" AS I Recall .........."
Jack H. Moffett
Former M/SGT. 40th Division HQ Company, G-3
I was one of many GIs who wound up in their second war when the so called "Korean Conflict" came along.
I had joined the California National Guard in October,1939 at the age of 17, lying about my age by one year. The 185th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division, with HQ in Fresno, had Co. "D" in Visalia, California. That is where I joined the Heavy Weapons Company. It had .30 caliber water cooled machine guns, 81mm mortars and one platoon of anti-tank weapons.
We were activated into the Army on March 3, 1941. The Division was then a "square division". That is two brigades of two regiments each. Our sister regiment was the 160th Infantry, "Los Angeles Own". We formed the 80th Brigade. By September of 1941 our tour of one year had been extended to 18 months. The war in Europe was getting nasty and the USA's entry into that conflict seemed inevitable.
December 7, 1941, A Sunday ..... Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan and we were in it for good until October of 1945. The 40th left Camp San Luis Obispo on the central California coast within days. We were headed for the greater Los Angeles area to protect utilities, defense plants and coast lines etc,etc.
We moved to Fort Lewis, Washington where we trained for Combat Readiness Tests. (I got married there July 4, 1942 to my wife, Louise.) The Division then moved to Hawaii which was then a US Territory. The 185th Regiment spent 9 months or so working on beach defenses on the island of Kanai, "The Garden Island" northmost of the occupied chain.
After taking Commando Training at Schofield Barracks on Oahu the 40th went to Guadalcanal in the Solomons, now free of the Japanese Army. More training ensued with a landing on the NW coast of New Britain where the first tastes of combat occurred, but on a small scale.
Several practice landings were made along the north coast of New Guinea and then ....... the big one came. The 185th was part of the first wave, landing at Lingayen Gulf, on the Philipine island of Luzon. The Regiment anchored the right flank, fighting southward towards Manila. At Clark Field the 40th was pulled back to embark on further landings.
The first one was on Panay, capturing the industrial center of Iloilo, then on to Negros where the 40th set records for sustained days in combat against a fierce foe.
The whole Division was then pulled back (185th, 160th and the 108th) to train and prepare for a diversionary landing on Japan's homeland. Fortunately for all, except the Japanese, two Atomic bombs were dropped within days of each other on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war was over.
Those who had 65 points for discharge were sent home. The remaining troops re-filled their ranks and moved to Korea for handling the ticklish job of getting the Japanese back to their homes and to assist in establishing a stable Korean government.
The Division was finally returned to California in April 1946. It was soon in for a major shake-up. The Brigades had been disbanded back in late 1941 and the Division triangularized with 3 RCTs (Regimental Combat Teams). Now California was to add another division, the 49th, to serve the northern half of the state, the dividing line to be at the Tehachapi Range below Bakersfield.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 185th, who had originally been from the three counties of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino were really shakened. With the after WWII growth in Southern California, two new regiments were formed to replace those two battalions. Hence the birth of of the 223rd and 224th Infantry Regiments. The 3rd Regiment to fill out the triangle was, of course, the 160th, L.A.'s "own".
After WWII ended I joined the reserves for a 3 year hitch with the 63rd Division in Los Angeles. In 1948 I re-enlisted for another 3 year whack at a contemplated military retirement. But in 1950 I became disgruntled with the "inactive reserves" and wanted back in the National Guard where I had buddies. I was a Tech/Sgt. and shopped around various N/G armories for a slot with that rank.
All the S-1s with whom I talked and presented my qualifications said much the same thing ......."You should try Division HQ on Figueroa Street in L.A. specifically the G-3 Section". It was commanded by a Col. Benoit, who was later to command the 160th Regiment. He had been a Tank Company Commander in the 14th Armored Division in Europe during WWII and a buddy of Maj. Gen. Daniel Hudelson, C.O. of a Regiment in the 14th Division.
Colonel Benoit accepted me, though I had to temporarily drop down to S/SGT as the spot he had me pegged for, "Operations Sargeant", was taken but soon to be open. I was really happy and got the transfer papers underway.
