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Homage to a Korean War Battlefield : Fifty-five years later, almost to the day, former USMC Norman Callahan traveled from Dallas, TX to where he fought with the C-1-1 at the Battle of Horseshoe Ridge on April 23 & 24, 1951. The site, located north of Chuncheon, had weather almost identical to the day of battle - a beautiful spring day. Unlike 2006, April 1951 featured a night of Chinese human wave attacks on the half hour with moments of silence punctuated by the sound of chattering teeth as the Marines shivered in a mixture of cold and fear. The Marines lost 210 men with 60%&#43; casualties. The Chinese losses remain unknown but a spotter plane surveying the field a day after battle estimated as many as 2,400 Chinese dead laid on the terrain, largely slain by machine gun fire as they assaulted the Marines to within 20 yards of the US position. Norman was able to find the site in spite of the lack of any monument or sign of any kind at the site. He found the old fox holes which are now slight depressions in the hills, largely covered by fallen leaves. The once denuded hills are now covered with trees and bushes but the contours were unmistakable. Norman brought from home banners and a jar of earth that came from the park named in the honor of Ruben Adame, and also another jar that came from Adame's home, that the people in Alvin TX., were kind enough to locate and provide for Norman. The soil from these jars Norman sprinkled on the battle field as a gesture of solidarity and remembrance. Here is how Norman remembered it: "The (one) night of the 23rd and morning of the 24th, from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m.. (14 hours) The KIA's in Charlie company alone were, as I wrote home in '52 about 15 to 20 and the WIA's 110, which probably equate to 60&#43;%. and the 2,400 KIA's were by the combination of artillery, mortars, napalm etc., etc., and the ONLY advantageous place the opposition could and did attack us from during that period was with Charlie companies position at the top of the hill as that is what the terrain demanded. And in Charlie Co, eight fox-holes and 16 people remained there for the brunt of their offense which, as you've related cost them dearly. Out of 17 people in two machine gun squads, 17 people, I was the last man on the totem pole, and when we left the next day, I and one other were the only two who were not W or KIA during that period from the Machine gun section. The 8 holes referred to above were manned by a shortened squad of riflemen, 8 out of the usual 13 and the machine gun squad of, also 9, including the section leader, who was responsible for 2 squads of MG's."

Homage to a Korean War Battlefield

Tom Coyner (SeoulMan)

Fifty-five years later, almost to the day, former USMC Norman Callahan ...

Updated: May 01, 2006 9:09pm PST

Korea's Last Royal Funeral : Son of Joseon's last crown prince is laid to rest by Chun Su-jin JoongAng Daily July 25, 2005 Thousands of mourners gathered in sultry heat at Changdeok Palace yesterday to see what may be the last royal funeral ever conducted there, as Korea said goodbye to Lee Gu, son of the Joseon Dynasty's last crown prince. Family members, dignitaries and members of the public crowded the palace in central Seoul for the funeral for Mr. Lee, who was found dead of heart failure at the age of 74 in a Tokyo hotel room on July 16. The ceremony started at 10 a.m. inside the palace, where a portrait of Mr. Lee stood among white chrysanthemums and burning incense. Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan gave a memorial address, saying, "I express my sincere condolences for the demise of His Highness." Most of those attending the funeral appeared to be senior citizens and families, as well as some foreigners. Lee Jeong-sun, 80, who traveled from Gangwon province to attend, said, "It is too sad to see the funeral of a person like Lee Gu, who has suffered so much as the descendant of the ruined dynasty."

Korea's Last Royal Funeral

Tom Coyner (SeoulMan)

Son of Joseon's last crown prince is laid to rest by Chun Su-jin Jo ...

Updated: Sep 16, 2005 6:29pm PST

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