Aboard Ship - Yokohama, Japan - May 1951

Japan

We had been at sea for at least 14 days then around the 15th day I came up on deck and the First thing I saw was Mt.Fujiwama. I saw it just for a short time when fog covered it.The harbor was a little dirty with item floating in the water.We got our duffle bags ready and waited in the stairwells.

As soon as we got off the ship were lined up to get shots. No Joke the shot was called the "Japanese B".What I remember I watched as the soldier in front of me got his shot. But when the medic pulled out the needle it was still in his arm. Then it was my turn and all went well.

The next thing we were put on a train..We were told not to put our hands out the window because the train car passed very close to the bridges ect..The train cars were very small not very wide. The building we passed seem dull how can I explain, no color to them. They brought us to a small Army post and by a patch painted on a smoke stack it was the 1st Cavalry. We would not stay very long. We ate dinner and were restricted to the Army post.

The next day we were issued brand new M1 Rifles all the stuff it had been wrapped had to be cleaned away.The whole rifle taken apart and cleanned. We were taken to a rifle range and we fired a clip of ammo at targets that were not very far away. When we got back the Sgt said go thru your duffle bags get an extra set of under wear and socks he said you wont need the rest,What we took we put in a knapsack. As the sun set and it was dark they took us to the docks and we got on a different ship a smaller one. This ship had been hit by Japanese airplanes during World War Two so in the dark of the night we left. The idea very few people would know were on our way, it would take a couple of days to get tp Korea.

Our first knowledge that we were in the waters of Korea some one thought they had spotted a mine in the water. Then we arrived at Inchon. The first problem was the 30 foot tides.One time you could see for a mile or more water then some time later the same place would be a mud flat. So we boarded a LST a landing craft and it went in at the right time and brought us to shore.

My tour in Korea had begun.