gray06 Nov-Dec 2009_Gray01_Jan-Feb 2005.qxd.qxd - Korean War ...

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Korean dancers and
drummers perform at St.
Robert Community
Center
The Guest Speaker was Colonel Tommy Mize, Commander of the 1st
Engineering Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood.
Forrest O’Neal, Commander of Ch 281, who was with the 1st Marine
Division in Korea in 1950, also addressed the gathering and thanked
Ms. Catlin and the Korean community for including our chapter in their
annual Chuseok celebration.
The evening included a 6 p.m. dinner, a raffle drawing, and entertainment
that consisted of a variety of Korean dancers and musicians.
The food and entertainment were excellent.
Roger Lueckenhoff, 208 Steeplechase Road, Rolla, MO 65401,
(573) 364-4145, lueck@fidnet.com
“Komapsumnida”—Thanks enough
One of the most touching experiences of my life happened in
Washington, DC on May 13, 2009. My wife Marilynn and I were visiting
the Lincoln Memorial about 1 p.m., (all right then, 1300 hours). I
had on my Korean Veteran cap, because we were going to visit the
Vietnam, WW2, and Korean War Memorials as soon as we were
through with the Lincoln Memorial.
A middle-aged Oriental woman stopped me and bowed low, saying
“Komapsumnida” (ko-mop-sum-ne-dah) several times. (The word in
Korean means “Thank you very much.” It is also used to give someone
appreciation or praise for something that they received. ) I had not
heard this phrase used in about 55 years, but I remembered its meaning.
I said “Thank you, Mama san,” and she continued to speak to me in
Korean.
She spoke no English, but was accompanied by her son, Seonjik,
Jang, who was about 30 years old
and spoke fairly good English. He
was very polite to me. So, he became
our interpreter.
He said his mother wanted to know
where in Korea I had been during the
war. I told him I had been with the First
Marine Division, starting on October
4th 1952, covering the Western Front
from the northern tip of the Kimpo
Peninsula at the start of the Han River,
which was manned by the KMC
(Korean Marine Corps Regiment).
From that point, I told him, our lines
ran east about 30 miles, ending near the
“Hook.” His mother wanted to know what cities
I had been in, as she couldn’t relate to “east to
the hook.” I told him Inchon and Munsan-ni
(about 25 miles north of Seoul), which was
located about 7 miles south of Panmunjom.
Munsan-ni is now known as just Munsan. I had
also been to Inchon, and Seoul.
Our main objective was to guard the valley to
the capital, Seoul. They understood a little better.
I told her we used the word “komapsumnida “
often to thank the Korean laborers who assisted us in building
bunkers on our “outposts,“ haul all sorts of supplies, and help in the
digging of trenches or the laying of barbed wire. They had done a
great job for all the UN Forces.
In most cases these laborers were the fathers of the sons who were
fighting the enemy in the South Korean Divisions (ROK) as part of the
UN Forces.
This woman’s son told me she was born in January 1953, just 6
months before the war ended on July 27th, and she felt that without
our help she may never have been born. She was so humble that it
affected me in a way that I will never forget. She couldn’t thank me
enough for my wartime service in helping her people. She was so
humble and gracious that I actually choked up. Her only reason for
stopping me was to acknowledge her gratitude for my service to her
country.
When we parted she took my left hand between her two hands and
repeated “komapsumnida.“ Then she bowed down. I did the same. At
November – December 2009
The Graybeards