581st Radio Relay Co.
in North Korea (1950)

After a few Days we Head North

In Inchon we spent a few weeks doing nothing but some training until the combat forces had taken Seoul and then moved there to a large four-story building. It was empty and we slept on the floors. We dug latrines outside and did some more training. Seoul was in rather bad shape, no electric and no water. There were no shops and many civilians had fled the North Korean onslaught. The North Koreans had fled to the North but guerilla groups were around. After a while we trucked back to Inchon and the non-drivers went aboard troopships. Drivers were put into a long, long line of vehicles.

I stayed in that line for about 2-3 days waiting my turn to drive onto a LVT (Landing Vehicle Tank), a small amphibious landing boat that carried one truck and trailer at a time out to an anchored ship in deep water. There a crane would load you aboard the freighter. With that tide there is no dock space. The boat took us south around Korea and headed north to North Korean port of Wonson. It was a couple of days trip after we started. No one knew where we were going. Always keep the troops in the dark, then secrets can't get out. Here we have landed in Wonson and headed north again by truck. We head for Iwon, about 100 miles north of Wonson. We travel with two weapon carriers and a Jeep, 5 enlisted men and an officer.