Merry Christmas
On another December night, in a cold place far away, there was another Christmas miracle. It was during the Korean War, 70 years ago.
The Marines who had taken the Chosin Reservoir were now pretty sure that they could be home by Christmas. They had defeated the North Korean Army and were ordered to hold their ground until new orders came from Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately, it took two weeks for the orders to arrive. In that time, Chinese forces who had entered the war, were able to completely surround the Marine position. They mounted strong attacks every morning at about 4:30 AM.
Unfortunately, it took two weeks for the orders to arrive. In that time, Chinese forces who had entered the war, were able to completely surround the Marine position. They mounted strong attacks every morning at about 4:30 AM.
The situation was pretty bad. We lost our supply line (roadblock), the Corpsmen (Marine medics) were running out of blood and morphine and we were running out of ammo. The Air Force kept us going with parachute drops. The orders finally came telling us to leave Korea. Not so easy - because we were surrounded, "leaving" meant having to fight our way out.
We began a long 80 mile trek, in below-zero temperatures, to come out of the mountains and head for our ships at sea. All along the way, there were Chinese roadblocks and many battles still to be fought.
We were coming out determined to leave nothing and nobody behind. We picked up all of our wounded comrades and those who had been killed. With our vehicles in the center of the road, we walked alongside in single file columns on both sides of the road. The incredible cold and the icy, slippery road made each step a challenge. We kept moving, until we met the next Chinese roadblock. The vehicles would then stop. We would bunch up and engage with the enemy until they were defeated.
When the vehicles were able to move again, we reformed our columns and continued down the mountain. This happened at each Chinese roadblock we encountered (I recall eight). The march out was slow and demanding. Our diet of cookies and snow did little to offset the exhaustion we all felt.
Frostbite became a serious problem. We had to keep stomping our feet while we walked or the extreme cold would quickly freeze the brine (perspiration) in our boots - a risk we faced every time we had to stop to fight off an attack.
It snowed most of the time and the sky was overcast. We kept praying for it to clear up, so that we could get some help from our aircraft in knocking out those roadblocks. All along the way we put our wounded on the hoods of vehicles to keep them warm and our dead comrades onto trucks.
We began a long 80 mile trek, in below-zero temperatures, to come out of the mountains and head for our ships at sea. All along the way, there were Chinese roadblocks and many battles still to be fought.
We were coming out determined to leave nothing and nobody behind. We picked up all of our wounded comrades and those who had been killed. With our vehicles in the center of the road, we walked alongside in single file columns on both sides of the road. The incredible cold and the icy, slippery road made each step a challenge. We kept moving, until we met the next Chinese roadblock. The vehicles would then stop. We would bunch up and engage with the enemy until they were defeated.
When the vehicles were able to move again, we reformed our columns and continued down the mountain. This happened at each Chinese roadblock we encountered (I recall eight). The march out was slow and demanding. Our diet of cookies and snow did little to offset the exhaustion we all felt.
It snowed most of the time and the sky was overcast. We kept praying for it to clear up, so that we could get some help from our aircraft in knocking out those roadblocks. All along the way we put our wounded on the hoods of vehicles to keep them warm and our dead comrades onto trucks.
On one snowy night, the sky finally began to clear. We were so happy that the snow stopped and the stars became visible again. This was the needed help that we were praying for. Maybe we would really survive this after all, and maybe even make it home for Christmas.
Now we were able to contact our Marine Corsair planes. They helped destroy the roadblocks ahead of us as we fought the rest of the way down that icy mountain road.
On that wondrous night and clear sky, there was one star that was shining so much more brightly than all the others.
Many of us who saw that star considered it a miracle. We took it as a sign that we would survive our difficult situation.
On that wondrous night and clear sky, there was one star that was shining so much more brightly than all the others.
Many of us who saw that star considered it a miracle. We took it as a sign that we would survive our difficult situation.
Years later, those of us who saw the bright star that night in Korea formed an organization for the survivors of the Chosin Reservoir - "The Chosin Few". We made the star our symbol.
