From My Service in Korea

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – By Paul Hooper

My name is Paul Hooper.  I am a retired USAF Command Pilot and Major.  My first assignment out of USAF pilot training was to the 345^th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa as a C-130E Co-Pilot.  I arrived on station in August 1974.  My first operational flight was to Osan AB.  There were no rooms in the “Q” so we were sent off base.  At that time only the main road in Song Tan was paved.  The crew bus exited the base and immediately turned right down a dirt street lined with stalls selling vegetables and other food goods.  It was a short drive and we checked into the Clover Hotel.

The next day we flew from Osan up to A-222 a short field runway up near P-518.  We made two trips hauling troops to Cheju Do where we were told they had rappelling training and some R&R. Flew back Kadena that afternoon. 

In May we deployed to Kwang Ju AB to participate in Exercise Capstan Dragon which I believe was the precursor to the Team Spirit Exercise program.  During Capstan Dragon we participated in a sixteen aircraft large troop movement from Pohang to A-222. 

Over the next three plus years I flew numerous missions similar to that mission.  The squadron moved to Yokota AB, Japan in September 1975 and I continued to fly to Korea for individual missions and exercises.  We really enjoyed missions that required an Remain Over Night (RON) in Osan as we shopped for tailor made clothes, sneakers, old school clocks, stuffed animals, etc.  I loved my time in Korea and watched Korea grow and improve in just those few short years.  I knew and looked forward to returning to the Land of the Morning Calm.  I was assigned to the 1^st Special Operations Squadron at Clark AB, Republic of the Philippines in April 1982 flying the MC-130E aircraft.  We routinely deployed to Taegu AB, Osan AB and Suwon AB to fly training missions in the mountains of Korea and support ROK Army Special Operations in blacked out airdrops.   I participated in Foal Eagle 1982 and Foal Eagle 1983 operating out of Taegu AB.    During those two stays I witnessed one of the most impressive examples of Korean industry and hard work.   During Foal Eagle 1982 the traffic was detoured around the bridge and across the river bed.  We watched the bridge being completely torn down during our stay.  When we returned for Foal Eagle 1983… there was a brand-new bridge.  That was fast. 

We deployed to Kimhae AB for Team Spirit 1983 and were billeted in a tent city.   I was the chief of the Advance Team (ADVON) and coordinated the use of Harvest Bear materials to build a Combined Air Forces Special Operations Base (CAFSOB) which supported USAF and ROKAF 

My next assignment was to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) where I was the Chief of the Special Operations Division responsible for USAF Special Operations in the PACAF theater.  I deployed to augment the operations staff at the Combined Unconventional Warfare Task Force (CUWTF) at Seong Nam during Foal Eagle, ULCHI Focus Lens, and Team Spirit exercises.  

In 1990 while assigned as the AFSOF Liaison Officer to the John F. Kennedy Special Operation Center and School (JFKSWCS) I deployed to the CUWTF to augment the staff during Exercise ULCHI Focus Lens.

In January 1993 while assigned to the 1^st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida I made my final deployment to Exercise ULCHI Focus Lens.  Visited the Tree House and said farewell to many long time friends… American and Korean.  I returned to Hurlburt and retired at the end of January 1993.

I would never have imagined I would be given the opportunity to return to Korea 24 years later.  I was invited to participate in the development, operational, and acceptance testing of a Terrain Following System for the ROKAF C-130H aircraft.  I spent most of the summer and fall of 2017, six weeks in the summer of 2018, and six weeks in the late summer of 2019 flying out of the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) facility on Sacheon AB.  The best job I ever had.  Working with the ROKAF, KAI, and Elbit Systems was a pleasure.  During our time off we traveled around Korea like tourist and were able to visit Osan/Songtan, Camp Walker, etc.   

On 13 October 2017 we had what we thought was our last flight.  We did not think we would be returning.  The Sacheon Aerospace Expo 2017 was on-going at Sacheon AB and watched the Black Eagles demonstration from the apartment on Saturday and Sunday.  On Monday afternoon, 30 October, Ed and I took the bus from our apartment and went to the base to see the demonstration.  Our timing was perfect.  We arrived right before the Black Eagles demonstration. We were behind the rope right in front of Black Eagle #1 for start up, taxi, and takeoff.  We were in the same spot for the entire airshow.  

