Re: Gen. Bradley

[<Jwscpd8@aol.com>]

In a message dated 04/01/2002 4:30:34 PM Mountain Standard Time, DanFahey@DanSources.com writes:


> John, I'm puzzled by your story. Regarding fires on the MLR: I can't imagine a man on the front lines having to be told there would be no fires. Men were told they could not smoke, because the hot tip of a cigarette could be seen for hundreds of yards. 


Be as puzzled as you want, but that was the way it was at that time in February of 1951.  I have a vivid memory of 99 per cent that took place in Korea at the age of 20, on my second time of being in the service.  I was recalled after only being out of uniform for 7 months.  That  10 months in Korea are burned in my memory for ever.  I had never gone through anything in my life as I did in Korea, before or after.  The one per cent I cannot recall and that was when Sgt. James Jackson was killed while lying within 2 feet of me.  I can still see him dying, after that, I remember nothing else except crying at his loss, since he was only 2 years older than I and we were good friends.

How we got off the hill, who helped us move back or anything else is what I cannot recall.  

     As to smoking, men were smoking under their ponchos, when they could, at the bottom of the fox hole.  Since I did not smoke, I did not worry about that craving, but I did hold a poncho over a fox hole for many a smoker so that could get a few drags in.

But once the fires were allowed, we were heating C rations and this gave the smokers a chance to really light up.  That was the only time in my memory that we had a fire going right at the very top of the MLR for as far as you could see in both directions. There was no action by either side that night, artillery, mortar or any thing else.  No patrols were sent out, period.
Since I was on a MG, I would have known about patrols, as I would have had to cover them upon going and coming on the line.  The snow made so much noise as it cracked when walked on, I may have fired on my own men if I was not advised.

 I had a listening post out in front of my gun and had they come running up, I would have then known we were getting company.  All visible fires at the base of the MLR had to be put out once the sun set, except on the 7 February when we had to get a small one going when my Sgt. took two burp gun bullets in the stomach when we were hit. Medics did not have any light to treat the wounds.   The medics removed the two slugs with a pair of tweezers by the fire light, bandaged him up and he went back on the hill to earn himself a Silver Star for his actions that night.  Coming off the hill, he was sent to Japan for further treatment.  He came back, turned down a battle field commission and went home to Hawaii.  

   John Sonley Korea 1951 5th RCT