While waiting for the slow paperwork to grind through the system, the Korean War began. All Occupation Forces in Japan; the 24th, 25th and 1st Cav Divisions were thrown into the mill, leaving Japan vulnerable. Two National Guard Divisions, the 40th and 45th were activated along with quite a few Artillery and Special Units thrown in. The 40th was scheduled to move to Camp Cooke (now Vandenberg AFB) near Santa Maria,California while the 45th went to Camp Polk,
Louisiana.
Then, to addle me, a General Order from the Reserves arrived in the mail. It contained the G/O, bus ticket and 3 meal tickets to haul my "buns" up to Fort Ord at Monteray, California. The order stipulated a 10 day retraining in my old MOS of Heavy Weapons Platoon Leader. In for two years same as the National Guard. What the hell happened to my transfer ?
At the time I was employed by Los Angeles County as a Visual Aids Technician. I was with the Civil Service Department whose #2 Honcho was the G-1 at Fort MacArthur where the General Order originated. I went to him showing both "call-ups". He merely asked me what was my "druther" to which I answered "the National Guard". In minutes he called his office at Ft. Mac and had my name rescinded from the G/O. (Whew !).
My wife, Louise, and I bought a 22 foot house trailer and hauled it up to Santa Maria to prepare for not only life in a trailer park but for our son Mike's entry into kindergarten.
Training began at a killer-pace. Fillers came in from Camp Roberts fresh from Basic Training. I had the luxury of hand picking the skilled men I was looking for by going through their 201 files. I had to fill the unit to 13 EM. We also needed 13 Officers and my boss, Lt. Col. John W. Dean, filled those vacancies.
One of the finest officers I have ever known was one of them, Captain George Benson, Class of 1945 at West Point, a mans man, liked by Private and General alike. He was on the famous '45 football team that featured "Doc" Blanchard and Glenn Davis.
We knew in April of '51 that we were headed for Japan. After sad and tearful good-byes (second time around) we entrained to Oakland Army Base, onto Ferry boats that took us to Fort Mason, the Army Pier and then aboard AP-113 (General Butner). After some of the terrible sail-trips during WWII that Naval vessel was a luxury as was the food.
In 10 days we landed in Yokohama (I think 15 April '51). We were met at the dock by a military band playing "California, Here I Come". We entrained at the dock and suffered a horrendous ride to Sendai, Japan, largest city north of Tokyo, then about 300,000 souls. A few miles East of the city was "Camp Schimmelfennig" named for the Chief of Staff of the 11th Airborne, KIA in the Phillipines.
The camp housed our HQ units (about 500 men) as well as other units. The Division scattered all over to fill the vacant camps left by the units now in Korea.
One of the first directives that went out concerned the American wives who were still in Japan, their husbands in "Frozen Chosen". The wives were free to visit the NCO clubs for dinner, dance, swimming, Bingo etc. If any 40th Division men were caught messing with any of these women, their ass would be in Korea in a line outfit and the woman sent back to Hogsbreath, Tennessee.
The 40th occupied an area of responsibility from the Japanese Alps in the South to the Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido. The 45th occupied Hokkaido but later on were replaced by the JNPR (Japanese National Police Reserve). "Police". (wink..wink !)
Training was intense. I enjoyed the travelling. I had a Top Secret Security Clearance as did most E-7s & Warrant Officers. We were on a rotation roster to make daily courier runs to the AG Section at Far East HQ in the Daichi Building in Tokyo, just across from the Emperors Palace. Each run began at the Sendai RTO at 2130 hours, arriving at Tokyo at 0730, met by a driver and password, to the HQ and overnight layover for the return packet to the 40th AG.
I made several air recons in the Sekine Peninsula for acreage that we could rent from the local Prefecture to use as an Artillery Impact Area. Guns had to be calibrated. These recons were usually in an Artillery Spotter plane, 2 place, one behind the other.
