aug 2nd 51

 

                                                                      JMJ
Million Dollar Hill
Aug 2nd 1951
Kumwah North Korea
"L" Co. 5th RCT 24th Div,
                                                            Attack on Million Dollar Hill
   At the end of July we made one more patrol which turn out to be a ambush patrol..We found a path late at night and covered all sides of the path.Any person passing would meet a soldier..That night when we return to our fox holes the platoon officers says we are on alert so nobody would get any sleep.it was a rough night,
                                                               August 1st 1951
 We were told to fill up our fox holes.I had found a North Korean bayonet and threw it in the fox hole..One less thing to carry,Early in the morning of the 2st August after filling our fox holes we came off the hill we knew we were going to attack the hill.An officer was in a tiny tent and paying soldiers with what we called
"Funny money:" Military money.Why?? I went to get paid.I knew what was going to happen in the next few hours,As I approach the officer my hands were shaking so bad I could not sign my name, So he "red line me" meaning I had not been paid,,Then they put us in trucks and they drove us to the bottom of the million dollar hill.At the bottom were these huge light shining up the hill.We started up the hill which was very high.As the sun came up we were reaching the top.At one point I looked to my left.and I saw a long line of bunkers, (Enemy bunkers).When we stopped I hid myself in some brush.On my left some radiomen stopped.I listened as they called in artillery.The first rounds fell short.Then I heard them say raise the artillery. I watched as a round went straight into the enemy bunker with a puff of smoke coming out,Then we continued up the hill.Our mission believe it or not. "To draw enemy fire on us" so that another company going up the hill would get less fired upon.On the ridge line a Sgt went out blowing a whistle and shouting.When he came back we were told to fire at the enemy positions.Everybody was down and here I was standing firing my M! Rifle.Thje Sgt saying get down Meyer get down..Then from in back of me a Sgt said to me .We need help taking a wounded man off the hill.He took me and another soldier.there was a black man lying on the ground.They put him in a strecher,And we proceeded to take him down the hill..His only words :Water I want water"...At one point we took as break and put him down.Now the troops were drawing fire..We saw another wounded soldier come off the hill.As they put him down near us I ask. What happen to you" as he did not look that bad. He said look at my foot.he moved it a little and we saw that a
bullet had gone through one side of his foot to the other.How did that happen..He said I did what I was taught to do.I hid behind a rock but I spread my feet and caught a bullet.He said (Ill never forget) "You wont see me again" and we didnt.So up the hill.It rained the firefights went on all night,
The sad news even tho we drew fire on ourselves a squad of soldiers got killed by machine gun coming up the other side of the hill.A black man threw a grenade which destroyed the machine gun bunker...So the rest of the company had a better chance to get up the hill.
Phillip Meyer S./sgt Ret

Special patrol 51

Dear Readers..This was one of my better days of the Korean war,,Phillip

                                                                              JMJ
Kumwah,North Korea 1951
"L" Co.5th RCT 24th Div.
Phillip Meyer S/sgt ret.
                                                                      Special patrol
 There were two patrols that became special in there own particular way..The first one when we came back
we were told we could go off the hill to see a USO show. When we got off the hill a truck took us to another area. We saw Jack Benny and he had a couple of other show people with him.I was lucky to get to sit up front.Jack benny had two other men with him.The show did not last long but we all enjoyed it.then it was back to the front lines.
                                                                         Second special patrol
The next patrol we went on it had rained very hard,,So when we went down the hill we slipped a lot in the mud. The day was sunny as we went on this patrol..We had covered the area we were supposed to go through but on the way back we went through a village that had been burned down.I was passing the burned hut.when I hear some one say. We found some people...I kept on going down the path until I came in a clearing.On my right on the side of the hill was a small shack,Hidden by brush and trees,.I went up by the shack which had an opening in front kind of like a fruit stand.A couple of soldiers were standing there.I looked over the counter and there were three children a Girl and two boys.One soldier was speaking in korean and telling us what the girl was saying.One there parents had been taken or killed by the Chinese.
And they had not eaten any food for over a week.. I saw the radio man in the clearing he was looking at a map on the ground. I said to him lets take the children up the hill.,That kind of made him angry.No we would not do that..I could not accept that,,Then an idea occurred to me..I said..Why don't you call headquarters and see what they say,,To my surprise he got on the radio and he said the magic words..
We have found Civilians in the valley" (he did not give age or sex).Headquarters said "Bring them in for questioning" Now the radioman looked at me and said "Okay you are going to carry one of them up the hill.
So I got the oldest boy who wasn't that tall or heavy.He was about 8 years old. I put him on my shoulders
and we started up the hill.Everytime I slipped in the mud his hands got tight around my neck Part of the way up the hill we stopped for a braccia put the boy by a tree and looked in my pocket I  had this candy I had not eaten that had orange ,lemon ECT flavors square pieces of candy.I gave it to him,It did not take long for him to eat it,,Then back on the trail.I could hear the radioman talking.We would meet a Korean man at the barb wire fence who would take the children.One by one we handed them over,As I handed the boy over the fence I was passing him in the mined area.No room for a mistakes the civilian took them to an orphanage.
That night in my fox hole I felt better that if something did happen.The children were safe,,,
Phillip Meyer S/sgt ret