Roughstuff's Korean War Archive
book reviews and summaries, comments, analysis
Berry, Henry Hey Mac, Where Ya Been?
Living Memories of US Marines in the Korean War DS 921.6 B44 1988
This is a good book. You have to admire the author's initiative in hunting down jarheads from Maine to San Diego 30 years after the war is over. Berry has the men talk alot about their pre-service and pre-Korean War militayr experience, which adds alot of color to the book. Many of the stories get a bit repetitive as the fellas tell their tales of Pusan, Inchon, Chosin, and the subsequent stalemate, but their was enough of a twist to each rendition to keep this readers' interest. Berry does provide a useful survey of the post WWII political and military situation in the US...attempts to eliminate the Marine Corps, the severe force cuts and poor readiness of key personnel and equipment.
Every reader is likely to find a part of this book which sticks in his memory. Mine were as follows.
- Paul Martin, 1st Marine Division Recon, is sick and tired of this 'Chosin Reservoir trap stuff.' How could it be a 'trap' he asks, when everyone in the theater knew the hills were crawling with Chinese soldiers? Martin heaps praise on Major General Smith for going ahead with the runway at Hugaru-ri despite Almond's hesitation.
- Hal Roise on Vietnam as he neared the end of his career in the mid sixties. "It looked like a quagmire to me...I just don't think our intervening was worth the effort. This type of thinking made me a leper as far as the big wheels at the Pentagon were concerned. I figured i'd just get out."
- Maj. General Lem Sheppard's criticism of the denouement from Chosin, the Hungnam evacuation. The port was well defended from the ground, air and sea; the Chinese were 'finished.' Giving up the port was a "mistake which cost thousands of American lives over the next few years."
- The North Koreans would close the schools and release the kids to find escaped POW's. It was their version of 'kick the can...' when they found you they would start cheering. This from Colonel William Thrash, a Marine flyer who spent some time in Chinese captivity.
- Red Sox fans will enjoy Ted William's stories about bombing missions, as well as his battles with pneumonia and inner ear infections.
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