From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Kenneth Hissong – Korea Defense Veterans Association

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Kenneth Hissong

I was sent to Air Police Tech school and assigned to Strategic Air Command Headquarters at Offutt AFB. Due to a physical profile change, I applied and was accepted at the Defense Information School Radio, and TV course at Ft. Ben Harrison, Indianapolis. In November 1967, I received orders to report to the 6314th Headquarters Support Squadron at Osan AFB. I was detached and assigned to Headquarters Armed Forces Radio/TV in Seoul. For the next 13 months, I was a DJ with a daily show from 9am to 1pm. Living in a Korean War Quonset hut was a real experience. Diesel heaters and sweat boxes.

The one thing that touched me the most was having a houseboy, Mr. Chung, who was a graduate civil engineer. He told me he could make more money working as a houseboy than he could in his profession! Nearly all the Korean nationals I came in contact with in those 13 months were eager to rebuild their country from the ravages of war, and boy did they ever.! I am enclosing some photos of AFKN and my trip to Panmunjom to cover the negotiations for the release of the Pueblo crew. In fact, I beat President Trump to North Korea by 50 years. I have a photo of an NK taking pictures of me as I was taking pictures of him! I missed the Pueblo crew release by one week. I enjoyed my time in country and could not have bought the experience for a million dollars! The only thing I could add to my time in the Republic was that I could not have paid a million dollars for the experience. While I entered the Air Force while working for a Radio/TV station, my bosses, GSA Station manager Ed Masters and Army Lt. Colonel Frank Tennant, allowed me to go beyond the scope of my normal duties. Covering the negotiations at Panmunjom for the release of the Pueblo crew was just one example. And I was astonished at the professionalism of the ROK civilians at AFKN who supported our operations. “Jimmy” Chae, our newsroom interpreter, is just one of them.

The Korean experience helped me get promoted once I was back stateside and helped me get a leg up once I was back in civilian life.

What did you learn from serving in Korea? Let us know –

Sharing your experiences from serving in Korea can be a powerful way to connect with others who have had similar experiences. By sharing your story, you may be able to help others who are currently serving in Korea or who are preparing to do so. You can share insights about the culture, the people, and the challenges you faced while serving. Your story can also help to shed light on the sacrifices that service members and their families make in order to protect our freedoms. So, if you have a story to share, we encourage you to take the time to put it down in writing and send it to KDVA.MyServiceInKorea@gmail.com along with any photos that help to tell your story.

Your contribution may be just what someone needs to hear in order to feel connected and supported.

News