The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

.....................................................
Korean War Veterans of Texas
Bringing to a close the Korean War 50th Anniversary Commemoration at Walker
Plaza, Laredo, Texas. (Thank you Pete Trevino for photo and letter.)
Seated L-R: Pedro Trevino, Jr., Ed R. Sanchez, Richard K. Chamberlain, Jose Luis Munoz, David C.
Leyendecker, John M. McKeown, and Rene G. Dufresne. Standing First Row L-R: George E.
MacDonald, Antonio Ruiz, Jr., Sam Brewster, Sr., Mario Herrera, Reynaldo Reyna, Hector Castaneda,
Raymundo M. Barrera, Napoleon Hernandez, Arnoldo D. Gutierrez, Pedro Cantu, Jr., George Andrews,
Heriberto R. Gonzalez and Jesus M. Gonzalez. Standing Second Row L-R: Sgt. Major Command Luis
J. Landin, James V. Proffitt, Raymond S. York, Carlos Sandoval and Hector Garza. In attendance, but
missing from picture are Ricardo Garza and Frank Hugo McKinnis.
The Ladies: 1st Row (L to R ) Jan Pavell, Charlotte Boelsche, Bobbie Reeves. 2nd Row Estella Seymour,
Jama Bell, Marie McEniry, Veda Graves 3rd Row Ruth George, Pat Meredith, Doris Gray, Virginia Heiney.
4th Row Joanne Loose, Helen Tippett, Eileen Boehle, Colleen DiVacky, Sue Scott, Lila Fischl
E.O.D. at
Haeundae, Korea
By Jim Koukl
The following is a continuation to the
article that appeared in the November-
December 2001 issue, Page 55.
I receive each issue of the
“Graybeards” looking for names of those I
served with as a member of the 8th and
21st E.O.D, Squads (Explosive Ordinance
Disposal), more commonly known as
Bomb Disposal.
I was a
member of the
While this would 8th E.O.D.
become a diversion Squad in Seoul
from defusing unexploded
bombs our About noon
at that time.
major concern came
time headquarters
received
from the shells filled
word about the
with white phosphorus,...
the largest
explosions at
ammo dump in
Korea. Shortly
after that eight of us were boarding a plane
at Kimpo Airfield to be airlifted to Pusan
and then on to Haeundae. The eight of us
were from three different E.O.D, Squads.
I remember Neil Ciangi (8th Squad) and
Walt Koarsgard (24th Squad) being there
but my memory is fussy on the other five.
As the plane entered Pusan air space
the pilot circled the dump which was still
exploding so we could see what awaited
us.
By the end of that day tanks equipped
with blades had pushed over many stacks
of ammo and quiet followed.
The next morning we surveyed the
extent of the damage and realized that it
was not a welcome site. We decided to
work in two man teams and spread out
covering different areas. The explosions
had spread shells over a large area, not just
limited to the sections where ordinance
had been stored. We found mortar shells in
imbedded in the thatched roofs of Korean
Farm homes and in open fields. We used
the “Korean A-Frame” to carry shells out
of the fields to make shift roads and then
on to a single accumulation area.
While this would become a diversion
Continued on page 69
July/August, 2004 Page 37