The Black Eagles put on a great aerial demonstration.  One thing that made it better than some airshows I had been to, was that the music being played over the loudspeaker system was choreographed with the flight demonstration.  As the eight aircraft flew up initial for landing, an announcement was made in Korean.  The Korean next to us told us he had said that two of the Black Eagles were performing their last airshow as the two pitched up while the rest of the team pitched out for landing.  As they pitched up “Time to Say Goodbye” started to play.  It choked me up and brought tears to my eyes.

As the main group of the Black Eagles were on downwind, the two aircraft flew over inverted, joined the team on the downwind, and landed.  But that was not the end.  As the aircraft were taxiing in, a ROKAF Warrant Officer came up to the rope and said “Please come with me.”  He lifted the rope and took me down the line to where they were gathering people to greet the team.  We walked out to the team and Black Eagle #2 gave me a Black Eagles hat.  

As luck would have it we ended up returning in 2018 and 2019 and stayed at the Sacheon Grand Hotel

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – By Samuel Perry

I was working as a teacher in a small rural school in southcentral Kentucky when I received my invitation to serve in the American armed forces. Although I could have obtained a deferment from the draft board because of my job, I did not, preferring to serve my country instead as a citizen soldier. I reported for duty in September 1962 and received Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky followed by eight more weeks at the Military Police School in Fort Gordon, Georgia. Following graduation, I received orders for Korea. 

On February 5, 1963, I boarded the troop transport, Gen. Hugh J. Gaffey, and embarked for Inchon, Korea with stops enroute at Pearl Harbor, Yokohama, and Taiwan. On February 26, 1963, after 21 days at sea, the ship entered Inchon harbor in the middle of a ferocious and blinding blizzard and was struck midship by a South Korean freighter. Chaos ensued as the hundreds of troops on board were hastily evacuated onto landing craft. The freezing temperature, blowing snow, and confusion during the landing made my arrival in country an event that seared into my memory and is something I have never forgotten. I shiver just thinking about it. At the Army Support Command (ASCOM), we were fed and given as much hot coffee as we wanted and bedded down for the night. The next day, we were dispersed by rail to our temporary duty stations. Mine was at Camp Humphreys, a dirty little Army post located outside the town of Pyeongtaek. There, I spent three days before being trucked in the back of a deuce-and-a-half to Camp Huston, a Nike-Hercules air defense missile site some four miles west of the town of Yeoju on the Han River. Camp Huston was under construction and was the HQ of Delta Battery, 4^th Missile Battalion, 44^th Artillery. Military Policemen provided security.

Although my MOS was 951 and I had been trained as a Military Policeman, my duty as such ended when the 1st Sergeant learned that I was a college graduate and knew my way around a typewriter. Soon, I found myself sitting at a desk in a warm Quonset hut, out of the fierce Manchurian wind, pecking out numbers on the Morning Report and typing up letters from the Battery Commander. a physical fitness fanatic named Capt. Cole B. Whaley.  However, my desk job did not exempt me from those arduous runs and endless side-straddle-hops he ordered for all personnel.

Capt. Whaley rotated back to the States and was replaced by Capt. Leo P. Hobbs, a West Point graduate and Army Ranger. Although now deceased after a long career in the Army, Capt.  Hobbs, became, and remains, one of my heroes and I will be forever grateful to him for serving as a role model at a time when I most needed one.

In June, Captain Hobbs asked me if I would like to get out of the office for a few hours each day and teach school again. The new commander of Eighth Army was revisiting an old Army program to improve relations between the Army and local communities and needed soldiers of exemplary standing to serve as boots on the ground. I jumped at the chance and following a crash course in the Korean language, soon found myself on the faculty of Yeoju Primary School. Another soldier was being sent to a similar school in I’chon, two miles east of Camp Huston. His name was Sgt. Dale Perkins, who was later KIA in Vietnam. 

My mentor, and South Korean counterpart at Yeoju Primary School, was Mr. Park Kyong Sik, and I learned much from him about Korean culture, student behavior, and the rigid code of conduct that governed the children. I must have done a good job in the classroom because as the new school term began again in September, I was asked to move up to the high school level. I then started teaching at Yeoju Girl’s Home Economical High School, under the supervision of Principal Yun Suk Je. I taught there until I rotated back to the States in February 1964, serving in that capacity while also continuing to work as Battery Clerk. 

