THE COLDEST WAR KOREA 1953

I WALK THROUGH THE SNOW AND IT BLOWS INTO MY FACE. THE WIND IS HARD LIKE SAND--PAINFUL -I GRIN AND BEAR IT-UNHAPPY AND FEARFUL. MY HELMET IS STRAPPED UNDER MY CHIN. WHEN THE SHELLS ROAR IN I DON'T WANT THE TIN POT TO FALL OF MY HEAD AS I HIT THE GROUND--HARD AND FAST. I DON'T FEEL THE COLD THIS WINTER OF 1953-INSTEAD I SWEAT--THAT'S WHAT FEAR DOES TO ME --BETTER THAN A FIRE. I AM 18 YEARS OLD AND THE MAN SAYS TO ME "WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MESS?"  I ANSWER "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS PRIVATE JOHNSON-YOUR HERE WITH ME" PRIVATE JOHNSON TRIES TO GIVE ME BACK A SNAPPY ANSWER--BUT JUST THAN A BARRAGE OF MOTARS LANDS AMONGST OUR SQUARD --PRIVATE JOHNSON RECEIVES A DIRECT HIT AND IS NO MORE.  NOW THERE ARE ONLY FOUR OF US LEFT OUT OF FIFTEEN THAT WE WERE FOUR DAYS AGO.--WE ARE THE THIRD SQUARD --OR WHATS LEFT OF THE THIRD SQUAD-- FOX COMPANY FIFTH MARINES -FIRST MARINE DIVISION.THE CHINESE ARMY HAS HAD IT'S WAY WITH US AND WE WAIT FOR OUR TURN TO DIE. NOT LIKE IN THE MOVIES- WHERE WE HAVE JOHN WAYNE- WHO WILL LEAD US TO VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY. THIS IS THE CHINESE PEOPLES ARMY WHO KNOW MORE ABOUT WAR THEN WE DO . I AM THE CORPORAL OF THIS FIRE TEAM OF FOUR MARINES.
THE MOTARES HAVE BURIED US UNDER MOUNDS OF DIRT AND ROCK AND KOREAN SOIL  I CAN'T BELIVE THAT I AM STILL ALIVE .IT'S BEEN FOUR DAYS OF THIS BATTLE [THE NAVADA CITIES BATTLE] FOR THREE COMBAT OUTPOSTS- ON HILLS OUR DIVISION HAS NAMED- RENO,VEGAS,AND CARSON. WE ARE COMBAT EXPERIENCED NOW AND STAY DOWN UNTILL THE SHELLING STOPS. WE AWAIT ANOTHER PEOPLES ARMY ATTACK. IT DOES NOT COME THIS TIME.
PFC O'BRIEN IS SHOUTING WHILE TRYING TO PULL HIS RIFLE OUT OF AN ENORMOUS PILE OF EARTH THAT FELL ON HIM. :"'DON'T BE SO UPSET'" I SAY " THATS LIFE"!   "NO IT'S NOT LIFE" HE SAYS "OR IT SHOULD NOT BE." "IT IS" I INSIST "THAT'S WHATS IT IS .AND LIFE LIKE DEATH LASTS ONLY A LITTLE WHILE"! AND SO IT GOES FOR US FOUR MARINES -NOT SO TOUGH ANYMORE  AFTER THE POUNDING  WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE PAST FOUR DAYS..
" LISTEN I'VE GOT THE SICKEST NOTION- DEEP IN THE MIRROR I AM SCARED-DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL IS THERE. YEAH--I'M LOSING MY REFLECTION."-- PFC O'BRIEN LOOKS  AT ME AND THINKS I MUST BE GOING CRAZY . WELL WHY NOT--BEST THING I COULD DO FOR MYSELF. GET SENT BACK TO THE REAR .MAKE WAY -HERE COMES THE BRAVE CORPORAL KENNEDY -READY FOR THE SICK BED AND NICE NURSES TO FEED MY SAD FACE. BUT I DON'T HAVE THE SMARTS FOR THAT. I'D BE FOUND OUT AND SENT TO THE BRIG. BESIDES THERE GUYS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT ME TO SEE WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS-.I WANT TO SHOUT " WE ALL DIE TOGETHER IN THE AWFUL HILLS OF KOREA."SO LETS SADDLE UP AND GET ON WITH THIS WAR. IT'S GOT TO BE OVER SOMETIME.  SO WE FIGHT ON AND TWO MORE GO DOWN- WOUNDED NOT DEAD.JULY OF 1953 THE FIGHTING STOPS AND PFC O'BRIEN IS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL .I TURN DOWN A PROMATION TO SERGEANT .WHEM MY TURN COMES I BOARD THE SHIP FOR THE THREE WEEK SAIL HOME TO THE USA.
A FEW YEARS LATER I LEARN TO SING;"I'M GONNA LAY DOWN MY SWARD AND SHIELD -AIN'T GONNA STUDY WAR NO MORE --AIN'T GONNA STUDY WAR NO MORE!"
                        
           HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY       2010