Christmas In Korea

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DMZ Era Messages posted to this BBS:

Entry Name	Last Message
RICHARD LA CHAPELLE	October 31, 2017
JOSEPH CURTIN	August 11, 2017
JOSEPH CURTIN	August 11, 2017
JAMES MAZOUR	April 3, 2014
EDWARD HAAS	December 30, 2013
FRANK BRADLEY	January 6, 2013
FRANK CSSILLAS	November 19, 2012
CLARENCE SMITH, SFC USA (RET)	February 13, 2004
RICH WESTON	July 16, 2003
J. ROBINSON	June 29, 2003
RAY M. FORE	December 22, 2001
WILL JOHNSON	December 22, 2001
DAVID BENBOW	December 20, 2001

Entry: 7346

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

RICHARD LA CHAPELLE wrote on October 31, 2017

Escanaba MI

Comments:

I was stationed at Camp Irwin in Korea when the Pueblo crew was released
to our Medical Mash unit, 1968. That was the same time, approximately,
when we got to see the Bob Hope show.

Entry: 7294

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

JOSEPH CURTIN wrote on August 11, 2017

Holland MA

Comments:

I forgot to mention the year - Christmas 1968.

Entry: 7293

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

JOSEPH CURTIN wrote on August 11, 2017

Holland MA

Comments:

I was in charge of Hill 168, Lexington Site, USASTRATCOM LL
Bn-North, near Munsan. We supported the ASA site there. A
few weeks before Christmas, my CO called me down to Seoul
and said we were going to inspect all USASTRATCOM sites
along the DMZ, because the Pueblo crew was going to be
released. We toured the sites, and then the Pueblo crew was
released. We watched it all on TV. Then Bob Hope and his
show came to 2nd Div HQ, and we went down there to see him,
outdoors in the cold. He did another show from Seoul,
indoors, and we watched that one on TV.

Entry: 6596

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

JAMES MAZOUR wrote on April 3, 2014

West Des Moines Iowa

Comments:

A JSA CHRISTMAS STORY

40 years ago I was a member of the unit's Joint Security
Force second platoon, and our platoon was pulling the
security duty at the truce village of Panmunjom on
Christmas eve of 1973. A KATUSA soldier and I were working
at checkpoint #2 located at the south entrance. It was a
cold, damp, absolutely still night with a heavy fog that
greatly limited visibility such that I could not even see
the nearby North Korean guard post and its guards. 18
months earlier, I had been drafted into military service
during my senior year of college. My goal of being the
first Mazour family member to ever attend and graduate from
college was now put on hold as I fulfilled my two-year
military obligation. And now, I was a long way from home,
family and friends for the first time in my life with North
Korean guards - who hatred American soldiers, somewhere
nearby in that blanket of fog. I felt alone - and a bit
scared.

Around midnight, the land-line phone connected to the
checkpoint #4 dispatch desk rang to inform me that a jeep
was en route from Camp Kitty Hawk, and I should expect its
arrival in several minutes. This was unusual because there
was almost no vehicle traffic at night through the DMZ
between the camp and the Panmunjom area. Driving a vehicle
in the DMZ at night was dangerous and could result in an
ambush by North Korean infiltrators, which happened five
years early when a JSA truck was attacked on the road at
night resulting in four dead and two wounded JSA soldiers.
A large black and white photograph of this bullet-ridden
Dodge M37 truck hung in the quick reaction force (QRF)
Quonset building as a constant reminder to all soldiers of
the deadly consequences to duty on the Korea DMZ.

I watched anxiously for the jeep's headlights to appear in
the thick fog. Who would be coming up to Panmunjom at
midnight on Christmas eve?, I wondered. I doubted that
even Santa Claus knew about Panmunjom and the Korea DMZ. A
Second Infantry Division sign posted on a nearby hill
pretty much said it all: 'This Is Not The End Of The World,
But You Can See It From Here.'

After several long minutes, a glow of light appeared in
the fog, and a single Army jeep pulled up to the checkpoint
with a driver and Sergeant Major Francis Mortek from the
unit's headquarters company. SGM Mortek proceeded to get
out of the jeep, shake my hand and wish me a Merry
Christmas. He did the same for the KATUSA, and then got
back in the Jeep; whereupon it drove to each and every
manned JSA checkpoint within Panmunjom, and SGM Mortek
again shook guards' hands wishing them all a Merry
Christmas. For the members of second platoon that lonely
night, we knew that someone cared about us.

In my life, I have experienced many Christmas eves, and
frankly, I can not recall the details of any of them -
except for the Christmas eve of 1973 when a sergeant major
risked his life in a night drive through the DMZ to wish me
and other members of second platoon a Merry Christmas. I
am ashamed to say that I do not recall the identity of the
young American jeep driver who also risked his life to
drive the sergeant major that night.

