Sep/Oct 2005 - Korean War Veterans Association

Anything But Jolly On Christmas Hill
THANK YOU from page 19
The 25th of June seems a good time to say
thank you to all those who sacrificed to
defeat the Communist takeover of South
Korea. 55 years ago we committed to keeping
South Korea free. Many lives and injuries
later, they are still free from Communist rule.
Our unit was the 607th AC&W Sqdn. of the
5th AF, 502 TCG. We came from Georgia in
September 1950 to give radar and radio
cover for the troops. We moved up and down
the peninsula and had a site in Pyongyang
until the Dec 1950 evacuation to the South.
Sitting on the hills and mountains to watch
for enemy air traffic and control U.N. air
activity, we were like sitting ducks for air
attack or ground assault.
It is appropriate to say a big thank you to all
those who kept us safe and cared for on
those radar sites. The infantry kept the
enemy away, and supply personnel gave us
what we needed to survive away from towns
and villages, through fierce winters and
summer storms. The medics kept us well
and made sure our water was safe to drink,
while our cooks managed to prepare the best
meals possible.
So many support personnel will never get
full recognition for the excellent service they
gave to our units because their duties were
taken for granted. I wish more stories, e.g.,
the one about the graves and registration personnel,
will be told about how they managed
to deliver the goods under such adverse conditions.
I thank you all for taking care of us so we
could accomplish our mission. You all did a
great job for us in accomplishing your missions.
John M. Quinn, 607th, later 6132nd
AC&W Sq., Korea 9-50 to 3-52
54
Looking into the MunDung-Ni
Valley
The photo above shows the 179th
Regt., 45th Inf. Div. emplaced
on Heartbreak Ridge, looking
north to the Chinese and down into the
MunDung-Ni Valley, where field glasses
can spot over 15 destroyed US tanks.
(Both photos were taken on Heartbreak
Ridge.) The valley was a death trap for
US troops and armor trying to force
their way north; the Chinese at the high
positions had the whole valley zeroed
in.
The Chinese launched their last big
offensive in July to the west of this
scene at Christmas Hill, of which several
of us wrote a book titled Christmas
in July. We held our positions despite
severe casualties.
Evacuating casualties from
Christmas Hill was a problem. It was a
½ -mile litter carry from aid station to
Jeep trail, and then onto the Bell
“MASH” helicopters. I walked that 1/2
mile several times, and Bill Oelkers
was a litter carrier on that grueling
walk.
Damned little of anything
green survived on
Heartbreak, but nothing
green survived Outpost
Queen. Trees and bushes
can’t duck.
The 2nd BN of 180th had over 55%
casualties from July 1-18, when they
were relieved by the 1st BN of 179th.
The 179th, in turn, had high casualties
from July 18th to the 27th, when the
cease fire was declared.
The Christmas Hill Aid Station was
up near the top of Outpost Queen
where no Jeep could possibly go.
Damned little of anything green survived
on Heartbreak, but nothing green
survived Outpost Queen. Trees and
bushes can’t duck.
This was one of the last big forgotten
battles of the Forgotten War. The
other was on the western
front, with the 7th
Division at “Pork Chop
Hill.”
Wayne Pelkey
45th Division casualties
being evacuated from
Christmas Hill in July 1953.
Battalion surgeon Dr. Bob
Shorr is to right of the litter
Jeep.
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news for publication in “The
Graybeards” should be mailed
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View Dr., Rocky Hill, CT 06067
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September - October 2005
The Graybeards