Last Chance to W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser Information ...

The Role of the Signal Corps
By Bill Marshall
Ihave been reading The Graybeards for a
long time. I have never read anything
about the Signal Corps and the communications
support they provided during the
Korean War.
While in Korea in 1952, I was in the
Radio Section of the Signal Corps and a
Radio Operator in the 40th Infantry Division
commanded by General Daniel H.
Huddleson. To help you better understand
the makeup and duties of the Corps, made
up of highly trained specialists, we consisted
of:
• Message Center: Processed messages to
and from Division Headquarters.
• Telephone Lineman: Laid wire, put in
poles, and installed phones.
• Radio Repair: Kept all equipment operating.
• Photography Section: Provided map
overlays of the terrain.
• Radio Operators: Coded and decoded
priority messages for Division Headquarters
and the General’s staff, sent by Morse code.
Because of the mountainous terrain,
many of the radios normally used were not
powerful enough to get through. The Signal
Corps used much stronger radios and, with
the proper antennas, was able to do the job.
There were many other Divisions with
Signal Corps in the country, but I can only
speak for mine. Every unit played an essential
part with the Division Headquarters and
the General’s staff.
The Signal Corps would assign four- or
five-man radio teams and radio trucks on
TDY to various units within the Division to
assist them with their communications. The
operators were able to provide air strikes,
artillery support, medical help and orders to
and from Headquarters or between units.
The radios were monitored 24 hours a day,
and a signal check was made every hour
with Division Headquarters Company.
In May, June and July, I was a Sergeant
First Class on a radio team assigned to the
40th Tank Battalion, “A” Company in the
Kumwha Valley. The tanks went on a tank
shoot two or three times a week and our
radio truck went with them. They would fire
a certain amount of rounds and return.
On Friday the 13th, while on a tank
shoot, the Chinese were waiting for us and
all hell broke loose. We lost 6 tanks in 12
minutes due to land mines, artillery and
mortar fire. Six were killed and many were
wounded.
The company commander jumped into
our radio truck and requested a napalm drop
on a certain hill, artillery support, and all
available ambulances. Our radio team at the
air base patched me through to the pilots of
three jets flying overhead and the company
commander directed them to the hill for the
drop. I’ll never forget one pilot’s call sign—
“Bingo.”
The artillery support and 12 ambulances
were a most welcome sight when they
arrived. Our radio team then assisted in
removing the wounded from their tanks. It
was not pretty. Many of them were in shock.
For our help, the tankers showed their
appreciation the next morning when we
lined up for breakfast. They shouted, “Radio
Sgt. Bill Marshall protects
“Amorous Annie,’
one of 40th Tank Bn.,
A Co.’s tanks
Sgt. Bill Marshall at Camp Cook, CA
Operators to the front of the line!” I’ll
always remember that. I heard later that the
tank company “A” got a well-deserved citation
for this battle.
Another incident with the 40th Recon
Company occurred just before the spring
thaw when they moved to a new location.
When it started to thaw, several of their
tanks and trucks were damaged from land
mines.
The company commander ordered all
movement stopped. He went to one of our
radio teams assigned to them and requested
them to contact a Mine Detector Team to
check the area. Within hours a team was
there checking, and discovered that they
were in a minefield.
If any of you tankers out there are reading
this, I’m sure you can relate to it. I salute
you and our Radio 1st Lt. Frank Gaillard for
a job well done.
I hope this offers a clear description of
how the Signal Corps operated and the services
it provided during the war.
In closing, I say “Hi” to “Bingo.” He’s
probably grounded by now.
I welcome all correspondence.
Bill Marshall, 22928 Gaukler, St. Clair
Shores, MI 48080, (586) 778-5570
63
The Graybeards July - August 2009