My husband didn't tell me much of his experience in Korea. This is about all I know. He said they shipped out of the state of Washington for Korea aboard a huge transport vessel. On the way over they went through a typhoon.
He said most of the soldiers were seasick but he slept through it in his hammock as he was used to a ship rocking a little when he came over to America as a displaced person from Germany.
His older brother, like I said before, was in the actual Korean conflict. My husband was not, being there 1956-58.
I told him he must have had it easy. He said no because they calculated about a 3-4 million Chinese troops across the 38th parallel & they could come over any time. The Americans had about 2 divisions, only a few thousand soldiers. The 8th Army division was in Japan, but would not have been able to get there in time if the enemy came across. The General said if they did come across to expect more than 90% casualties.
My husband was a cook & cooked for the officers, including the General. When the General was hungry they sent for him in the General staff car to fix him something to eat.
He was an apprentice chef at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City before being drafted.
Now he very rarely cooks!!!Lol. When you have a big family of 9 like we had, & many times including feeding some of the neighbors & extended family, I would peel 5 lb. of potatoes for a meal.
He tells me the reason he doesn't cook much now is when he was in the army he had kps to do most of the work & all he had to do was tell them what to do & supervise. Nothing much has changed!!
Before the 5th cavalry that he was in arrived the Chinese/N. Koreans came across & there were many casualties.
I told my husband, but you were the cook, so they wouldn't get you. Oh, yes, he said they did before, killing the cooks & others & hanging some from trees.
Several times when he was there they got false reports that whom they called "Joe Chink" came across borders & several soldiers killed themselves. They never came across when my husband was there, but I am sure it was very nerve racking.
He said the area he saw of Korea, the people were very poor.
He went to Japan also & said some sections the people were poor, but many sections they had nice homes & gardens & the people were very clean.
He said most of the soldiers were seasick but he slept through it in his hammock as he was used to a ship rocking a little when he came over to America as a displaced person from Germany.
His older brother, like I said before, was in the actual Korean conflict. My husband was not, being there 1956-58.
I told him he must have had it easy. He said no because they calculated about a 3-4 million Chinese troops across the 38th parallel & they could come over any time. The Americans had about 2 divisions, only a few thousand soldiers. The 8th Army division was in Japan, but would not have been able to get there in time if the enemy came across. The General said if they did come across to expect more than 90% casualties.
My husband was a cook & cooked for the officers, including the General. When the General was hungry they sent for him in the General staff car to fix him something to eat.
He was an apprentice chef at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City before being drafted.
Now he very rarely cooks!!!Lol. When you have a big family of 9 like we had, & many times including feeding some of the neighbors & extended family, I would peel 5 lb. of potatoes for a meal.
He tells me the reason he doesn't cook much now is when he was in the army he had kps to do most of the work & all he had to do was tell them what to do & supervise. Nothing much has changed!!
Before the 5th cavalry that he was in arrived the Chinese/N. Koreans came across & there were many casualties.
I told my husband, but you were the cook, so they wouldn't get you. Oh, yes, he said they did before, killing the cooks & others & hanging some from trees.
Several times when he was there they got false reports that whom they called "Joe Chink" came across borders & several soldiers killed themselves. They never came across when my husband was there, but I am sure it was very nerve racking.
He said the area he saw of Korea, the people were very poor.
He went to Japan also & said some sections the people were poor, but many sections they had nice homes & gardens & the people were very clean.
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