The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

PRESIDENT from page 4
tion of the National Korean War
Memorial. During May, I attended the
Department of New York State
Convention, then again on to Washington
D C for the Memorial Day ceremonies. In
June I returned to South Korea for the
Commemoration of the beginning of the
Korean War. We had the Gathering and the
KWVA reunion the end of July. On August
3rd The Maryland Chapter and I had the
honor of attending and posting the colors
for the Republican National Convention.
On the 7th of August I was invited back to
Korea with a group from the 16 other
countries. During September I made several
speeches through Ohio. I attended
several Memorial ground breaking ceremonies.
During the month of October we
had Reunion a committee meeting, then I
attended the Minnesota #1 chapter for
their fall conference, Maryland Chapter
winter conference. In November I attended
the New York fall conference.
November 11th I was in Washington, D C
for the Veterans Day Ceremonies. I was
asked to give a speech in Palm Beach
Florida by Goodlife TV. In early
December I attended Christmas parties at
Tri-State chapter in East Liverpool, Piqua,
Greene County Chapter and the Johnnie
Johnson Chapter in Lima, Ohio. It has
been a true honor to represent my fellow
Korean War Veterans. This 50th year I am
spending Christmas Eve here in Ohio with
my Family.
The 50th Commemoration committee
is hard at work getting ready for more
commemoration events, I first met Lt.
Col. James Fisher in St. Louis, MO at a
Gold Star Mothers Convention about 5
years ago. At that time the 50th
Commemoration Committee was just getting
organized. There was a big job to be
done. During this first year many of the
plans have been carried out. Many Korean
War Veterans have been honored, as they
should be. We have been working very
close with General Running and his staff.
Sometimes they need a list of Korean War
Veterans from a certain area and we will
send a rooster of that area.
Elections:
We have the election of 4 directors that
will take office this July. I strongly urge
that you check the background of the candidates
before voting. Dorothy Schilling
and Richard Danielson can not run for reelection
because of term limitations.
Dorothy is our finance chairperson. She is
a no nonsense person and keeps tracks of
KWVA funds. She and National Treasurer
Thomas Gregory work well together. I
intend to keep Dorothy on the finance
committee (if she wants to) as a member
at large of K WVA.
Nick Nishomoto will have POW’ week
in Honolulu, Hawaii April 4-11, 2001. On
April 9 we will hold at the National
Cemetery in the Punchbowl a POW’
Recognition Day Ceremony with Massing
of the Colors and wreath laying from different
organizations. Banquet dinner will
be held at Hale Koa on Sunday April 8th.
We will tour the Arizona Memorial, USS
Missouri, and Hickam Air Base for an
educational tour of Central Identification
Laboratory, Hawaii. Also we will have a
picnic on the beach, and golf at the
Hickam Golf Course. Nick has made
plans to arrive on April 3rd, and depart on
the 10th. You may stay longer in you want.
Contact Nick at (808) 455-5088 or write
to Nick at 1813 Algacoba St., Honolulu,
HI 96826. Nick always has a great program.
We will be having our mid winter
Executive Council meeting in Tuscolla,
IL. The telephone number at the Holiday
Inn is(217) 253-6363. You can make room
reservations for March 23, 24, 25, 2001.
The national Korean library and museum
will be reviewed.
I have formed an awards committee to
be chaired by past president Dick Adams.
(1) One award will be KWVA member of
the year, (2) Another award will for membership
recruitment, (3) Another will be a
appreciation for a Foreign Official that has
contributed to the welfare of the KWVA.
The Officers and Board members will be
excluded from receiving any of the
awards. Mail your nominations (not more
than 200 words) to National Headquarters
no later than June 15, 2001. All nominations
will be forwarded to the awards
chairman.
Till next time I remain,
Harley
“OLD BALDY from page 3
to prevent immediate reinforcement.
More waves of American troops
advanced up the slope but intense enemy
fire in the early morning hours of 19
September forced them to withdraw. A
night attack on Old Baldy on 20
September with poor results for only 5
bunkers remained intact.
Considerable resistance encountered
in the last phase of the operation required
intense fire by all the Regt’s. weapons.
The wall of steel placed on the enemy by
artillery, mortars and tanks enabled those
still on the hill to withdraw safely to the
MLR.
The right sector was still being held.
Relief of these brave men was accomplished
late in November as frosty weather
began to hit the battlefront. Finally
equipped with the latest in winter gear for
this was the third Korean winter for these
troops.
Early December passed quietly, and it
appeared that those still on the hill might
be relieved before any significant action
took place. This, however, was forgotten
when a large-scale attack was forecasted
in the T-Bone area by intelligence. The
attack materialized on 23 December, in
battalion size, accompanied by a total of
2600 rounds of incoming artillery and
mortar. Just prior to midnight, hordes of
Chinese charged up the slopes. They
engaged the Chinese in fierce hand-tohand
fighting. A number of enemy
swarmed into some of the outpost’s
trenches. Soon had the situation in hand
and cleared the hill, killing or capturing
all of the enemy who had reached the
position. Counted Chinese dead on the
hill numbered 117, while total enemy
casualty figures for the action were listed
as 650. Losses for the Regt. were
extremely slight. This successful stand
was the last action for the 2nd Div. in this
sector. Elements of the 7th Division
began relieving this unit on 26 December.
(Due to space much was omitted. Those
that fought on these hills know their bravery
& hardships. This history came from
my 2nd I.D. History book. The units
involved were the 9th, 23rd & 38th Regts.
Other units fought bravely with many
causalities on the hills known as the “Iron
Triangle.”)
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