KATUSA Program

[<Deckerdo@aol.com>]

I would like to offer a different perspective to comments regarding the 
effectiveness of Korean soldiers assigned to US military units. From what I 
have been reading most of the comments focus on the early stages of the war. 
I joined the Third Infantry Division [Item Co., 15th Inf. Reg] in late 
February - early March 1953. My squad included three KATUSA [Korean 
Augmentation to the US Army] soldiers, and to the best of my knowledge that 
was about the average number in Item Company.

During my initial orientation, my Sgt. Squad Leader, among other things, 
informed me that if I observed one of our "gooks" bugging out during an 
action I was to shoot him. To what extent this advisory stemmed from a bad 
experience prior to my arrival I do not know, although I had heard some 
stories that seemed to have been passed down from a much earlier time.  

Over the course of the next two or three weeks, I found myself frequently 
teamed up with one of our Korean soldiers. We shared a bunker, foxholes and 
patrol duties. On one occasion, during a heavy artillery exchange, he dug me 
out of a trench that collapsed from the impact of a close round. This Korean 
soldier never complained, although as with the other Korean soldiers he was 
assigned some of the dirtier and more hazardous duties. He performed his 
duties as well as any soldier I have ever known and better than most. He paid 
the ultimate price during the battle for OP Harry near the end of the war.  

Gil J.