Sep/Oct 2004 Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

got off the M.C. Meigs in Kobe, and boarded
a train for Itami Air Base, where we
were flown on R4Q “flying boxcars” to K-
6 in Pyongtek, Korea, as replacements for
Marine Air Group 12, 1st Marine Air
Wing. This base was the home of F4U
Corsairs and AD Skyraider fighter
bombers, which supported the 1st Marine
Division on the line.
Revenge Is Good For The
“Seoul”
Recollections of humor in Korea return
periodically as we grow older. In
September 1950, I was a platoon leader
with K Company 5th RCT when it broke
out of the Pusan Perimeter and slowly
fought its way north to Seoul. There, we
settled in a bivouac just north of the city as
we prepared to attack North Korea.
Some of the men had been on occupation
duty at the border with North Korea
the year before, and they knew Seoul well.
One day the company commander said to
me, “Some of us would like to visit old
friends in Seoul.” Then, he headed for
town with several platoon leaders and platoon
sergeants.
Before he left, he said to me, “lf the battalion
pulls out to attack North Korea, take
charge of the company, and we will catch
up with you later.” Fortunately, they came
back and joined the company before it
moved out.
Several months later, when we were
fleeing from the Chinese and withdrawing
through Seoul, our truck convoy traveled
through the city. One of the streets we took
passed through an area known to the “oldtimers”
as the 31st Circle, where some of
them had been “rolled.”
As we passed this area, I could hear
cheers from the back of the truck. The men
who had been “rolled” anticipated that the
Chinese would deal out revenge.
D. RANDALL BEIRNE, 5818 Meadowood
Road, Baltimore, MD 21212
I’ll Always Remember “Pappy”
Lanier—And I’d Love To Find
Him
I noticed with great interest the spread
on the 64th Tank Battalion in the July-
August issue. I particularly enjoyed the
photos of M/Sgt Charles (Pappy) Lanier.
On his return to the states after his tour
with the 64th in Korea, Pappy became the
platoon sergeant of a brand new second
lieutenant in the 509th Tank Battalion at
Fort Polk, LA—me. I consider myself very
lucky that Sgt Lanier was my mentor,
instructor, wise counsel, and friend, who
started me off very well in my military
career.
By fluke of chance, when I went to
Korea a year later, I was assigned to the
64th, and I heard some good stories about
Pappy there. Several years later, when I
was a reserve artillery battery commander
RIGHT: How the North Koreans
treated their prisoners
BELOW: How the U.S. treated its
prisoners
on two weeks duty at Fort Hood, I discovered
that Pappy was a first sergeant in a
regular unit there.
As always happens to reserves, when
we were trying to check out at the end of
the tour, we were short a few items of
property that had allegedly been issued to
us on arrival. I paid a visit to Pappy, who
called in his supply sergeant. Sure enough,
we were able to find all we needed. I will
always remember Pappy, and if he is still
alive I would love to hear from him.
COL. FRANK W. ELLIOTT, JA, USAR (RET),
Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law
1515 Commerce, Fort Worth, TX 76102 ,
(817) 212-3926, FAX (817) 212-3965
felliott@law.txwes.edu
Chaplains And Cooler Heads
Prevail
I wish to add a short PS to your excellent
“Remembering our Korean War
Chaplains” article in the May/June and
June/July 2004 issues. Chaplain Smith, our
post chaplain at the HQ 24th Infantry
Division at Kokura, Japan, embarked to
Taejon, Korea, with the division. MajGen
William Dean, who had recently replaced
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The Graybeards September - October 2004