Able in June of 1952

MK note: An original of this photo, tattered and discolored, was recently recovered by me from a safer storage with my son, a former Marine. I did what I could with it and emailed a copy on to J. C. Poe (Entry #2) in the hope that he was still in Able Co when the photo was taken. Eureka! His comments on the photo follow the photo. I remember the day of the photo pretty well and will add my comments after Poe's. Who knows? Since everyone in Able got a copy of the photo, maybe a copy in better shape than mine will show up. MK.

J. C. Poe (Entry #2) comments: Hell yes, Merv! I'm in the Co Photo. That ugly, lazy, crap-head lying on his ass in the center front (with the cigar in his kisser) is yours truly. The dude on the point of the guide-on is Sam Kellogg. The black guy behind me is my assistant gunner (forgot his name). The third man to the right of the tin hut, tallest in the immediate back row and with the Div patch prominent on his left shoulder, is "Chief" (real name not recalled), a very tall Indian in my mortar squad, one of the finest friends I ever had, and the nastiest SOB on the Imjin when drunk. I think I mentioned to you his failing to take his turn on guard one night when I couldn't get him up to replace me. Okay, your turn: which one is you?

Also, I was just looking at the On Top of Old Baldy photo and you need to make a correction on the month I went home, it was the end of June, not in April. You said the company photo was taken in June of 52 which is correct. Hell Merv, you got to watch me and Arc as we are both Intel oriented from the Nam era. We even call each other Spook One and Spook Two, so we notice when info conflicts. I better stop before I start a book. Later, J.C.

MK comments: I think I remember that Snyder, Grover, and I were late (as usual, except for mess or mail call) and almost missed being in the photo. That is why I think I can spot myself as being the head which is fourth from the left in the very back and, being too late for a spot as good as Poe's, contents itself with peering over the shoulder of the man in front of me and standing on a higher perch.

That's probably Snyder (Entry #8) next to my right and your left, maybe better eyes than mine may be able to tell for sure. I'm pretty sure that Grover (Entry #9) is the guy sitting on your far left.

I recognize some other faces (including the Company Commander) and remember some names, but can't put a single name and face together. Most of all, I don't recognize Poe at all. My only excuse for that is that I always tried (sometimes without success) to stay as far away from mortars as I could.

Not long after this photo was taken, our battalion moved closer to the MLR and was there, where it rained, rained, rained, until 30 July 1952 when we were dispatched to the MLR for the assault on OP Kelly the next morning. MK.

Mk late note (8 Oct 2001): My #1 daughter did her magic on this photo and it is much clearer than when I first described it above. Poe has now been able to identify the fifth man in from the right on the back row as being Sergeant Laville and the third man to the right of Poe (in the front row) as being Sgt Delgado. MK.

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