My work in the Korean school system required not only classroom instruction, but participation in teacher meetings. There, I got to know my fellow teachers personally and learn of the challenges they faced in restoring the educational framework that had been demolished by the war. As a Seonsaeng Nim (Honored Teacher), I also got invited to social functions and celebrations. Through these, I learned to appreciate the rich Korean heritage, the spicy cuisine, and especially the music, which to most Westerners probably sounded like noise. Not me, though. I loved it. Most enjoyable of all my activities, however, were the visits to the homes of my students.

My active duty in the Army ended in September 1964 and I returned to civilian life as a Reservist until 1968. However, I continued to regard myself as a soldier, becoming a charter member of an American Legion post in Arizona and a charter member of a VFW Post in Kentucky when Korea veterans became eligible for the Korea Defense Service Medal. At the latter, I served in many offices at the Post, District, and Department levels.

Six decades have passed since I returned home from Korea. My career as an educator was a rewarding one and I officially retired from the teaching profession after 31 years. Thousands of young faces have graced my classrooms, and I have spent countless hours counseling and seeking to serve as a positive role model, much as Capt. Hobbs did for me.  But I have never forgotten the seven months I taught in the South Korean school system. Shortly after I returned home, Peace Corps volunteers arrived at the schools. They were followed, in turn, by American teachers of English who labor there to this day.

The Republic of Korea today bears no resemblance to the fledgling nation I saw when I served there. When I see photos of Seoul or any of the countryside there, I have to force myself to accept that they are real. So much has changed. Camp Humphreys has morphed into something hard to recognize. Camp Huston is long gone. I suspect that the students in the schools are also different. They are products of modernity. It was their grandparents, the ones I taught, the ones who had witnessed the horrors of the North Korean invasion, the ones who had to endure classrooms heated by charcoal burners on frigid winter days, the ones who walked four miles along rice paddy dikes to get to school, the ones who competed for allotted spaces on the school roster, and the ones who listened intently to tall Americans in green uniforms who sought to show them that soldiering was not always about waging war.

I fell in love with the Korean people while I was there and that love is as strong now as it ever was.  Arirang still brings tears when I hear it and kimchi is still one of my favorite foods. When I looked out from the door of my barrack on that day in 1963 and saw a bleak land of bare mountains stripped of vegetation by the ravages of war and villages of mud huts, thatched roofs, and dirt roads, I thought I had stepped back into the 15^th century. But that landscape is no more. The incredibly strong, dedicated, and patriotic men, women, and children who lived there at that time have worked hard over the past sixty years to rebuild their nation and have bequeathed to future generations a homeland of which anyone could be proud. I am just so happy and thankful to have played a small part in the transformation.  

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Kenneth Hissong

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Michael Peck

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Gregory Asher

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Walter Gary Westernoff

From my service in Korea, I learned the meaning of responsibility, vigilance, and commitment to something larger than myself. My journey began when, at just 17 years old, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps while still in high school. I graduated in June of 1959, and shortly afterward received an Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps on July 16, 1959, so I could join the U.S. Army.

After completing basic training at Fort Ord, California with Headquarters & Headquarters

Company, 1st Battle Group, 1st Brigade, 6th Army. I continued my training at Fort Bliss, Texas with the 7th Training Battalion, Air Defense, and later with D Battery, 4th Missile Battalion, 44th Artillery 8th Army—serving under Secret Clearance.

On November 16, 1960, I sailed from Oakland, California aboard the USS General W.A. Mann with 999 Army personnel, along with Navy, Marine, and Air Force members, arriving in Inchon, Korea on December 3, 1960. I became one of the first occupants of Camp Huston in Yoju, assigned to the 4th Missile Battalion, 44th Artillery (APO 71), again under Secret Clearance.

It was at Camp Huston that my path took a defining turn. Although my official records do not reflect the MOS 31K designation, I was trained and served as a Sentry Dog Handler beginning around March 1961. My on-the-job training included obedience, controlled aggression, scouting, detection, first aid, and the daily care and conditioning of my military working dog, Rai (RX 195). As one of six Military Working Dog handlers, each responsible for our own dog, Rai and I patrolled nightly in two- to four-hour shifts, securing the perimeter and protecting the installation. That experience taught me discipline, trust, and the profound bond between a handler and his dog.

