The First Patrol

Author: Jake Cramer

As I recall, the first day in Korea we rode a train from Inchon to a Repo-Depo. We were assigned Regiments there. The Division assignments had been made in Camp Drake, Japan.

We loaded into a 21/2 ton truck for the ride to the Punchbowl area. At Division we were assigned to Regiments, and at that point to our respective Companies. Harold, Elmer and I were assigned to " King Co. " 224th Inf. Reg. We were met at the road by a Sgt. " The Hill " had no living trees or underbrush on it. The place looked like the pictures we saw of Mars in Comic books, back in our younger days.

The Sgt. then took our packets of assignments and said, "Let me have your helmets". He cut the straps off the helmets, explaining how a man received a broken neck from concussion when he had his helmet strapped on and an artillary round came close. Our first lesson from the Sgt. !!!

The C.O. came from the Bunker by the road. You could just make out his bar on the collar. It was smeared with dirt as was the bar on his helmet.

He said, " Name, rank and the place you took basic ".

One by one, Elmer, Harold and I replied, "E-2 Sir, Indiantown Gap".

The Lt. replied, "I hate E-2s".

I thought, " We are in for trouble in our first moments ".

Then he stated, "I hate E-2's because I was one myself, and with a smile, told the Sgt.,
" Put these men in for P.F.C. "

He explained we were in a " blocking position " and as such we did all patrols, day and night, combat, ambush and recon.

The Sgt. produced three sandbags and explained how to cut them and fit them over our helmets between the liner. Some guys made them fit like a glove. Mine always fit kind of baggy, but that was S.O.P. in our Division.

The Lt. told us that this evening we will be going on an ambush patrol. He pointed to me and said, "Go up to that bunker and tell Cpl. Carnes you need his B.A.R. and Belt for the evening and report back here".

I stepped inside the bunker. Several men were playing poker. The place was lit by candles. I felt so out of place in there. I asked for the Cpl.

" What do you want? "

"The C.O. told me to get your B.A.R. and Belt for this evening."

His reply, "It's there on the wall, bring it back just as clean as you took it out of here."

Still feeling out of place, 1 grabbed that B.A.R. and Belt and met the C.O. by the road.

He said, "Shoot that tree, with a short burst."

The " tree " was a stump about 4 feet high and 1 foot around with shrapnel sticking all over it. You couldn't put your hand on it without being cut.

I shot it from about 20 feet away.

The Lt. said, "Good, be here at 1700 hours, we are going on an Ambush Patrol. You will be Point Man."

My stomach rolled.

"Sir, what do I do?"

"You will do just like you did in basic back at Indiantown, except here the people you might see in front of you will be trying to kill us. Stay alert, move slow, watch for trip wires. Leave all personal items at the bunker, only your dog tags and Geneva convention card will be on your person ".

At 1700 hours 15 to 18 of us gathered on the road by the C.P. Two other men had B.A.R.s. One guy had an M-l Garand with a launcher and various signal flares in his belt. The rest were armed with M-2 Carbines, 30 round Mags, and everyone had grenades. With our flak vests and armored jocks, we must have been a sight to behold.

My vest had dried blood all down the back of it from the neck down. I remembered the supply Sgt. saying if I'm out in the rain enough, it'll wash out!

Anyhow, the Lt. checked us out regarding personal items and told us" We will set-up on the Valley Floor. Every 15 minutes there will be a security check via sound power or radio, whichever works ". He explained that usually the land line gets cut by incoming rounds.

"At dawn," he said, " we will pull out in the order we came in. Point will be first out."

I had a million thoughts in my brain. What if I goof this thing up?

We loaded onto a truck for the short ride to the M.L.R. The last man on the truck was the Medic, aid bag on his shoulder, folding stretcher in one arm and his M-2 in his other arm, no marking of any sort on his uniform. It was a fact, early in the war, Medics were select targets for enemy forces.

After a short ride to the M.L.R. we unloaded on the road near a tram that was built to lower casualties from the M.L.R. to Litter Jeeps. The tram was constructed of timbers, cables and a metal basket for the wounded. We started up the hill to the trench line.

Down the line to the jump off point the Lt. repeated, "Be quiet, observe, Point Man watch for trip wires, take it easy, maintain 5 yards, load and lock".

I was loaded and unlocked.

As I walked the trail that led in front of a tank the Tanker on watch gave us the high sign. For a moment I thought that might be a good spot to be, but then they seemed to attract more attention from the North Korean and Chinese Artillary than the Ambush Patrol I was on. I could hear my heart pound as I continued down the trail. The side was littered with commo wire, from countless other Patrols. It was quiet, damp and humid. It felt like I was in another world. It was so quiet, I looked back to see if I was alone. It was reassuring to see that my Patrol were all there, moving like so many ghosts. I came to a stream, the Lt. whispered that we would set the ambush here. We set up in a 360, the Lt., Radioman and Medic in the center. The Medic opened his stretcher and lay down on it. I found out later that if it was raining, he would lay under it. Smart Medic, I think he was from Minnesota or Wisconsin.

The evening was uneventful. Outgoing rounds from Division Artillary, somebody whispered they were 155s. Sometimes 50 cals. would open up on either side of the M. L.R. Search lights shining on 'Sandbag' and 'No Name' gave off an eerie light in the valley. The silence was broken by Security Checks whispered into the radio. Bugs could be felt crawling around in your ears and nose and you chased them quietly.

At dawns first light the Lt. said, "Let's go!" As I neared the tank, I hesitated, as the guy in the tank was leaning on his 50 cal. He motioned us in. I stepped to the side of the tank and counted the patrol in, as instructed by the Lt.

He told me, Harold and Elmer that we had done a good job.

Later we talked over coffee and some rations, and although we really didn't do anything on that Patrol we had a feeling of Satisfaction. We had made our First Patrol.

I cleaned Cpl. Carnes' B.A.R. and when I stepped into that bunker to hang it on the wall he said, "How did it go?"

I told him about the patrol which he probably already knew a dozen times over. He gave me some coffee and when I left that bunker I didn't feel out of place anymore.

I belonged to King Company !

There would be other patrols but none like this one.

Jake


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