Corsairs over Korea
SECURING THE PUSAN PERIMETER
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You should
have seen the Air Force and Army people watching them land. Most have
never seen a Corsair. Our pilots, tempered by years of training in fuel
economy and carrier operations, came in low, turned on a dime above the
end of the runway and touched down just before stall out. The landing
roll out was only a few feet. The spectators were cheering before it was
over. We were mighty proud of our pilots.
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1 September 1950
At dawn Sicily made for Sasebo. Our aircraft flew away
to Itami Air Base in Japan. In Sasebo we were paid then went ashore.
Went to the train station (RTO) and boarded a train for Hakata. Someone
said it was about 30 miles (?), it took us 5 hours and 10 minutes. The
train ride was fun, the countryside was beautiful, and I enjoyed going
through the villages and towns. The people were friendly and stopped to
wave at us. Along the way we got beer. We drank our beer and sang the
Whiffenpoof song to all the Blacksheep in the whole wide world. And we
saluted Pappy Boyington many times. "We're those little Black Sheep who
have gone astray, baa, baa, baa."
The US Air Force Base, near Hakata, had busses waiting to transport us.
We ate at the mess hall then boarded a Marine R5D for Itami near Kobe.
We could hardly believe we're going to have a few days rest.
Dark came. I fell asleep. When I heard the gear and flaps go down I came
wide awake and asked my buddy SSgt. John Scanlan if we were there. "No,
we're landing some other place in Japan. The shit hit the fan in Korea.
The Brigade needs support."
The North Koreans have mounted a massive offensive against the Pusan
perimeter. If they aren't stopped nothing stands between them and the
sea. They say that's why the Brigade has been in reserve, for just such
an emergency. They forced march to meet the surge of an estimated 13
NKPA Divisions.
The R5D dropped us off at an Air Force/Army base at Ashiya, Japan. The
Air Force has been flying P-51's from here against Korean targets. The
US Army has a personnel center here, so the base is crowded. We ended up
in pyramid tents out in the boonies. They gave us folding cots. No
mattress, sheets, or blanket.
2 September 1950: FINAL BATTLE FOR PUSAN
Before noon our Corsairs began arriving. You should
have seen the Air Force and Army people watching them land. Most have
never seen a Corsair. Our pilots, tempered by years of training in fuel
economy and carrier operations, came in low, turned on a dime above the
end of the runway and touched down just before stall out. The landing
roll out was only a few feet. The spectators were cheering before it was
over. We were mighty proud of our pilots.
VMF-323 pilots and troops were recalled from their R&R and came to join
VMF-214 at Ashiya.
We didn't have tools, we are on R & R, they said. For just such an
emergency most plane captains keep a few hand tools stowed inside their
aircraft. We borrowed a few tools from the Air Force and went about our
business. We had our planes refueled and loaded with ordnance ready for
launch in quick time. VMF-214 and VMF-323 were back doing what they do
best, flying close air support for Marines. Scuttlebut says, when they
hit the NKPA the Brigade stood and cheered.
3 September 1950
VMF-214 at Ashiya. A big hand and a case of beer goes
to the ordnance crews. They went out and scrounged a truck, bomb carts,
500 pound bombs, hand crank bomb hoists, 5 inch rockets, 20 mm ammo and
proceeded to do an outstanding job arming the planes. Napalm was not
available at Ashiya.
Pilot TSgt. Monk Taylor told us it was a disaster for the enemy. Even
with their overwhelming numbers and Russian built tanks the NKPA
couldn't hold against wave after wave of aerial attacks and the hard
pushing Brigade Marines. Corsairs gave the Marines the support they
needed to do their work. Monk said the NKPA troops were running out in
the open. The first time he had seen the enemy so close.
We are having good luck with the planes. Very few maintenance problems.
My plane, WE 18, came down with a bad propeller governor. We have no
spares or parts so I went looking for a miracle and found one. A
Japanese machinist at the Army motor pool made a replacement part and WE
18 was back in service. She was out of commission less than a day.
4 September 1950
At days end the NKPA drive south was shut down. It
became a riot as survivors went straggling north leaving much of their
gear behind. The threat to Pusan no longer exists, thanks to the United
States Marines.
We had liberty one night in Ashiya. Roy Whidby, Titus Willis, John
Scanlan, and I headed for town and settled in at a bar to drink beer.
Mama-san warned us but we were still there at curfew time, 2300 hours.
By that time Army MPs were sweeping the area so we had to split up. I
became separated from the others.
I was hiding near the bar when a Japanese woman came out a side door.
She spoke and told me to come with her. She took me to her house to wait
for the MPs to stop patrolling. She made tea and gave me a cup. I
figured she must be thinking of me as a customer and would want pay. To
get things squared away I told her I had spent all my money. She laughed
and told me she wasn't a working girl. She helps her father run the bar.
I was pretty embarrassed and apologized, "I plenty dumb number ten
boy-san."
When she thought it was safe we started for the Base. The moon was full
and bright, MPs were everywhere, several times we had to hide from them.
When we arrived at the fence the lady warned me armed guards walk inside
with dogs. I thanked her and tried to give her the yen money I had. She
wouldn't take the money, wished me good luck, waved to me and
disappeared into the night.
