Your brother was a special man. My uncle was a POW in Korea, a member of the 2nd Infantry Division that was overrun by the Chinese in 1951 during the Korean conflict. In 1977, I was given the honor and privilege of serving with the 2nd Infantry Division near the DMZ in South Korea. An honor I requested 6 times before it was granted. My father and another uncle also served in the Korean conflict, my father as a medic, my other uncle was with the Marine Corps at the Chosin Reservoir. I was given the unique experience of walking the ground they walked, seeing what their sacrifice gave to the Korean people, and the distinct pain of watching a fellow soldier die in a country far from home.
When I returned home from my tour in Korea in 1978, many people, and friends, didn't even know where I had been. But my father and my uncles knew. We shared stories of Korea, past and present, stories of the frozen Chosin, of rice being thrown on the floors of your cell, of picking up pieces of bodies to send home to loved ones, of a friend killed during 'peacetime'. We shared drinks, and we shared some tears. My POW uncle has passed on, but not before he told me of the horror of POW camps. Stories my father told me he shared only with him and my other uncle.
It was the forgotten war. Forgotten by almost everyone except those that served in it and those that have served there since. I will never forget.
-- Modified on 11/12/2003 6:36:59 PM
My twin brother Dave was a Captain with an advisory team in Vietnam fall 67 to 68. Twentyfive years later I asked him how he managed to get an ARVN Gallantry Cross (palm) and Staff Service Honor Medal (First Class). He told me, for the first time, the story of how he had commandeered an attack helicopter late one night to pick up wounded civilians left behind by US forces and took them to a US hospital where he persuaded the doctors to take them by threatening to wound one of them himself since they would only take civilian friendly-fire victims. He received a summary courts martial (article 15) from his CO but the ARVN Ben Hoa province chief held a surprise ceremony two days later to decorate him. He fondly remembered the champagne, lady finger cookies and the look on his CO's face.
After surviving Vietnam he was an avid supporter of vetrans. He was a real estate broker and once when a Vietnam vet lost his loan at the closing Dave bought the house and sold it to him when he got a new loan.
Dave died June 10 of this year after a nine week battle with a rare form of abdominal cancer. As you might suspect, he never showed a moment of fear or regret. He was buried with full military honors in the National Cemetary in Denver. Thank you Dave for your generousity and your courage.
There are thousands like him out there, some who keep it all inside and some who took the time to share with loved ones and for that you should feel honored that he shared that with you and I salute your brother for fighting the battle with cancer as well.
As a fellow soldier in arms, he was my brother too..and like you will be forever indebted to him for his courageous actions.
He rest in peace but his spirit lives on in the soldiers of today.
"For thos who fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.
Take care and stay safe OR
Your brother was a special man. My uncle was a POW in Korea, a member of the 2nd Infantry Division that was overrun by the Chinese in 1951 during the Korean conflict. In 1977, I was given the honor and privilege of serving with the 2nd Infantry Division near the DMZ in South Korea. An honor I requested 6 times before it was granted. My father and another uncle also served in the Korean conflict, my father as a medic, my other uncle was with the Marine Corps at the Chosin Reservoir. I was given the unique experience of walking the ground they walked, seeing what their sacrifice gave to the Korean people, and the distinct pain of watching a fellow soldier die in a country far from home.
When I returned home from my tour in Korea in 1978, many people, and friends, didn't even know where I had been. But my father and my uncles knew. We shared stories of Korea, past and present, stories of the frozen Chosin, of rice being thrown on the floors of your cell, of picking up pieces of bodies to send home to loved ones, of a friend killed during 'peacetime'. We shared drinks, and we shared some tears. My POW uncle has passed on, but not before he told me of the horror of POW camps. Stories my father told me he shared only with him and my other uncle.
It was the forgotten war. Forgotten by almost everyone except those that served in it and those that have served there since. I will never forget.
-- Modified on 11/12/2003 6:36:59 PM
My thanks for your family's outstanding service and condolences for the friend you lost. It was a forgotten war but I remember it well. My assistant scout master who was also a local policeman was a Marine seriously wounded in Korea. People said he lost part of his foot stepping on a grenade in a foxhole but he would not comment on it except to admit that he had received a silver star and purple heart. I suspect he was not alone in the foxhole. Everyone called him bits (for 2 bits) because of his size. Bits would sit at the campfire late at night in his Marine fatigues and tell us stories about war. I decided to avoid the military at all costs but ended up enlisting in 66.
Thank you, and my thanks to you and yours. I was a boy scout as well, all my adult scout leaders were combat veterans. They taught us about self sacrifice, the belief that service to ones country is an honorable thing. Their life experiences make them a unique generation in America and they left a lasting impression on me.
I hope and pray that someday, a generation of Americans will live and not know the horror and destruction of war.