The Day the Chinese Came to Town -- 1950

On my 19th Birthday, November 27th 1950, the Chinese entered the war in Korea. My unit the 581st Signal Radio Relay Company had a radio station operating on the coast of North Korea for communications with the First Marine Division trapped in the Chosin Reservoir. We were isolated in a remote area with no other UN units within 50 miles. We had to stay until the Marines had successfully fought their way out of their trap. Mao Zedong had announced to the Chinese people that he had the Marine Division trapped and he was going to kill them all. Eventually the Marines fought their way out coming out with their dead, wounded and hundreds of Chinese prisoners. We could then leave our position and get out if we could.

On my 19th Birthday, November 27th 1950, the Chinese entered the war in Korea. My unit the 581st Signal Radio Relay Company had a radio station operating on the coast of North Korea for communications with the First Marine Division trapped in the Chosin Reservoir. We were isolated in a remote area with no other UN units within 50 miles. We had to stay until the Marines had successfully fought their way out of their trap. Mao Zedong had announced to the Chinese people that he had the Marine Division trapped and he was going to kill them all. Eventually the Marines fought their way out coming out with their dead, wounded and hundreds of Chinese prisoners. We could then leave our position and get out if we could.

At last over our radio came the word we could leave our position and evacuate to the south if it were possible. We quickly loaded our gear onto the trucks and trailers. We had two 3/4-ton trucks with trailers and a jeep. We were about 24 men with 12 being Signal Corps and 12 Republic of Korea Soldiers who were guarding our station. The whole town turned out to see us go and they were very sorry to see us leave. They had been very helpful to us in the operation of our station. We said a quick goodbye and hurried off. We had to travel north to get to the main road to the south and we needed to get there before the Chinese who were rapidly advancing. The UN forces to our north had been mostly wiped out by the Chinese.

As you can see snow covered the narrow road to a depth of about a foot and the road was very icy. About 3 miles later my truck with me driving slipped off the road even with chains on all four wheels. The right wheels caught the edge of the road and I knew it was all over. I yelled to the eight men riding on the truck to jump to safety and they did while I kept the truck clawing to the edge. Eventually the truck turned over with me hanging on to the steering wheel all the way. As the truck turned over I rotated so when it fell down I was sitting upright. I was not hurt as the load on the truck and trailer kept me from being crushed.

We quickly unloaded the other truck, poured gasoline over all of the equipment, put grenades on the pile and set it on fire and left on the remaining truck. Eventually we made the main highway and joined the marine convoy heading south to Hamhung/Hungnam and to safety. The weather was about 20 below zero and the trip took two days. My hands and feet were frostbitten. We were all exhausted when we arrived. A week later they assigned me a new truck.