At Least Somebody Remembers the First Marine Division

I was really suprised to see this article in the Korea Times. A Korean Law professor wrote an inspirational article thanking the US 1st Marine Division for their service during the Korean War.

The Changjin Lake Campaign was one of the most notable battles won by the U.S. military. The 1st U.S. Marine Division under the command of Major General Oliver Smith had fought in severe cold weather, successfully repelling the People’s Republic of China’s 9th Army that had 10-to-1 superiority to the U.S. Marines in manpower. If the U.S. marines couldn’t have defeated China’s 9th Army, the Red Army might have well pushed the U.S. 8th Army and ROK Army to the southern end of the Korean Peninsula. One can easily imagine how the Korean peninsula’s political map could have been shaped after such a major retreat of the Korean and U.S. Army. That means those brave young marines virtually saved Korea from falling into the bloody hands of the communist regime. The Changjin Lake Campaign is also meaningful as a major battle won by the U.S. armed forces fought in severe cold weather.

Bush’s mention made me feel mixed emotions. Korea dispatched a military unit to Iraq, but it is a non-combat duty force. While the U.S. marines are engaging in a fierce combat mission against radical militants in Fallujah and other places of Iraq, Korea’s non-combat soldiers are simply digging in. Of course, I do not argue that the Korean soldiers should engage in combat operations in Iraq. But, I would like to raise the following question. Do Korea’s politicians and people know that the U.S. marines who are conducting dangerous combat operations everyday in Iraq belong to the same marine division that saved Korea 50 years ago?

I would like to tell the Americans that in Korea there are still people like Yim who do not forget what the American marines did for a small poor country in Asia threatened by the communist aggression a half century ago. God bless the U.S 1st Marine Division!

The Chosun Reservoir Campaign may be the US Marines greatest battlefield moment. Maybe only the Iwo Jima landing could of topped the bravery and courage of the Marines during those dark days of the Korean War. This article reminds me that I will need to make a posting about this battle in the near future. It is really quite a remarkable battle that few Americans know much about much less Koreans.

However, I think the writer or the newspaper should of made note of the US 2nd Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team which was located at Camp Hovey near the DMZ and is now deployed in the Ramadi area of Iraq and has so far sustained 35 KIA’s. The 2ID fought the entire length of the Korean War and has been deployed on the Korean DMZ for decades now helping the ROK Army keep the peace here. If Koreans every had any doubt if Americans are willing to die for the defense of Korea those 2ID soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq should be a good indication. How many other countries are willing to have their youth die for Korea? That should be the ultimate test of who your real friends are.