Farther East of the Imjin

MK note (15 Oct 2002): On this page are more of the photos which Leland was kind enough to send me and his story that goes with them. These photos were taken after Leland's Co I, along with the rest of the entire 3rd Div, had left the Imjin area for the last time in late September of 1952. Thanks, Leland.  MK.

On the back of each of the first two photos below, I wrote "Sep 1952" and 1st Sgt Krull joined Item Co while we were back at Camp Casey shortly after the 3rd Bn left the Imjin for the last time in Sep 1952. That is the best "when and where" I can give you about these two photos.

Below left is 1st Sgt John Compton (on left) and Cpl Paul Blackway. Below right is 1st Sgt John Compton (on right) and 1st Sgt Harold Krull, who is holding onto the guidon (flag).
    

One Sunday afternoon during that stay at Camp Casey, I was lying on my bunk with the sides of the tent rolled up a bit. I saw a fellow soldier, from his waist down, walking by our tent and recognized the walk of 1st Sgt Krull. He had been my 1st Sgt during my basic training in the 10th Infantry Division at Ft Riley, KS.

Of course, I jumped up and ran out to greet him.  He wanted to know how many more fellows from our basic training company were there.  I told him, "I'm the only one I know of - no others".

Two or three weeks after 1st Sgt Krull showed up, he replaced 1st Sgt Compton as 1st Sgt of Item Co and 1st Sgt Compton left for home.

On a later trip to Camp Casey, after we had gone to the Chorwon area much farther east of the Imjin than we were when we left it in Sep 1952, the two photos just below were taken.
In the photo on the left, Lt Robert G. Yerks is out front and center to receive an award.

In the photo on the right, the well earned award is being presented to Yerks by Col Richard Stillwell.

 

Lt Yerks had become our CO after Lt Edwin D. Chavous was KIA. Being clerk and not always at the CP, I typed many reports that required the CO's signature. I would type the reports and then call the CP and read the contents of the report to the CO. Invariably, I was told to sign for the CO; I believe I could still forge those names - Edwin D. Chavous and Robert G. Yerks.  Lt Yerks was left handed and wrote with the left handed slant.

Merv has inserted an excerpt from the page L on the Imjin. That page was furnished by Daniel Wolfe (#59) of Co L.

    "Edwin Chavous was our Platoon Leader. He had not been with our platoon in L Co long before he was transferred to, and made Company Commander of, Item Company. Then, a mortar round found him and Murray Lichtman while they were having a conversation on Jackson Heights. Ed, we hardly knew you."

CHAVOUS EDWIN D     Rank= 1LT     Serial Number= O-0063684
State of Record= SC     County of Record= Aiken
Race= 2     Year of Birth= 1929     Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= 01542
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty=N Korea Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/11/25
Casualty Description= KIA


This photo of me, on the left, and my buddy Ito was taken, I think, in the same area that the next two shots below were taken. I think also that, if you judge by the clothes we are wearing in this photo, it was shot a little earlier in the fall than the two below.



The two photos above have "Nov 52" marked on the back. One is marked "My Home" and that's exactly what that tent was. The other tent in that photo was our mess tent. The corner of the mess tent can also be seen in the lower left hand corner of the other picture.

It was in this area that our mess tent caught fire and burned down. I was sleeping soundly in "My Home" until I was awakened by the  popping sounds of  overheated cans of food coming from the nearby mess tent. My buddies in our tent had first thoughts that we were under attack. Then I, as the NCOIC of our Hq personnel, stepped outside and saw the smoke and flames of the burning mess tent - of course,  our breakfast was a little late that morning.

Here is my CIB award and a shot of me at my computer in February 1999.

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