A tale about the Chosin few...

 

 

 

"Remember, you are the 1st Marines! Not all the Communists in Hell can overrun you!"

 

Lt. Gen "Chesty" Puller

USMC

"Man, what I would give for just one slice of Julie's pie". Johnny J. Butler (the second) had plenty of time to think about home. Julie was Johnny's little sister - the only one in the family that could really make apple pie that brought a tear to your eye. He also had an older sister Janet - she was good at helping around the farm, but cooking was not her strength. His dad, Johnny J. Butler (the first), wanted all of his kids names to start with a "J". Why is that? He never said.

Johnny was cold - damn cold. The ground was as cold as it was hard. He kept thinking to himself "You are not in Kansas anymore, boy." Right before he got drafted, he took Sandy, his girl he was dating at the time, to see The Wizard of Oz. Since both Johnny and Sandy grew up in Topeka, their favorite line in the movie was "We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto." This place, this frozen Chosin Reservoir, definitely was not Kansas.

Johnny was shivering on the side of a hill, hugging his M-1 rifle. The war had been going so well, they were advancing nicely. This advance was going to be the "kill shot"
- end this short war. The UN forces were advancing and experiencing only moderate resistance. Funny, this was suppose to be the first test of this new "thing" called the United Nations. The prior organization, which he studied about in school, did not do a damn thing to prevent World War II. Now the Chinese were joining with the North Koreans. The Chinese? Johnny thought they were our allies in World War II. What the hell happened? What good is this new organization?

The "artie" (artillery) fire was getting louder. Word had spread throughout the Marine First Division that the Chinese had planned to come across the border in "human waves". They were going to use their bodies to drain the ammo out of the UN forces. Johnny was part of the 1st Marine. He was there to help the United Nations "put the genie" back in the bottle. He did not sign up to fight the Chinese. He had no idea why the Chinese were even involved. Where they not a part of the newly founded United Nations? Don't they, like the rest of us, aspire for world peace? The irony he thought of as he lay bunkered on the frozen Korean soil was this - the Russians, who were our allies against Hitler, are now becoming our advisories. The Chinese, who were our allies in getting rid of the Japanese menace, are now lobbing artillery rounds at the UN forces. What the hell has happened to our world?

As darkness fell, the artillery continued. He could hear the gunfire from the approaching People Liberation Army of China growing ever closer. At times, he swore he could even hear their voices. As he lay on the frozen ground, he checked his M-1 rifle. He was hoping against hope it did not jam. The rifle, which was a mainstay during World War II, had seen its better day. He had a full mag in his rifle and six more in his pack. That was it - 56 bullets against waves of human beings which did not seem to mind being slaughtered for their cause. He closed his eyes and prayed once more, "Dear Lord, please let me live through this night." With that, he prepared himself for battle.

So there it was. Our first proxy war with the Communists. The Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, which lasted almost three weeks, proved to be a turning point in the Korean conflict. The Communist Party in China was not about to allow the newly founded UN ruin the day for its "puppet" in North Korea. Out numbered, out gunned, the UN forces fought a pitched battle and were then able to beat a hasty retreat south from the Chosin Reservoir to the border. It was from there the North and South fought this protracted battle to a draw. It ended up being the war that never ended. Today, the Korean Peninsula is technically still at war - both sides continue to be armed to the teeth. The difference between now and yesteryear is this - somehow the world allowed North Korea to develop a nuclear bomb. For an unstable North Korean regime, that is a real game changer.

A side note to this story. Many years ago, my wife and I went to the christening of the USS Chosin in Pascagoula, Mississippi. There were many dignitaries invited, included quite of few of the remaining "Chosin Few". It was an honor to be there with these heroes. It was an honor to represent my company which made the launcher used on this amazing fighting ship. It was an honor to be a part of something which properly recognized the service and sacrifice of the "Chosin Few" - not only to this country, but world peace in general.