13 November 1950.
We were told we're going ashore at Wonsan. Our
aircraft flew away at noon on their last mission from Sicily. Each pilot
gave the bridge a hearty farewell salute as the catapult boosted him
into the sky. After completing their mission they will land at Wonsan.
During the afternoon Sicily's crew said good-bye to us. They helped with
our packing and said encouraging things, joking and laughing, wishing us
well. The galley crew went all out to serve a "holiday meal" for evening
chow. We really appreciate all they did for us. It was sort of sad but
it is something good we will have to remember for the rest of our lives.
About 1630 Sicily entered the harbor and started unloading right away.
They let us keep the foul weather gear the ship had issued us. I was
glad about that. The Navy foul weather jacket is the best warmest piece
of clothing I have ever worn. And it's not as bulky as the Marine issue
foul weather coats.
I go ashore with the first detail. I don't know what we will find there.
It's going to be different, no warm hanger deck and heated spaces. Since
cold weather came I have learned to appreciate the hot deck in our
compartment. I'm very glad the ship let us keep our foul weather
clothing. Long handles and double trousers are catching on. Green woolen
trousers under your dungarees help.
Before we left the Sicily news came in that the 7th Marines have
occupied Hagaru in the Chosen Reservoir area.
14 November 1950: COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS
It's so cold the aircraft engines won't start after sitting idle a few hours. All night we start engines and run them until they are at operating
temperature. Also, we are the security for our area.
My detail left the Sicily at 0315. Captain Thatch was
there to shake our hands and wish us well. The boat crew got lost in the
dark. They couldn't see anything so rather than chance hitting something
they waited for first light. I wore my long handle thermal underwear,
and a pair of green trousers under my dungarees. I thought we would all
freeze sitting there in that boat.
Major Keller and Captain Don W. Galbreaith met us at the landing with a
truck and went with us to the mess hall. The captain assured us our boat
crew was smart to sit it out and not show a light. A light would have
drawn fire and chances are some of us would have been hit. I wondered
why we left the ship in the middle of the night in the first place. It
was warm inside the mess hall, a very welcome change after freezing in
that boat. Hot cakes and bacon with lots of hot coffee helped warm me.
Major Keller gave us a brief history of Wonsan. The Japanese built the
air base years ago when they were here. They dug tunnels all over the
place connecting the base to the town, the harbor area, and other sites.
They dug underground hangers in hills near the airstrip. The tunnels
have been mined and booby trapped. All are off limits. The entire area
was mined and many areas still have not been cleared. He cautioned us to
stay on roads and paths that are marked safe.
From the mess hall Scanlan and I went to a large building called the
Hotel where VMF(N)-513 lives to visit friends and warm up. Wing and
Group HQ are in that building.
15 November 1950.
The remainder of the squadron came on board this
afternoon. We were told to find any place we could to bunk in a building
that had once been a Japanese infirmary. Looking at the building you
would have thought it impossible to house a hundred men there. It was in
shambles, no glass in windows, big holes in walls, holes in the roof, it
was a mess. SSgt's Scanlan, Darby, Beard, Willis, Whidby, and me found a
room that had no holes in its outside wall. We boarded up the windows
and found a door that would fit. With scrap lumber we built bunks, two
sets three high. Darby scrounged a small oil heater off some guys in the
shore party. We're in pretty good shape. A crematorium at the other end
of the building is in good shape but nobody moved in.
We are in the close air support business the first day at Wonsan. The
pilots report good targets in widely scattered areas. We have maintained
good availability, averaging 20 aircraft up each day. It is unbelievably
cold. What they are calling the worst winter in 200 years is roaring
across Manchuria and Korea bent on freezing me to death.
It's so cold the aircraft engines won't start after sitting idle a few
hours. A lesson learned. MSgt Herb Sartor, Line Chief, assigned me a
crew of 6 to work nights. SSgt.'s Scanlan, Darby, Bell, Beard, Arcuni,
and Sgt. Sanchez. Our job is to keep the aircraft ready for flight. All
night we start engines and run them until they are at operating
temperature. Also, we are the security for our area.
When it's time to warm engines I drive our jeep down the line of parked
Corsairs dropping off the guys. They jump into a cockpit and get ready
to start the engine. I come back to the first Corsair with a load of
fire bottles (CO2) and stand by in case of fire. When an engine is cold
it starts easier with extra fuel so the engine is given extra prime.
(Raw fuel is squirted directly into the cylinders) With all that fuel a
goodly amount is pumped out the exhaust stacks. A backfire can easily
start a fire. If the engine kicks through and starts running the fire
will be blown out. If it don't the fire will spread under the plane.
That's when I come rushing in with a fire bottle in each hand. It takes
some savvy to know when to keep the engine turning over and when to jump
out and man a fire bottle.
18 November 1950.
Wonsan is a hit and miss situation. The cold never
lets up. Some days we never see the sun. NKPA troops are all around us
in civilian cloths. We can see their fires in the hills all around us.
Scuttlebutt says there are Chinese officers in the area reorganizing the
NK stragglers. Every night infiltrators try to get into our areas. PMO
security details patrol in jeeps all night. They shoot out any light
they see and shoot at anything moving. Big guns bang away all night,
machine gun and small arms fire break out often. Destroyers in the
harbor sound off with flares and star shells. Seems something is going
on all the time.