Air Transportability Training was hairy. Not only did you have to learn where and how to tie down equipment (like a 105 Howitzer) but you had to climb in the C-119s and fly with it. We had a drop zone at Ojojojihara where we successfully dropped equipment up to 5 tons.
In order to be prepared for any kind of invasion by the "Red Menace" G-3 was responsible for plans to meet those invasions. That meant we had to physically inspect every bridge, tunnel, railroad line for height, width, loadbearing capability and overhead clearances. It was a Herculian task but we met the challenge by forming several 4 man teams with jeep and trailer, manned by a driver, a draftsman, an Engineer Officer and a sharpshooter lookout. They drove into remote areas where the citizens had never seen a GI before. Information was recorded and returned weekly to Div HQ where it was entered on mastermaps (about 6' by 20').
The Colonel and his merry men would then make contingency plans for how to move X equipment from Point A to Enemy Point Z. The palns then went to HQ Far East in Tokyo where all the " brass " played " War Games " for a week. Col. Dean passed on all his plans.
We made three practice landings, weeks apart, at Chigasaki Beach. High seas raised hell with the Navy's Amphib Fleet out of Numazu. I attended the first landing and was happy to have taken several great photos. In one Col. Dean is showing a master plan chart to none other than Gen. Ridgeway, FECOM: Gen. Allen (Corps) and Gen. Hudelson. I had made the chart for briefing purposes.
It started snowing in December. We were issued long johns, parkas, knit caps and shoe-paks. The alert was issued --- " We're going to Korea to replace the 24th Division on the 8th Army Line ". I was to be part of the Advance Detail, to help co-ordinate the relief.
We left Japan December 23rd, 1951 on a C-74 (DC-6) out of the AFB at Ishinomaki, 40 miles to our east. It was about 50 degrees when we left Japan but we had to dress for Korean weather which was Minus 20 degrees that day, a 70 degree temperature difference. The plane was sealed ...... and warm. When we landed at Seoul we were herded into open bed, stake AF trucks and transported through a windchill making Minus 50 degrees weather. When we arrived at 24th Division Headquarters I knew I had the " Mother of all Colds ".
It was several months before all units of the 40th were on line. Our Artillery Units were forced to leave their clean, calibrated and well-functioning howitzers in Japan and utilize those of the 24th already in place. Oh, did Dahud storm ! Can't blame him. Those 24th weapons were all red-lined !
On the 10 mile wide sector we had the 223rd on the left, the 224th in the middle and the 160th on the right. It was very mountainous and we had to occupy the ridges in defilade.
A lt happened, but I would not venture what because that would be better told by the lads who were on those ridges facing NKPA and CCF troops.
I saw a demonstration of a Fougasse bomb in our rear area - conducted by the French Bn. I hope someone will write a story about seeing one actually used on the line. Devastating !
I should tell about the bombings we suffered at the hands of the US Navy. F4U (Corsair) planes, in flights of 4, left a carrier task force laying off of Wonsan Bay and headed for the battle line to hit any targets of opportunity at first morning light.
Our ground units marked our lines with panels of luminescent colors so our aircraft would know where we were. The panels code (as to color and configuration) was published, with copies going to the Navy and Air Force as well as our own 40th AIR.
Unfortunately, the panels were hidden by the overnight snow. However,other obvious methods of ID on our lads were: white stars on hoods of vehicles and tentage. The enemy didn't have tents. They dug in.
40th Div HQ was a dozen miles south of the line. That was where we were hit the first time. It was 0700 and I was " sawing logs " in my mummy sleeping bag when I was aroused by my Chief Clerk, " Sgt. Moffett, get up !!!; we're being bombed ! " I hit the emergency zipper release, jumped out, grabbed my M2 Carbine, opened the tent flap and saw this F4U barreling directly at us about 200 feet above the ground. When directly over us, a 500 Pound bomb was released, to which ones immediate reaction is to hit the deck which I did. Not hearing any noise from the blast I went and looked south towards a 100 foot rise that seperated us from the next valley where 40th Signal Company was camped. Evidently the bomb cleared the small rise and became a dud.