Sergeant Major Francis J. Mortek, US Army retired, died on
17 July 1996 in Vancouver, Washington, and I never got the
chance in later life to thank him for his selfless act of
kindness. In his long career with the US Army, I am
confident that he spent many Christmas eves away from his
family and friends while serving in such far away places
as Korea and Vietnam. For 40 years now, there has not been
a Christmas eve pass when I did not recall this wonderful
act of fellowship at Panmunjom, Korea. Merry Christmas
Sergeant Major Morek.

Entry: 6564

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

EDWARD HAAS wrote on December 30, 2013

Westlake Village California

Comments:

Spent Chrsitmas eve attending midnight mass by Cardninal Spellman.
Outside a quonset hut looking in the window. It started to snow early.
Luckily I had a bottle of Southern Comfort for the truck ride back to Charlie
Battery, 955 FA Batallion

Entry: 6375

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

FRANK BRADLEY wrote on January 6, 2013

Guston ky

Comments:

I was on the liberty bridge thats where I spent Christmas 1968. I was assigned to
3rd platoon charlie company 2/72 armor. I was happy to see them get home. 2
years later I was back again in the some luck.

Entry: 6331

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

FRANK CSSILLAS wrote on November 19, 2012

Sacramento Calif.

Comments:

Camp Casey 1/31 Inf. July 1964/July 1965 HHC Entac
Platoon . I still have the Christmas present I was
given. Very cold over there, I still don't care for the
snow.

Entry: 478

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

CLARENCE SMITH, SFC USA (RET) wrote on February 13, 2004

Comments:

I was station across the imjim river at Camp Dodge the day the men of the Pueblo was released, I watched as the body of one crew member was loaded onto a chopper that had landed on the pad outside the bunker where I was working. the helo-pad was located down the hill from the club. at night, at the club on the hill you can hear them playing music on those speakers and spreading propaganda about how wrong we were for being there, but all in all Christmas was wonderful spending it with all the friends I made. three tours on the DMZ 1968-1970 across the Imjim from Freedom Bridge to Liberty Bridge, Times I will never forget with the Friends I made, This will be with me for ever.

Entry: 419

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

RICH WESTON wrote on July 16, 2003

Comments:

My Christmas 1979 started with a BOOM. We were getting up to get ready to pull MP duty at Camp Casey when we heard an explosion and shouting, running etc. Turns out a grunt from 1/17th had rolled a frag grenade in the front door of the PMO, it detonated next to the MP desk and sent a few guys to the hospital. I was assigned to guard the crime scene and Saluted the CG (Robert Kingston) and about 50 other officers who decided to come down and have a look that day. Cold as hell too.

Entry: 410

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

J. ROBINSON wrote on June 29, 2003

Comments:

My Christmas was 1959. It was cold and it snowed 4-6 inches and the temp was in the low twenties that year. Being from Tennessee it was one of the first times I had seen a white Christmas and I was thankful for it. It was an uneventful day for all the guys with the tin cans over their ears in the back of duece & a halves, listening to those on the other side. One of the guys swears he got Christmas greetings from the "enemy" but we all doubted that possibility. Turkey and all the trimmings, except for familiy and sweethearts.

Entry: 272

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

RAY M. FORE wrote on December 22, 2001

Comments:

I spent Christmas 1953 in the snow.In early morning it was cloudy and cold.It started as a cold rain but quickly changed to all snow it was truly a White Christmas.We had turkey with all the it was truly differnt as we didn`t have any refergition for our regular meals.We did get two candles a week for writing home and reading mail.I was with the 40th DIV.in the Chorwon Valley area.Wish everyone a very Merry Christmas thanks RAY

Entry: 271

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

WILL JOHNSON wrote on December 22, 2001

Comments:

Christmas 1966 was very low key in and around ASCOM. November 2nd was still burning fresh in our minds and emotions. Yet, the cooks did an excellent job in preparing our dinner. And, as I recall only a few troops made it to the mess hall that day; I was one of them.

A few days later things picked up when I noticed several of my friends from the 30th MP Battalion, Presidio of San Francisco, showing up for duty in-country. They too had been diverted.

Entry: 269

CHRISTMAS IN KOREA

DAVID BENBOW wrote on December 20, 2001

Comments:

I spent Christmas 1968 in Korea with Co C, 3/23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division. I remember the mess hall had a great meal. We were down south of the Imjin River (at Camp Dodge,I think) at that time, so we were able to celebrate more than the guys up on the line...but our next turn on the line came later that spring. Bob Hope and Ann Margaret and Rosey Grier came to within 10 miles of where I was, but I had duty and couldn't go. I did listen to it live on Armed Forces Radio. I hate I missed that show. The Pueblo crew had just been released several days earlier and I saw the chopers fly over carrying them from north of the river to the hospital at Seoul. Some of our guys provided security near the release point. We sure were glad to see those helicopters with the Pueblo crew members. Merry Christmas.

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Christmas In Korea

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Dedicated To - Arthur Donald DeLacy - 1st Lieutenant - USMCR - MIA POW - 10/07/1951 - Heartbreak Ridge