Water is brought in from a water point on a creek a few miles from here.
That too is a hit and miss proposition. Today the mess hall trailer tank
came back with several bullet holes in it. That happens too often.
Needless to say, as individuals we use very little water.
I think a lot about what's happening in this frozen land. It must be
horrible for the poor people, specially women and children, trying to
survive.
Aircraft availability continues high despite poor weather.
Major R.P. Keller, CO, is being transferred to 5th Air Force HQ as
liaison officer. Major William M. Lundin will be our CO.
Corsair at Wonsan, North Korea, November 1950.
19 November 1950.
The 3rd. Armored Division, US Army, came in from
Germany. They have enough vehicles, some with big guns, to issue one to
every Marine in Korea. Soon after they arrived several pieces of luggage
were left in our room. It all belonged to Army officers. A couple of
pieces had lieutenant colonel insignia. The room is so small they were
blocking the door so SSgt. Titus Willis put them out in the hall. When
the officers came back they seemed to be annoyed at finding their
luggage in the hall. Willis told them it was our room and they should go
away. They did.
Several soldiers moved into the crematorium. TSgt. Beef Beeman and a
couple more of our guys went to visit them. They had big fires going in
the ovens and were heating their rations. They invited our guys in and
offered to share anything they had. After a couple of cups of hot
chocolate and holding a full cup of steaming coffee Beeman asked a
sergeant if the cremation ovens work ok. There was a complete silence
for a moment. Then, "Creama who? You mean them big assed tubes is where
they burn corpses to ashes?" They left a lot of food and coffee. Beeman
took care of that.
Our pilots are flying cover for Marines and Army up north. General
MacArthur said the Chinese wouldn't dare cross the Yala. We should be
home for Christmas.
Early this morning the 3rd Armored Division hauled out of here heading
north. I never heard so much grinding and squeaking and roaring in my
life. When they all got moving the earth shook under your feet and the
noise was deafening. We gave them a high ball and wished them well.
Tonight as the night crew was getting to our position we heard a giant
rattling noise coming from the northwest. Soon we saw the 3rd Armored
Division roaring back. They returned to the same area they left this
morning. It was a sight to behold the way those vehicles maneuvered
around in tight circles, spinning on one track, some doing wheelies.
Before the dust settled the LtCol. who was about to occupy our room came
along in an armored car. He slowed and said hello. We ask him what
happened? He said they had moved up and deployed in battle formation.
They fired for one hour at probable target areas. "We received no
instructions so we dropped back here to await further orders."
20 November 1950: UNITED NATIONS FORCES REACH THE YALA.
General MacArthur ordersan offensive to the war.
"Gung Ho!" we cried. "Let's do it and go home!"
Word came in that the US Army 7th. Infantry Division
made it to the Yala River. Looks like General Mac Arthur was right.
23 November 1950.
Thanksgiving Day. Not much of a day out here in the
frozen wastelands. My days are upside down from working nights. I don't
think I'll ever get used to sleeping days. The cooks went all out and
came up with a fine Thanksgiving dinner. I was thankful that I am alive
and though I'm frozen stiff I'm well and that's pretty good compared to
the hardships tens of thousands of people in Korea are plagued with. I
get sick to my stomach when I think how many innocent people have been
brutally killed in this country in just six months.
I grew up in Alabama where the winters never get real cold. I cannot get
used to being so cold all the time. It gets inside your clothing no
matter what you are wearing. After a while you get sort of numb then
places start to sting and you realize how uncomfortable you are. The
stinging comes when moisture from your body crystallizes and freezes on
the skin. Scanlan and Darby shaved off their mustache. Everybody has a
running nose and the fluid freezes in the hair and that can cause
frostbite. Some of the guys have frostbite on the lip and nose. We have
adopted a go easy attitude. Exertion causes sweat and any moisture
against the body is bad. It is so cold the water on your mess gear
freezes before you can shake it off after dipping it in the boiling
clean and rinse water outside the mess hall. I saw a Marine standing by
the head (4 hole outhouse in a tent) the other day spitting and watching
as it bounced like a marble.
24 November 1950.
General Mac Arthur orders an offensive to end the war.
"Gung Ho!" we cried. Lets do it and go home.
25 November 1950.
THE CHINESE ARE HERE! We get bits and pieces of news
about what's going on up north. I miss the Sicily's Morning Press.
The Chinese are attacking the First Marine Division. Our pilots are so
mad they are swearing when they come out to fly a mission and twice as
mad when they return. They're saying it's about as dirty as it can get
when our Marines and soldiers are placed in a predicament where they
have little chance of surviving. The Chinese are attacking wave after
wave. The weather is bad, clouds and snow hinder flight operations and
that really bothers the pilots. Some of them volunteer to fly in the bad
weather but the CO won't allow it. He said the General would hang him
from the yardarm. The General called a pilots meeting and told them they
are vital to the survival of our fellow Marines on the ground. "And
don't fret, you will get your chance at the Chinese just as you did the
NKPA on the Pusan Perimeter."
26 November 1950.
Morale is mighty low today. The word is out, General
Mac Arthur's HQ put his "Be home by Christmas" offensive on hold. UN
forces are falling apart as the Chinese swarm upon them. Whole divisions
of South Korean soldiers are disappearing overnight.
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