24 60th Anniversary Memories Imjin and the MLR and subsequent DMZ. There was one working alternate one-way bridge, as I recall. One half was destroyed in a defensive move in 1951-52. Allen Affolter, 514 S. Franklin St., New Ulm, MN 56073, (507) 354-2328, bev_allen7@hotmail.com I learned discipline On June 25, 1950, I was driving from my grandmother’s funeral in Washington State to my home in Houston, Texas, along with my father and mother. Although I was already a member of the Naval Reserve, I don’t remember thinking at the time that the North <strong>Korean</strong> invasion would involve me. However, I was in favor of UN/U.S. intervention in the war. I did know where Korea was, and my most significant memory of being there is the depression I suffered from six uninterrupted weeks aboard my ship on the line off North Korea. I am ashamed of that reaction. While so many men were going through hell on shore, I had a warm bunk to sleep in and three square meals every day. I was a self -centered young man who didn’t appreciate how good he had it. In retrospect, I don’t think I made such a great personal investment. But, as the years have passed, I have understood more and more how my years on active duty in the Navy have contributed to my personal character. While I didn’t appreciate it at the time, I learned discipline and I learned that I was not the center of the universe. So, as I look back I am grateful for that experience. I am not happy to know that the same evil governments are still in charge in North Korea and China. I hope to live long enough to see Korea united in freedom and in a representative government. Thomas Fife, 224 Ridgeview Dr., Gray, TN 37615 Another Homeward Bound Story!! It took one ship and two oceans to get me home from Korea! My tour of duty was finally over, so I was told to report to the Port of Inchon for the return trip home!! As always in the military, things didn’t go as planned. After several days a “Liberty” ship made port. Rumor had it that it was a “Banana Boat”—whatever that meant. I was soon to find out. The ship was scheduled to be mothballed at the Brooklyn Navy yard after disembarking troops at various ports of call. After fourteen months in Korea, Honolulu, Hawaii, our first port of call, was a beautiful contrast. We were given five hours of shore leave. The first thing we did was head to a restaurant for a big steak dinner and a cold glass of real milk! There was a long line at the restaurant. But, when those in the line found out that we only had a short time off ship, they moved us to the head of the line. Since this was during their “Aloha Week,” we all returned with several leis around our necks. We were told that if we threw our leis overboard and they drifted back to the islands it meant we would return one day. (Little did we realize the wake of the ship probably would make it appear that the leis were drifting back.) The ship’s crew distributed a daily progress bulletin. Soon after we left Hawaii, it listed our next ports of call as the Panama Canal; Cartagena, Columbia; San Juan, Puerto Rico, and finally New York Harbor. We were restricted to the Canal Zone because there was unrest in Panama at that time. However, we were allowed to purchase from vendors, who set up refreshment stands within sight of the ship. We then got back on the ship for the slow trip through the canal into the Atlantic Ocean. There was a strong storm as we neared New York, so they kept us out to sea one more day. The morning of our 33rd day in transit, we sailed past the Statue of Liberty and docked at the Port of New York—on <strong>Veterans</strong> Day, November 11, 1953. Do you think this might have been planned? At last, it was our turn to be greeted by a crowd of people and a military band on the dock. We were hustled off the ship and onto buses that took us directly to Grand Central Station to catch our trains. In my case it was to Fort Sheridan near Chicago. It took me some time to get my land legs back. (I have always wondered if I should have earned Navy pay for this trip!!) Cpl. Robert E. Shelton, 351st Com Recon, Army Security Agency (’51-’53), Detroit, MI), 109 White Hawk Way, Kingsport, TN 37663-3068, 423-239-9778, cshelton37663@yahoo.com September – October 2010 The <strong>Graybeards</strong>
25 The <strong>Graybeards</strong> September – October 2010
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