Vote! Vote! Vote! - Korean War Veterans Association

My outfit was the 79th Engineer Construction Battalion, Hq
& Hq Co. 24th Engineer Construction Group. I was in Korea
from the 1st of July, 1953 to Aug. 1954. We were billeted in 1 of
3 buildings that used to be Seoul City College, a few miles north
of the city.
John Gingery, 560 Spring Street, Struthers, OH 44471,
(330) 755-8810, jgingery22@msn.com
The only asphalt road out of Seoul
The bridge in the Sept/Oct 2007 “Mystery Photos” was the
Han River Bridge from Seoul to Inchon and Yong Dong Po. It
was the only asphalt road out of Seoul, at least when I was there
in 1948-50, and it headed south. It was blown in 1950.
The building in the middle photo was the Seoul Railroad
Terminal, which was badly damaged in 1950. I saw it in
September 1950 as we headed north. It was badly damaged then.
I was in the 24th Div., 3rd Eng. Bn., Co. B, in 1948-49. We
were re-designated as the 5th RCT on 1 January 1949, then
transferred to Hawaii. In May-June 1949 we became the 72nd
Eng. (C) Co.
MajGen James A. Johnson, 11000 Henderson Road
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
Train Wreck Mystery Photo
The train wreck pictured in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue, p. 68,
occurred on September 15, 1952 near the road between Inchon
and Yong Dun Po, close to the 45th Inf. Div. Thirteen people
were killed, and fifty were injured. They were mostly school
children.
I was with H.Q., 931 EAG, which was about a mile or two to
the west. I happened to be going by shortly after the wreck
occurred, and took some pictures.
William H. Showell, 35266 Unit 1 Fisherman’s Road,
White House Beach, Long Neck, DE 19966
From the Hudson to the Yalu: A recommended
book
Train wreck on September 15, 1952 near the road between Inchon and
Yong Dun Po, close to the 45th Inf. Div.
I served with the 7th Logistical Command in Taegu, Korea
from January, 1962 to March, 1964. I reported to the SGS at the
time, Major Harry J. Maihafer, who in turn reported to the Camp
Henry base commander, General Henry K. Bentson, and later
General Robert E. Peters. Of course, we were servicing the
Eighth US Army out of Seoul.
As a 21-year-old PFC, SPEC5 by the time I left Korea, I
knew little of all that was around me. I did know I had drawn a
very special assignment. What I never knew, until just last year,
was that my immediate superior, Major Maihafer, had been in
Korea once before; unfortunately it was right after he left the
USMA in 1949. They called this class the 49ers…….and most
of them ended up in Korea as very raw 2nd Lieutenants. They
were, in effect, as green as grass.
My boss went to Korea as an armored officer, wound up leading
an infantry platoon, received a silver star from General
Omar Bradley along the way and, in 1962, got to do it all over
again…….only with nobody shooting at him.
In 1993 he decided to write a book, using his own story as a
narrative framework for his chronicle of the Korean War
years. He really does bring the big picture to life by means of
vivid stories of the “forgotten war” told by men who knew it
face to face at the junior officer level. The title? What else but
From the Hudson to the Yalu.
Harry J. Maihafer retired from the Army as a colonel and
became a full-time freelance writer. His articles have appeared
in the Wall Street Journal, Military History, Army, Military
Review, and the Naval Institute Proceedings. Unfortunately,
Colonel Maihafer passed away just a few years ago. When I
found his book, inadvertently, on the internet, I noted that the
dust cover indicated he resided in Nashville, just down the road
from me.
I immediately called, but found out through his widow that he
had passed away. I was very saddened as I thought I was going
to have the opportunity to visit my C.O. of so many years ago.
This is an outstanding book that should be of interest to anyone
who has an interest in the Korean War, particularly those of
us who served there. The book was published by the Texas A&M
University Press, College Station, Texas. ISBN 0-89096-554-4.
It is Texas A&M University military history series; 31.
DS921.6.M35. It can be found easily on the internet through
Texas A&M, or by just inputting “Harry J. Maihafer.”
Monte B. Pepperell, 167 Greenwood Rd.
Crossville, TN 38558, phylmont@frontiernet.net
It’s an honor to tend the grave
Thank you for putting my article “A Christmas Visit to a
Departed Comrade” in the Jan/Feb (p.8) issue of The
Graybeards. I am sure that Mr. Bricchi, the gentleman who
requested me to tend to his friend’s grave, appreciated it very
much.
I will indeed see to it that John Parry’s grave will continue to
be tended to. As you said, it s not a job, but an honor to do so.
Larry Busini, Central Long Island Chapter #64
80 Rhoda Avenue, North Babylon, NY 11703
Remains of Pfc. Elwood D. Reynolds located
I want to tell you about Pfc. Elwood D. Reynolds. You will
recall that you featured his brick in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue (p.
32). They have found his remains.
His family was visited this past week by a representative who
told them his remains are still in the forensic lab in Hawaii. They
will be flown to Greensboro, NC in the near future, where they
will be received by a local funeral home.
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The Graybeards March-April 2008