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I was born and raised in California, in the Bay Area. My family moved to Oregon during my freshman year of high school after my father retired from AT&T. I enlisted in the U.S. Army infantry on August 29, 1989. At that time, Ft. Benning was the place to be for basic training as an infantry soldier, it was the home of the infantry. After graduating from basic training and advanced infantry training (AIT) in December of 1989, I took one month of leave. I flew from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington, then to Seoul, Korea on January 14th, 1990.

About one week after arriving in Seoul, I can’t remember how many of us, but about a bus load of us were sent up north to Camp Casey. I was at the “turtle farm” for about two weeks when I was assigned to Charlie Company, 2/503 Infantry, 2nd platoon, Camp Hovey. Camp Hovey was a smaller Army base behind Camp Casey. When I arrived at my assigned unit, the unit was preparing for its rotation on the DMZ, I had arrived at just the right time. Our unit prepared by conducting mock combat patrols during the day and night. One particular night we had to lie in a mock ambush for two hours as if we were on the DMZ, it was so cold. I remember thinking to myself how exciting it was, but how miserable it was at the same time. Once on the DMZ, our platoon’s first phase was the patrol phase. We spent 30 days conducting day recon patrols, then night ambush patrols. One memory I have is the constant sound of North Korean and South Korean propaganda. At that time, the DMZ had very large speakers spread out all over different areas from both the North and South. The speakers were used for each side the blast their propaganda towards each other. I remember one day patrol where we were taking a patrol break, and the North Koreans played their national anthem 75 times in a row. This was driving us crazy but that was the point, the propaganda was meant to annoy and harass each other. The South Koreans played a lot of American music, this too was meant to annoy the North Koreans. Funny story is when I came back to the United States, if I heard a radio playing in the background somewhere, I would always think it was propaganda music, kind of funny.

My time spent in Korea was sort of unique. With 2/503 I did my three-month DMZ rotation from February 1990 to May 1990. At that time, the U.S Army started a reduction in force in Korea. The 2/503 was deactivated around June of 1990 so about a handful of us were sent to 5/20 Infantry (Mechanized) who relieved 2/503 on the DMZ. I was assigned to Charlie Company, 5/20 Infantry when 5/20 was starting their guard post phase. Each unit rotates through three assignments on the DMZ. Each phase on the DMZ is one month, patrol phase, guard post phase, and quick reaction force (QRF) phase. After my rotation with 5/20 on the DMZ we returned to Camp Casey in August. In December of 1990, I was given orders for Ft. Carson, Colorado, but the orders were rescinded due to the first Gulf War in August of 1990. Everyone stationed in Korea after January 1990 was involuntarily extended for an additional year due to the first Gulf war. I stayed with 5/20 Infantry until August 1991 when 5/20 Infantry received the Bradley fighting vehicles. Due to this restructuring, a group of us were given new orders for Alpha Company 1/503 Infantry on Camp Howze.

During my time in Korea, I visited many temples and had the opportunity to witness several traditional Korean weddings. These ceremonies were fascinating, showcasing the deep-rooted culture and pride of the Korean people. It was clear to me that they held a strong respect for their heritage. One of the most striking experiences was seeing the older generation still working in the rice paddies. I watched as elderly men and women carried their farming tools and equipment on their backs, yet they walked just as swiftly as we soldiers did while carrying 50 or 60 pounds of gear. I also had the privilege of speaking with many older Koreans who expressed their gratitude for the U.S. military’s role in keeping their country safe. When I was in Korea in 1990, many of them still remembered the war—some had fought in it, while others had lived through it as children. I often sat in restaurants just outside the base, listening to their stories. I believe they appreciated that a young soldier like me took an interest in their experiences and the history of their country. I found it all truly fascinating.

I have so many memories of Korea, and I wish I could write them all down. I spent eight years in the Army, but out of all the places I was stationed, Korea was my favorite assignment. My time there wasn’t perfect, but it was the best experience I had as a young soldier. I’ve told my family many times that if my only military service had been the two years I spent in Korea, I would have been completely satisfied. I had always wanted to experience an overseas assignment, and choosing Korea was one of the best decisions I made. The U.S. Army no longer patrols the DMZ; after the Cold War ended in 1993, we handed that responsibility over to the South Korean Army. Still, I feel honored to have been part of such a historic mission. In all, my time in Korea was from January 1990 to January 1992. I was honored to take part in a historic assignment at the DMZ, protecting freedom’s frontier along the southern boundary of the Korean Peninsula.