Veteran recounts gripping journey to Korea during war

In a recent discussion, a veteran recounted his experiences during military service in Korea, providing a vivid narrative of his journey from the United States to the Korean Peninsula. After spending several months at Camp Stohlman, he was reassigned to Korea, where he embarked on a two-week voyage aboard the USNS General Gordon, departing from San Francisco on April 1st.

The veteran described the ship as lacking the amenities of modern cruise liners, with cramped sleeping arrangements and limited activities, primarily consisting of card games. Upon arrival in Japan, he and his fellow servicemen disembarked in Yokohama before continuing to Sasebo, where they exchanged their uniforms for wool fatigues necessary for the cold Korean winters.

After a brief stay in Sasebo, the group sailed to Pusan, Korea, where they were met by local workers who assisted with their luggage. The veteran shared that they traveled by train to Yungdongpo, near Inchon, before being assigned to the 5th Regimental Combat Team, stationed just north of Pusan.

His service in Korea lasted several months, during which the combat team was eventually relocated to Fort Lewis, Washington. However, he and a fellow soldier were reassigned to the 8th Army headquarters in Seoul, where they worked in the personnel section of the 443rd Quartermaster. The veteran concluded his account by detailing his daily commute to work, highlighting the camaraderie and challenges faced during his service in a foreign land.