --> 43:56.900 reach for being here and inviting me . 43:57.970 --> 44:01.300 It was the greatest daughter I've ever 44:01.300 --> 44:04.820 had . I'm gonna be back here , 44:05.570 --> 44:06.710 I presume . 44:18.500 --> 44:20.667 Sorry . Never . And I know that you've 44:20.667 --> 44:23.340 gotten a few little tokens , but here's 44:23.340 --> 44:27.200 a thank you so much for taking time 44:27.210 --> 44:29.099 from all your service ? Exactly . 44:30.880 --> 44:34.510 Thanks very much , really appreciate it . 44:35.710 --> 44:37.766 Are you enjoying your time here ? Of 44:37.766 --> 44:41.400 the Okay . I 44:41.510 --> 44:43.880 feel like I much .