The Graybeards - Korean War Veterans Association

manner which Wilkins, the senior officer, had no inclination to
question. “Let’s take stock of what we’ve got,” Koelsch said.
In minutes they had an inventory: two carbines with ammo, a
loaded .38 caliber pistol, two half canteens of water, a small flask
of brandy, a signaling mirror, six flares, and one candy bar.
“Not much,” Koelsch admitted, “but we can make it.” Then he
laughed. “Why don’t we introduce ourselves.”
Koelsch then offered a plan of escape. “We’ll head for the sea
where we can look for a boat. Once we get to sea we’ll be picked
up by a rescue boat,” he said optimistically.
Under Koelsch’s guidance the three began their trek to the
coast. In their way lay several mountain ranges and a whole lot of
North Korean soldiers and civilians. Traveling only at night, hiding
frequently from enemy patrols and possible civilian informers,
the trio wandered in a general eastward direction for nine days.
They collected water from mountain pools; their only food came
from potatoes dug surreptitiously from peasant fields. Wilkins’s
burns festered and became infected. Koelsch tended them by using
the brandy to wash the wounds and his own clothing to make
bandages. When the brandy ran out, Koelsch used rainwater to
bathe the burns.
On the ninth day they topped a wooded crest and came face-toface
with the sea. They moved to cover and studied the area. A
two-lane dirt road ran north and south a few hundred yards inland.
A string of peasant huts was scattered along both sides of it. The
three discussed what to do. It didn’t take long to reach a decision;
they were in the midst of the third day of a driving rainstorm. They
wanted to find shelter until they could steal a boat and head out to
sea.
As soon as darkness fell they dashed down the hill and into the
nearest hut. Once inside, they posted a one-man guard while the
others slept, stripped of their wet clothes.
While Koelsch stood watch early the next morning, a North
Korean patrol stumbled upon the trio. The Americans tried to
escape but a burst of submachine-gun fire from one of the
Koreans, and their weak condition, quickly brought them to a halt.
Tied together with commo (communications) wire, the three
were marched north through several villages where the peasants
taunted them. Finally, they arrived at a local police headquarters.
They received a bowl of rice and some tea, their first decent meal
in ten days.
A high-ranking North Korean officer appeared and began interrogating
the captives in Korean. Koelsch ignored his chattering
and walked to the large desk where the officer had seated himself.
He pounded his fist on the desktop three or four times and shouted,
“Look!” Turning, he walked to Wilkins and pulled up his pant
leg, revealing the maggot-infested burns.
“Medicine!” Koelsch yelled. “He needs medicine.”
The enemy officer glared at Koelsch for a minute, then shouted
a series of orders to the guards in the room. Within minutes
Wilkins was being escorted away. He said to the navy pilot as he
was led off, “See you in the morning, Jack.”
“Right,” said Koelsch. “They’ll put us on a truck in the morning
and take us north.”
Both were wrong. Wilkins never saw Koelsch again. Then a
few days later Koelsch and Neal were separated.
Wilkins, who never did receive medical attention, and Neal
both survived the horrible ordeal of the North Korean POW camp.
Koelsch did not. He died on October 16, 1951, of malnutrition.
After the war, when the facts of Koelsch’s heroic rescue
attempt of Wilkins and his stubborn resistance to his captors
became known, the secretary of the navy announced that his conduct
in prison camp had set an inspiring example for other POWs.
Koelsch repeatedly shared his meager rations with those sicker
than him. He constantly defied the North Korean guards by
demanding proper treatment for the prisoners under the accords of
the Geneva Convention. He stubbornly refused to provide any
information beyond his name, rank, and serial number and resisted
the daily propaganda sessions.
Not only did John Koelsch’s heroism on July 3, 1951, result in
his being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August
3, 1955, but his resistance in the POW camp served as the basis
for the Code of Conduct, the set of standards adopted by the military
in 1955 to guide all Americans captured by an enemy.
(It was difficult to pick one hero and tell his actions but due to
space I had to select one. I think it is obvious why I picked this one.
He not only saved others in is duty but he had a chance to go
home. He elected to save more of his brothers. Then to spend his
last days as a POW and to be defiant to his captors is way above
and beyond. We all will remember you John Koelsch.)
RENSSELAER COUNTY HEROES
KOREAN WAR
This 230 page, hard cover book, contains the
names and biographies of the 22 “American
Heroes” from Rensselaer County New York, who
made the Supreme Sacrifice during the Korean
War.
Sections of the book that should be of interest
to all veterans and the general public are:
✯ A brief account of the Korean War;
✯ a Chapter on Korean War Memorials;
✯ a Chapter on Flag Etiquette; and
✯ Maps of North and South Korea showing the
location of major battles.
The appendix contains a historical narrative of
some of the important dates relative to the
Korean War, the Flag Code, copies of some news
articles of the 1950s’, statistics on battle casualties
and other matters which may be useful as a
reference
The price of the book is $15.00 (including postage
and handling) in the United States. Please send
check or money order made payable to:
NENY Chapter KWVA
Mail to: Tom Flavin, 33 Paul Street, E.
Greenbush NY 12061-1006.
July/August, 2001 Page 55