The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

Nov.-Dec. 2000 issue, page 55. I was one of the two ambulance
drivers for 3rd Bn. 1st Regt., 1st Marine Div. from Sept. 1951 to
May 1952 when I rotated home. I have pictures of some of the
same sites Dr. Lathum submitted. I would be extremely grateful
to have the good Doctors address and phone number. Perhaps he
would then contact me when he sees this message. I’ve stayed in
touch with the other Marine driver of that period. I’m sure John
Woods will also be anxious to renew this friendship. Contact
S Douglas VanDyke, 1714 Bunker Hill Rd., S. Salem, OR 97306
Tel: 503-581-1911
I remember that bridge
Upon reading the Nov.-Dec. 2000 issue of The Graybeards
magazine, I came across a picture on page 37 of a pontoon bridge
spanning the Han River being demolished. The picture was dated
4 January, 1951, and on that day I was piloting a US Navy helicopter
involved in assisting some wounded British Centurian tank
soldiers. The soldiers’ position had been overrun the previous
night several miles north of Seoul. Margarette Higgins, a war correspondent,
was present during the recovery of the British soldiers
and wrote an extensive account of their rescue as well as photos
of the event. We were about a mile west of the pontoon bridge
attending to the British soldiers when a jeep pulled up to the tent
we were in and asked if we could render any assistance in rescuing
two US soldiers out on the Han River. Apparently the soldiers
were stationed on the north shore of the Han River and were to
withdraw across the bridge when the Chinese came into view.
When the Chinese army appeared, the two soldiers came running
onto the bridge. The demolition crew, thinking that they were
Chinese troops, detonated the bridge, severely injuring the
American soldiers.
We flew our helicopter out to their position. The most seriously
injured soldier was lying on his back on an ice flow with his
winter clothes tightly frozen to the ice and surrounded by a pool
of blood. He was still conscious, however, and was able to
maneuver himself into the helicopter sling. The noise of the helicopter
rotors was deafening, but even over all that we could hear
the sound of this soldier’s body being ripped free of the ice. We
carried him to the south bank of the river where the medics took
over. On our second trip, we recovered the other injured soldier.
He had lost the use of his left arm, but slipped his right leg into
the helicopter sling and holding on with his good right arm, was
able to be rescued.
An injured 8 or 9 year old Korean boy had also been thrown
off the bridge with the soldiers. The Korean civilians were very
concerned that we were going to abandon him and not attempt to
retrieve him. We assured them that we were going back to pick
him up, which we did. We received many bows of thanks when
we carried him to safety. As freezing as it was outside, the civilians
stripped the young boy of all his wet clothes and quickly
redressed him.
I often wondered how the two injured soldiers made out, especially
the one who was literally frozen to the ice. If anyone has
any recollections or comments to the events described here, I
would appreciate hearing from them. Contact Robert E. Felten,
1356 Sycamore Road, Virginia Beach, Va. 23452-6025
She is still a pin-up in my locker
Seeing the picture of Harley Coon, and Actress Terry Moore,
on page 32 of. Vol. 14, No. 4 July-August 2000 Graybeards, I
thought our Association members would like to see another picture
of her.
The picture of Terry Moore and me was taken at our Glendale
High School (Calif.) Class of 1947, 50th. year Class Reunion,
Oct. 1997. I have known her all my life.
Her parents and my parents were neighbors when we were just
pre-school age. We both grew up in Glendale, Calif. Her real
The picture of Terry Moore and I was taken at our Glendale High School
(Calif.) Class of 1947, 50th. year Class Reunion, Oct. 1997. I have known
her all my life.
name is Helen Koford, Rivers is her last name now.
Helen, was very popular in High School, but we never dated
....darnit. I do know her well enough to give her a hug and a kiss.
If you can take your eyes off of Helen and look at me, I have not
changed over the three years since this picture was taken, and I
can still get into my old Army uniform one that was issued to me
in 1952. Ill be wearing it on Veterans Day.
Clarence A. “Bud” Collette 5th. R.C.T. Korea 1951-52. P.S.
Helen will be 72 on Jan. 1, 2001, but don’t tell her I said so.
(Sorry Bud but we can still add and subtract. You told Helen’s
(Terry Moore) age when you gave her school reunion year. She
sure looks great and at least 25 years younger.)
My Grandfathers War
I interviewed my Grandfather Louis La Falce. My grandfather
was on a ship USS Henley DD 762, but for the landlubbers it was
called the Destroyer. My grandfather was on this ship from May
of 1952 to August of 1954.
When he was sent over to Korea, things were pretty normal,
but no one had any idea of what would happen, It was his job in
Korea to be on hand in case something happened. His ship trav-
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The Graybeards