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Co., 9th Regiment of the 2nd Division. The information we
received said they were all slaughtered in their sleeping bags.
Mr. Czuboka said the black soldiers, led by white officers, did
not dig slit trenches for protection. Those would not have been
much protection, since they are only about 8” wide, used for
latrines.
Perhaps he meant foxholes. Also, a full-strength rifle company
has 205 soldiers and officers, not 100. It appears that Mr. Czuboka
is confused on the facts, or received wrong information.
Tom Kittrell,
prwkittrell9932@cableone.net
“Remember This”
I could not believe my eyes when I saw the article, “Remember
This?” (Jan/Feb 2009, p.12). I served on Owen and I remember
that day.
Our operations always seemed to be around Wonson Harbor.
After we picked up the personnel with a small boat we retreated
from the harbor and out of harm’s way in order that a Marine
could be operated on.
ABOVE & RIGHT: Damage
caused to Owen by North
Korean shore batteries at
Wonsan.
BELOW:Joseph Madeline at
his GQ station aboard Owen
USS Owen (DD-536)
If my memory serves me right, the medical officer was a first
class corpsman we had on board. Everything worked out fine that
day, but on May 2, 1953 Owen was sent back into Wonson Harbor
in order to draw fire so that a small craft with refugees could
escape from the harbor.
On this day, about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Owen was hit.
Two Marines were still on board that day. They were working
with us because we would send small rubber boats ashore with
Marine demolitions guys. Their job was to scope out the coordinates
of railroads and send coordinates out to battleships, which
could then bombard them. Or, they would destroy the railroads
themselves.
I’m enclosing pictures of the USS Owen (DD-536) and the hit.
The hit was in the boatswain’s locker where there was coffee on
24/7. On this day, because we were at GQ, the boatswain’s locker
hatch was sealed, and no one was up there.
I was a radioman striker at that time, so I did not get an assignment
in radio quarters. My GQ station was at the turret of 40MM.
Joseph E. Madeline,
11348 Montevista Rd.,
Clermont, FL 34711
More French action
I read the article of your concern of the recognition of the
French “participation” in the Korean War. (See Nov/Dec 2008,
p.6) Then I read the “Feedback” letter by Sherman Pratt in the
Jan/Feb issue (Jan/Feb 2009, p. 62). He mentioned that the French
were a Battalion attached to the 23rd Reg. of the Second Division.
Both your article and Mr. Pratt’s follow-up mentioned action at
Chipyong-ni and Twin Tunnels. I would add to those actions.
They fought at the Punchbowl and played a great part in the
action on Heartbreak Ridge. They fought hard on Hill 931 and
linked up with Co. K, 23rd Regiment on Hill 851 to take the last
peak of Heartbreak Ridge.
Col. James Y. Adams, commander of the 23rd Reg., said of the
French, “Once they start, nothing can stop them.”
61
The Graybeards
May – June 2009