Re: Dan Rather

[<SDonell73@aol.com>]

In a message dated 8/12/02 11:57:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time, a0019874@airmail.net writes:


> The first year (and probably more) of the Korean War ("Police Action") was fought by Regulars  (often 20 year men who were Depression holdovers with no place to go), National Guard and Reservists. In 1950 being a Reservist or in the Guard (or a Regular) was nothing to be ashamed of. 


Don,

I can't speak for the Army but, without the Marine Reserves, 1st MarDiv couldn't have been constituted itself in time for the Inchon invasion. During the post war hearings on reestablishing the armed services, the Marines had been cut back drastically from its strength in WW II. The strength of the entire Marine Corps on 30 June 1946 consisted of 155,592 Marines and Navy personnel. By 30 June 1950 this number had been halved to 74,279. 

In contrast Marine reserve components stood at 19,807 personnel in June 1946, and had grown to 128,959 personnel by 30 Jun 1950.

By the outbreak of the Korean War a Marine Division's size had been cut to 10,693 Marine officers and men and attached Navy personnel. By September 1950 that number for 1st MarDiv had risen to a war time strength of 22,355. In order to build up its strength and maintain the right proportion of officers and NCO's, Marine Reserves had to leave their civilian jobs and fill out its ranks.

A few facts from the Marine Corps Pub on the Mobilization of Marine Corps Reserve in the Korean Conflict, 1950 - 1951:

"At the time of the Inchon-Seoul operations, there were more Marines in the Far East than there had been in the total FMF two and a half months earlier, and 20 percent of these were reservists only six to eight weeks removed from their civilian pursuits." 

"The first (UN) force, which early in November 1950 (Chosin Reservoir) inflicted a first decisive defeat on a Chinese Communist division was a Marine Regiment, including about 34% reservists."

"By the end of April 1951, the reserve had hit its peak strength during the Korean conflict -- 85,538 reserves on active duty."

The 1st Marine Air Wing's status was a little bit better vis a vis regulars at the outset of the war. But from April - December 1951, reserve officers (mostly pilots) hovered around 58% of the wing's strength, while reserve enlisted men stood at about 30%.

Sandy