The Graybeards - Korean War Veterans Association

“No thank you, sir.”
Now it was Crump who lost all color. He asked for an explanation.
How could this kid turn down such an incredible offer
from the most powerful producer in Hollywood? And how the
hell was he supposed to tell Walls?
At first Ricardo skirted the question, simply saying that it was
time to get back and they didn’t really need him here to make the
movie, even though his part was a pivotal one. Crump could see
that it was something else, and finally pried it out of the boy.
Why did he want his character killed ahead of schedule? Why
was he turning down once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to go back
and fight in a war that would be over in a matter of days now?
Why had he nagged the director from day one to get back to the
mud and the digging and the fighting and the dying?
Why?
Ricardo’s voice was low and husky. After an eternity, he
raised his head up and looked the director in the eye. He had to
go back. Crump had to let him go back. The director was angry
now. Was the kid a martyr? Why was he beating a dead horse?
Richard’s explanation would do little to quell his angst and frustration
with this off young man.
He told Crump that the men at the front were under his command.
There was no hiding the tenderness he felt toward those
men, or the responsibility. He pleaded with the director to let him
go back and help his friends in this final battle he knew was
brewing on Pork Chop. That was infinitely more important to
him than a movie. The respect and safety of his fellahs meant so
much more. He could not bear the thought of them up there fighting
and dying while he was back in a safety zone being treated
like royalty. It was not right.
Crump and Carrasco argued for the next hour. The director
finally gave up and dismissed the private. He wired back to Hal
Wallis that his offer had been declined. Wallis was furious. He’d
never been turned down before, especially by a punk kid on some
glory kick! But after he calmed down, he decided that since the
war was going to be over soon, he’d give the boy a chance to
serve his country and fulfill his sense of obligation, then he’d
bring him home and make him Audy Murphy. That’s what he
would do ...except he never had the chance.
The young, lone private continued to ask the director to kill
him off, in spite of that scene being about two weeks away.
Crump finally gave up. They began shooting his death scene that
same week, and finished the close-ups on the morning of July 6.
Ricardo had been enormously relieved when he’d learned that
the Chinese had not yet made the rumored attack on Pork Chop,
but he knew his luck would not hold for long. So that very afternoon
he insisted on going back. Fellow actor Otis Wright drove
the jeep, cussing Ricardo out the whole way for being a “damned
fool.” But Ricardo was quiet, only smiling or nodding his head,
occasionally speaking of his mother. They arrived in the late
afternoon, Ricardo turned to wave goodbye over his shoulder.
His “luck” had held, he was back with his men before the final
assault. He let out a sigh of relief. He’d made it back in time ...but
barely.
After darkness fell, Chinese Communist Forces began the
final attack on Pork Chop Hill. It was brutal, and the cost for it
would be high. So high, in fact, leaders made a moral decision to
pull off on July 10, only four days later. It would not be in time
for Ricardo. At about 11:30 that night of July 6, a scant nine
hours after wrapping up his movie death, a mortar took out the
left side of his head, wrapping up his life. Not many men can say
they died twice in one day, Ricardo can.
(Story sent in by Gen. Ray Davis USMC (Ret) MOH. Resa
Kirkland sent a letter to your editor a few years ago along with
the film. We did an article in a past issue and tried to help her get
the movie re-shown. Sad to say we did not succeed but I understand
that it was shown on one of our cable stations. We are
proud to print this special story. Thank you Gen. Davis and Resa
for remembering a special hero.)
My Proud Family
My family had many people in the Korean War. I wonder if
any other family had a greater representation. In 1950 & 1951
My Father Maj/Gen Crump Garvin was Commander of The Port
of Pusan; My brother 1st Lt Daniel T. Garvin was a motor pool
officer with an A/F fighter unit with various stations in Korea. He
was run out of Pyongyang when the Chinese came in . I (1st Lt
Ford M. Garvin ) flew with Combat Cargo out of Ashiya, Japan
in 1950 and flew with the 3rd Bomb Wing out of Iwikuni, Japan
and Kunsan, Korea in 1951. My 1st cousin Capt. David Fitton
flew F-86’s with the first group to come from the States. Another
cousin 1st Lt. Skipper Beaty was an army officer running train
loads of prisoners from Seoul to the POW camps in the Pusan
area . Still another cousin Maj. George Crump III was an artillery
officer but I am not sure what unit he was with. There were also
two distant cousins in an Arkansas National Guard Artillery outfit.
Later at the end of the war my brother-in-law Maj. George
Handley commanded the Aviation Unit with the 7th Division. In
the early days my mother lived in Yokohama and in addition to
running a Family R&R center in her home worked full time in the
hospital processing wounded troops as a volunteer.
Ford M. Garvin
1453 Patriot Dr.
Melbourne, FL. 32940
The Korean War remembered
By Andy Stephens Staff Writer, ‘Tinker Take-Off’ (A paper published at
Tinker AFB for Air Force Personnel, forwarded by permission of the paper)
Veterans’ organizations and state military leaders hosted the
50th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War with a special
ceremony at the Oklahoma Historical Society June 25. Tinker
Installation Commander Maj. Gen. Charles L. Johnson II shared
his thoughts on the war during the ceremony.
“The Korean War has been called ‘The Forgotten War,’ said
the General. “Well, not any longer. The commemoration period
begins today and continues through November 11, 2003. During
this time, communities in every state will host events and activities
to thank and honor Korean War veterans and their families.”
Heavy rains did not dampen the spirits of veterans in the audience
who stood proud as the national anthem opened the event.
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