Re: Prisoners

["Gernilee Carter" <gernilee@msn.com>]

John, your reports of action give me the chills and fill my eyes with tears.
  God bless you.


> From: robert guertin <wanaki@infionline.net>
> Reply-To: KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu
> To: KOREAN-WAR-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu
> Subject: Re: Prisoners
> Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 14:55:23 -0500
>
> John,
> You lived a charmed life that day John.......thank you for your service.
> Robert
>
> Jwscpd8@aol.com wrote:
>
> > I have been reading all the E Mail regarding the Chinese/NK as to 
> prisoners.
> >
> > What I am about to write about, took place on the evening of 22 April 
> 1951 on
> > the "over run" of the front line.
> >
> > My unit, the 5th RCT USA went up on the line at about 12 noon and dug 
> in.  My
> > company, M,  CO, set up his tent in a draw, just about 100 yards from 
> the
> > MLR.  While the rifle companies were also digging in, it was now about 
> 1500 hrs,
> > when our patrol came back with two Chinese prisoners, which were then 
> kept
> > under guard in the tent, until some officers came up to interview them.  
> They
> > looked to be younger than I was.
> >
> > When my CO Capt. Lincoln came out of the tent, I asked him what they had 
> to
> > say and was told, that there was to be a big attack going to take place
> > sometime this day.
> >
> > In the mean time, the kitchen of one of the rifle companies set up just
> > across from us and men were coming down the finger to eat.  Two trucks 
> pulled up,
> > made U turns, discharging brand new replacements, who were to be fed, 
> then go
> > on the hill.
> >
> > While this was taking place, I was told by the CO to go to the base of 
> the
> > MLR where 3 tanks were sitting and get a head count for breakfast, as 
> the crews
> > were to be eating with M Co..
> >
> > I took one of the Jeeps, headed to the tanks, parked the Jeep facing the
> > company area.  Just as I was talking to the lead tank commander, an 
> artillery
> > round went over our heads and landed just in back of the kitchen.  The 
> next round
> > landed in the middle of the chow line, followed by another round that 
> landed
> > in the group of men who had just gotten off one of the trucks.  It was a 
> scene
> > I still cannot forget.
> >
> > In the mean time, I crawled under the lead tank, when the commander told 
> me
> > to get the hell out, as he had orders to move out and back to another 
> area.
> >
> > I made a run for the Jeep as the tanks were turning, when an artillery 
> around
> > landed near the lead tank where the Jeep had been parked.
> >
> > I made the mistake of getting in-between two of the tanks, thinking I 
> would
> > be protected by the armor, except as I was headed back to the CO area, 
> another
> > artillery round landed in back of the Jeep.  I was lucky in that I was 
> hunched
> > over the steering wheel, as shrapnel and dirt went over my head.
> >
> > The scene at the kitchen was a total mess, as bodies and wounded were 
> being
> > loaded on to the two trucks which had just brought in the replacements.
> >
> > One of the Sgt.'s asked me if I saw the back of the Jeep and at this 
> time I
> > noticed it was full of holes.  We were told to get out of the area fast 
> as
> > possible and start a leap frog action on a set of hills in back of us.  
> I rejoined
> > my 50 cal. machine gun squad and set up a short distance away on the 
> orders
> > of Capt. Lincoln.
> >
> > A Lt. from one of the rifle companies was with us, said he was leaving 
> the
> > hill to go down where some wounded were.  He left, taking his radio man.
> >
> > We now could not fire, as we had "people" out in front us.  We watched 
> as the
> > Chinese were running up to our people, unable to fire.
> >
> > We now had Chinese in front and on the ridge lines on our left and right
> > sides as a Capt. came up and ordered the gunner fire at the persons just 
> below us.
> >  We tried to tell him that was our Lt. and etc., but he again ordered 
> the
> > gunner to fire.  The gunner fired, but into the ground.  The Capt. then 
> took out
> > his 45, put it at the head of the gunner, saying shoot or be shot as I 
> see
> > what you are doing.  The gunner again fired, but into the ground again, 
> when the
> > Lt. got on the radio, saying we had taken the toes off one of the men 
> and to
> > stop.  Just then, a Chinese soldier took the handset from the LT. The 
> Capt.
> > heard what was said, saying, "my God, those are our men" and took off 
> running
> > down the back of the hill and to the rear.
> >
> > We broke the gun down, as the Chinese were now on both sides us and 
> about 60
> > feet from our position.
> >
> > We left the hill when we spotted a parked 2 1/2 with the driver sitting 
> in
> > the cab and headed towards him, taking with us, walking wounded as well 
> as KIA's
> > being brought off the hill.   We unloaded the 81 MM ammo, throwing it 
> into a
> > shell how, we filled with gas.  As we were loading people, we noticed 
> that the
> > Chinese on the ridge line had now stopped, standing there watching us, 
> as a
> > group of Chinese came down the finger towards us, but no one was 
> shooting.  I
> > really thought we were going to be eating rice for a long time.
> >
> > The Chinese got to the road, stopped and sat down, using the stocks of 
> their
> > rifles as we continued to load up, with the KIA's being put on last as a
> > buffer for any bullets that might hit the back of the truck should the 
> shooting
> > start.
> >
> > A BAR man and I were the last to get on the truck and as we started 
> pulling
> > out, the Chinese stood up and waved good bye to us.
> >
> > If I had not saw that, I would not have ever believe it  The BAR man 
> pointed
> > the weapon at the Chinese on the road, saying he was going to give them 
> the
> > full clip.  Two of us grabbed the rifle, pushing it up into the air, 
> saying he
> > was going to get us killed.  We pointed out all the Chinese on the ridge 
> line
> > just standing there, watching.  As we drove away, there was an odd 
> quietness in
> > the air, as if the war had stopped for a few minutes.
> >
> > Needless to say, we were the last truck to get through  to the rear, as 
> the
> > road was closed off after we went through.  At no time were we fired on 
> and I
> > still do not understand as to why.  I thought later, it was because we 
> were not
> > firing at them and were trying to get the wounded out.
> >
> > The Regt. Col. had to fight his way out on the next road, as well as 
> some
> > other men in vehicles.  We were not able to find our company for two 
> days.
> >
> >     John Sonley  Korea 1951
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