Putting the whole story together, after both the CID and the Navy investigated, it seems that, indeed, the bomb landed on the reverse slope of the rise at such a shallow angle that the fuse jammed crooked and would not detonate.
It so happened that when the bomb finally landed, after ricocheting off the slope, it was right by the Signal Company's Mess Tent. About 75 men were lined up for early chow before going out to lay wire. It was just " feet " away from them. How many could have " bought the farm " that morning ???
By 1600 the Navy was up there to collect their toys and to apologize. But ..... it happened 9 more times within a month; one raid was 35 miles south of the line. Several men were killed, one aircraft ( L-17 I think ) and numerous vehicles were destroyed.
Evidently Corps and Army kept mum about it all but the General was, rightfully so, in a rage. Because I was one who had a security clearance and could use a typewriter I helped the General with a letter that he sent directly to the Pentagon. I never did hear a word about it after that. Washington sat on the report.
I was in the 223rd's CP Area with Col. Dean when we saw a P-51 ( Mustang ) attempt to land at one of our dinky airstrips used by the Artillery. The P-51 pilot had been on a photo-recon over Chinese lines when he took several hits of 20MM flak in his engines cooling system. He was forced to make an emergency landing as soon as he recognized friendly territory. In approaching the strip he saw that it was way too short so he circled around, pulling up his landing
(he thought) so he could make a belly landing.
What the pilot didn't know was that the landing gear hydraulics had been hit also and instead of retracting into the planes belly they were hanging down at a 45 degree angle.
When he touched down it compressed the landing gear then sprung the plane upwards, forward, over a dirt road perpendicular to the strip and into a field where stacks of ammunition were openly stored and down into the ammo boxes.
The plane never flipped. The air scoop, acting as a plow, pulled the plane to a quick stop, ammo everywhere.
The pilot slid back his canopy, stepped out onto the ground in a Class A uniform, lit a cigarette and said to the first onlooker that ran up to him " Damned shame. She flew awful nice!" Talk about cool ! The next day a retriever rig with a davit collected the plane. They had to saw off the wings before heading back to Seoul.
I'll conclude this tale by relating how I learned a lesson in Human Relations from the Koreans.
My replacement was finished being trained in the job at G-3 but I had 2 or 3 weeks before heading back to the USA. After the miserable cold winter with snow " ass-deep to a tall Paiute ", I wanted to get outdoors and get some sun and physical labor.
I volunteered to take part in a huge construction project going on at Div.HQ. War Department wanted us to build an atom-bomb proof (experimental) Command Post plus outlying facilities. There was no budget. We had timbers and steel I-beams out the ying yang!
I picked out two projects: one 4 foot deep revetment for parking low profile vehicles and one (each) 9 holer latrine with 5 inch thick sand-bagged walls and a zig-zag entry.
I was given about 35 Korean men, all in their fifties or older but in good shape to work and earn a few won. I knew the history of Korea's subjugation by the Japanese since the early thirties and how they had been repressed, not even being allowed to speak their own language. Japanese only ! Well ....... here I was, fresh from Japan where I learned takusan Japanese. I would talk to them in Japanese ! I remember the first words out of my ignorant mouth, "Anata-no namae wa han'desuka ?" (What is your name?) ........(long pause) ....... nothing ...... no answer ...... then it hit me! Their hate for the Japanese was so great that they refused to respond to anything in that language.
The Colonels driver was nearby and told me this group of men had just come from working for the Columbian Battalion. That was it! I knew enough Spanish from working in Arizona mines and from Mexican GIs in WWII. So I used the same phrase, : "Como se llama usted?" " Shim" a Korean responded.
So .... for two weeks .... heres an English speaking American Dogface Sgt. speaking to a group of Koreans in Spanish. It was a good lesson learned and I should have thought it through.
Homeward was via Inchon, Sasebo in Japan and San Francisco. Then a bus to where my wife had driven, Santa Maria, the same venue from which we had parted.
My God: all that was 48 years ago.
Jack H. Moffett
(now 77 years old)
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