Riding In A GI Truck in Korea

May 23, 2021, 8:40 PM

It seems strange that after 70 years I can now see some things more clearly than I did when they actually occurred. For example, I always thought I had done a lot of walking when I was in Korea in 1950-51. But in retrospect, I did very little walking and lots of riding, Riding on the roads in North and South Korea was not a luxury tour. Most of the roads had been bombed and/or reduced to shambles by tanks and other heavy equipment. Furthermore, a GI truck was not built to provide a comfortable ride for military personnel.

Weatherwise, we considered there were two seasons in Korea, Winter and Summer. And each season saw extreme temperatures. I don't recall the highest summertime temperature but the lowest winter temperature was minus 35F. We didn't have much snow during the winter nor much rain during the summer so riding on the roads created a dust storm that kept us sneezing and coughing.

I did not keep a diary so have to guess at most dates. One of my company mates supplied me with some dates several years ago but we were together for only a short time. I arrived in Inchon, S. Korea, in late October or early November, 1950. Temperatures were already below freezing. We went by truck to Yongdongpo`. Three days later we boarded a truck for Pyongyang, N. Korea. It was an extremely cold ride as well as a rough and dusty ride. My nose would run and freeze on my face. The Chinese Army was rapidly approaching Pyongyang so on Dec. 1, 1950 we left Pyongyang and eventually arrived at Pusan on the lower east coast of S. Korea on Dec. 9.

My next trip began on Jan. 1 or 2, 1951, when I left for a special assignment with a Combat Engineering Company at the 38th Parallel. It was here where I did most of my walking in Korea. We had to climb a mountain every day to perform our duties during my 10 - 12 week assignment. At the conclusion of this assignment, it was another ride back down to Pusan to board the "Stinky Maru" for Japan and then a train ride to Camp Nara, Japan.

I returned to Pusan on April 22, 1951, and a few days later moved to Taegu with a detachment of about six men. I later moved to Taejon and our detachment had grown to about 12 men. Our next move was to the Seoul area where we now had about 20 men in our detachment and a newly arrived 2nd. Lt., a recent West Point graduate. WE left the Seoul area headed south and then turned east to Wanju and then back north to the 38th Parallel.

It was here I received word in early September, 1951, to pack my bags, I was going home. It was back on a GI truck for my final ride back down to Pusan where I would take the shuttle boat "Stinky Maru" to Sasebo, Japan, to board the troop ship, Gen. Pope, headed for San Francisco, CA, USA I WAS GOING HOME !!!

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Riding In A GI Truck in Korea

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