Inside the fence I was in a supply yard. Ahead I could see flood lights
and could hear voices. I was moving cautiously through stacks of large
crates when I heard someone walking close by. I climbed up a stack of
crates to one with an open end. It was a crate of P-51 drop tanks. Lucky
for me I was at the small end of the tanks. I was able to hide inside
the crate until the guard passed. When it was safe I climbed down from
my perch and made for the tent area.
Whidby, Willis, and Scanlan looked at me like I was returning from the
dead. "Where have you been?" they yelled at me. "We've been looking all
over for you."
Whidby, Willis, and Scanlan didn't run from the MPs and were picked up
right off. The MPs knew we were just passing through so they drove the
guys back to base. When Scanlan told them I was still out there they
went looking for me. I was the squadron joke for a while. Some liberty.
VMF-323 ground crew left Ashiya tonight.
5 September 1950
We handled VMF-323's aircraft and our own today. When
the last plane was in the air we packed out and boarded a train for
Sasebo carrying enough beer and fried chicken to feed an army. We had so
much fried chicken we carried it in a mattress cover. It wasn't long
before everybody on the train, civilians included, was eating chicken.
We had one fine time eating chicken, drinking beer, and singing the
Whiffenpoof song all the way to Sasebo. And we saluted Pappy Boyington
many times
During operations, 2 - 3 - 4 September, at Ashiya, VMF-214 and VMF-323
flew 70 sorties. In those sorties they made 827 runs on enemy targets.
Most of the runs were controlled runs in direct support of Brigade
units. Again the pilots had performed a monumental feat. Nothing like it
had ever been done before. Flying on the wings of fate they gave their
all in giant measure, with no fear for self, at no loss of their own.
Surely God was their copilot.
We lost our R & R. Didn't get to see the big city. But we left Ashiya
feeling good about how things had worked out. Our pilots did their job
and the ground crew made it possible.
The R&R trip wasn't a total loss. The time at Ashiya was a welcome
break. The Sergeant's Club was close to our flight line. We ate there
and enjoyed a beer after work. The club cooks (Japanese) made the best
southern fried chicken I have ever tasted. The steaks were just as good.
For less than two dollars you got a "Kobe" steak about an inch and a
half thick that overflowed a large steak platter. It was so tender you
could cut it with a fork. SSgt. Arcuni could eat more than anyone I have
ever known. I never saw him finish a steak dinner at Ashiya. We didn't
bother going to the tents, we slept under our aircraft.
6 September 1950
We arrived in Sasebo and came aboard Sicily about
0800. She was underway that afternoon. When our aircraft came aboard
every plane in commission was spotted, refueled and armed with a full
load of ordnance, 2 drop tanks of napalm.
Our Pilots hit targets of all kind around Inchon, PongYang, and other
targets of opportunity. Railroads, roads, bridges, and factories were
hit. An island in Inchon harbor was hit very hard. Pilots reported
several major fires burning in Inchon.
7 - 8 - 9 - 10 September 1950
The strikes on the Inchon area continue
without letup.
11 September 1950: "Marines are different."
Sicily entered Sasebo about 1600. I went ashore with
some of the guys that evening. I left the others early to return to the
ship. While I was waiting at the Fleet Landing for the liberty launch I
noticed a soldier nearby and wondered what a soldier would be doing in
Sasebo. After some hesitation he came towards me. I remember thinking
how young he was. He was a polite young man and apologized for bothering
me. He wanted to talk and began by telling me he owes his life to the
Marines. He pulled up his trouser legs. I couldn't believe what I saw.
His legs, from his knees down, were badly torn and scared, little more
than scar tissue and bone.
His story went something like this: His unit was on the line on the
Pusan perimeter when the North Koreans (NKPA) attacked. The attack was
so strong they swarmed over the defenders. The young soldier's unit was
blown away by the first wave. He was down with no help and unable to
move. He figured it was a mortar round that got him. The flesh on his
lower legs was in shreds. It was a miracle, he had no broken bones and
only a few scratches above his knees. He tied off his legs and prayed.
The Lord answered him by sending his favorite band of Angels, the U.S.
Marines.
Marines were moving through the area when they found the young soldier.
"The Marines found me and called a medic. I knew then I was going to
make it. They put me on a stretcher and hauled me out of there. One
Marine walked along holding my hand and he gave me this. Look! This is
what he gave me." He handed me his ID card and fastened to it was a
Marine Corps Emblem. I looked at his face and I could see tears on his
cheeks. "I'll never forget those Marines, he said, "and I'll always keep
this with me, for as long as I live."
The soldier talked and I listened. He was wise for his years.
"The Marines are different," he said. "When they tell the Marines to go
take a hill, they don't just take that hill they go on and take the next
one too. I figure it like this, you old sergeants are always telling
your men how tough you are and how worthless they are. When you get to
the battle the young ones get out there and go like hell to beat you,
you can't let them do that, so away you go, everybody trying to get
there first. Sergeant, I'm here to tell you, that makes one hell of a
fighting machine."
I agreed with the young soldier. I believe he has it figured pretty
close. I wished him good luck and God speed. I wouldn't be surprised if
he ships over in the Corps.
12 September 1950
Sicily departed Sasebo at about 1830. She joined up
with the United Nations Fleet and sailed north into the Yellow Sea.
Scuttlebut says there are about 200 ships all going to take part in an
invasion at Inchon, Korea.
14 September 1950
First Lieutenant William E. Andrasco went down on the
last strike today. (WE- 2). He made a water landing and was picked up by
a destroyer.
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