THE KOREAN ADVENTURE This recollection harks back to the production of a tiny war-zone newspaper produced by personnel of the 363rd RTS in Taegu, Korea, Nov-Dec 1950. |
 Photo: 1st Sgt James Balint, Taegu, Dec 50 |
Back: Part 4Few people know the 363rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron produced a newspaper while in Korea. It was called the Honeybucket Express and a small crew of photo lab personnel published its two editions before the war worsened and the increased demands for aerial photographs filled their time.
I was its founder and editor and I was supported by a few eager friends such as Don Welcher (sports), Bob Groff (proofer), Sal Garaffa (distributor--I remember Sal's job was to tote our weekly box of 8X10 photo-newspapers all over the compound on cold wednesdays) and Chuck Frye and Willie Sponheimer (reporters).
First Sergeant James Balint made it all possible by being receptive and by allowing us to use our contact printers, paper and film for our publishing. We set up our newspaper company on the top floor of the Kyung Buk Middle School and immediately began collecting happenings and composing our writings.
Our two releases occurred on 29 November and 6 December, 1950. Both were one sided letter-size photographic prints complete with pictures and drawings. The first one displayed a turkey holding the United Nations flag. After all, it was Thanksgiving, and we wanted to celebrate. This one sided, single page edition had four columns with the type was 10 font. It covered: The decorations of the NCO Club; Snow falling on the 27th of November; A Korean floor show; Turkey dinner in the mess hall; Catching rodents; A deer hunt on the hillside; Commendation for the mess; and a list of persons promoted.
Newspapers record history and, even though the Honeybucket Express only existed for two editions, it provides present day researchers with accurate facts of the past. An example is the article about the weather. I remember writing: "Monday, 27th November found a definite change in Taegu weather as snow began falling in the early hours of the morning. This is the first snow the 363rd RTS has experienced in this theater. Although the snow came down quite heavy, it melted as it hit the earth."
In our second edition, the subject of the weather surfaced again. One of my reporters wrote: "As the ill weather brought the 363rd indoors for the winter season, personnel have been wondering what do do with their off-duty hours. Coming through with a solution is Lt. Brown . . . with a Ping Pong Tournament in mind."
We never did play the game as we had our hands full with the twelve hour shifts.
What I didn't know then, the bad weather that followed the first snows caused the Squadron to increase the heat in the school building leading to the great fire on Christmas day. The bad weather also brought North Korean sappers down from the hills which, in turn, led to the killing of several of our mess hall personnel.
One of the values of a newspaper--even one as small as the Honeybucket Express--is that it mentioned names, ranks and jobs. Many of the persons recorded there went on to other military outfits and their connections to the 363rd was brief. The paper mentioned Sergeants Gentile (jen-tillie) and Somervold, both talented artists and involved making cartoons and creating decorations. Corporal Willie Sponheimer (the same Willie who almost died in the school fire) was part of 363rd RTS entertainment and he is remembered for squatting over a tin hat and "noisily produced 24 American pennies." Lt. Brown, Sgt. Cunningham and Mullins, and Pfc. Strohacker shot deer with their captured Russian rifles (the meat went to the mess hall). Eugene M. Dunbar and Albert P. Purdue were promoted to staff sergeant while Bougie, Gayle, McMullan, Miglis and Welcher moved up to sergeant. Morris stayed a corporal, I do remember.
That Thanksgiving edition of the Honeybucket Express ended with me commending the 363rd mess hall. I wrote: "Even during the days when the war was knocking at the 363rd's doorstep and shortages of food . . . the mess hall always managed to come through with steaks, pies and other items sought by all mess halls in Korea. Men have been known to come from as far away as the Taegu Air Strip (K-2) for a meal or two at the local mess."
I still think of you and your mess hall, Staff Sergeant Maxie Copeland. Some things a man just never forgets.
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Jack Morris
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