6 & 9 at "Practice"

MK comments: Unless I've got things garbled up, both of these photos were taken about March of 1952 at a time when the 15th Inf Rgt or, at least, its first two battalions was or were in reserve, somewhere, to practice an assault on some hill somewhere and some time. When the assault didn't come off, or some other unit had that dirty job, his battalion (the 2nd) went back to Hill 355 and the 1st Bn went back to its position on the Imjin River eastward of Hill 355 and, soon afterward, to Pusan and the POW Camp. If I'm wrong about any of that or about the identifications made below, will some kind soul in the Bunker please help me out? Herb?

In the photo to your left: Herb is on the far left; Hoolihan is standing to Herb's left; Young is the first man kneeling in front and to your left; and, the middle man of the three kneeling men is Locket or Shields.

In the photo above and to the right are (left to right): Herb, Young, Houseman, Hoolihan, Carol, and a buddy whose name is not remembered by Herb unless it is Locket or Shields again.

An aside letter which I wrote Poe about these photos from Herb:

Poe,

Fairly early in 1952, Able (the whole 1st Bn?) was someplace in the rear practicing for some kind of assault someplace for some kind of purpose. The rumor I heard was that the practice was for an assault on Cavite.  I am wondering if Herb's Bn (the 2nd) may have been at the same place for the same purpose - whatever it was.   Please let me know what you remember, if anything, about that deal in the rear.

I remember that practice session for two reasons in particular - First: We were practicing with a live fire skirmish line up a ridge and they put me  in the damn middle - carrying my trusty light 30 mg John Wayne style with the ammo dangling over my left arm and almost to the ground.   I started falling behind and, if I hadn't stopped firing, I would have wiped out half of the 2nd Platoon. I did scare them a bit and I always wondered if that was the reason the raid was called off.   Second: During that trip, I smelled a rotting human for the first time so it must have been about the time of the spring thaw. There ain't no other smell like it, is there? MK. 

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