As global tensions escalated following the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, Korea became strategically more vulnerable. In response to these heightened conditions, I was reassigned to Camp Sabre near Camp McIntyre, serving with Headquarters Company, 1st Howitzer Battalion, 77th Field Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division (APO 24) near the DMZ. There, I took on the demanding responsibilities of a Radio Man Forward Observer, a role for which I was temporarily assigned the rank of First Lieutenant (1L) to fill a critical personnel gap and ensure the mission could be carried out effectively.

I returned to the United States aboard the USS General W.A. Mann on March 5, 1962, and completed my service at Travis Air Force Base with the 61st Artillery. I was honorably discharged on July 13, 1962, with the rank of E-3.

My military service opened doors that shaped the rest of my life. The U.S. Army put me through college, giving me the education that fueled my professional career and lifelong commitment to service. Because of my overseas service in Korea, I became eligible to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), where I later served as Post Commander of VFW Post 1540 in Honolulu, Hawaii from 2020 to 2023. I am also a proud member of the Korea Defense Veterans Association, honoring the legacy and ongoing contributions of all who served on the Korean Peninsula.Most importantly, my service taught me a principle that has guided me ever since: all people are equal, regardless of race, religion, or color. In uniform, we stood the same watch, faced the same dangers, and relied on each other without hesitation. Character, courage, and commitment—not background—defined the people I served with. That truth has shaped my leadership, my work, and my belief in the dignity of every individual.

Through these years—1959 to 1962, from Fort Ord to Korea and back—I learned resilience, leadership, adaptability, and the importance of standing watch so others could remain safe.

These lessons continue to guide my values, my service, and my dedication to helping others.

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – COL Bruce Cotterman U.S. Army (Retired)

Fifty years ago, August 1976 the DMZ hostilities in post war Korea ramped up due to the Panmunjom axe murder incident that killed two UN Command American officers.  Operation Paul Bunyan followed further increasing tensions. After my company command in Ft Hood, I was reassigned to Korea. All I knew about Korea then was tensions were high.  I was completely unaware of the challenges living in a different country would bring. I had to quickly learn to adapt to a new culture, be flexible and up for the tasks ahead.

In September, my plane landed to a Korea different from that of today as it was still recovering from the Korean War. I was assigned to 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and immediately immersed as the Assistant S-3 Operations and Construction Officer.

Travelling around the area, villages still had straw roofs, no running water, and the smells overwhelmed nasal senses with kimchi jars outside and open sewers! Roads were narrow with oxen pulled carts, miniature three wheeled trucks, motorcycles carrying massive loads, and the small cars that ran at night without lights to save on costs was scary! The people were always active, welcoming and polite. This was my new home. For over a year I embraced and enjoyed it. During this time I began to understand America’s responsibility to help defend the Republic of Korea.

My assignment involved every aspect of combat engineering and construction in 2nd Infantry’s area. This included the western corridor from North Korea and much of I Corp’s area. Projects included barriers, buildings, upgrading roads to key mountain communication sites, fortified positions and bunkers. A significant challenge was working around the surviving and newly planted trees due to the devastation of forests from World War II and the Korean War.

During my rare free time I travelled south of Seoul with the ROK Army liaison officer enjoying the train ride, countryside and Korean culture.

Twice during the frigid days and nights I was assigned to go out on air assault exercises as a grader during maneuver exercises. Once dropped off, we moved by foot through the mountains, learning quickly how to overcome the risks of maneuvering and sleeping on the side of steep mountains! This was a new experience for an armored combat engineer who had previously moved through valleys in a heated armored personnel carrier.

To do something different from the morning Tae Kondo training and 2 mile run, I took the S-3 team on a hike to the top of nearby Soyosan mountain to enjoy the beautiful panoramic view. A picture was taken of the team balancing on the edge of the peak. Copies were made with each of us signing them for a lifetime memory.

In early December I was assigned to command Bravo ‘Beast’ Company known as the “Panmunjom Tree Cutters” located over 3 hours by jeep near the DMZ from 2nd Engineer Bn’s Camp Castle. It was a challenging mission, away from headquarters, supporting the American DMZ sector with its outposts and minefields, ground radar sites along the entire border that looked into North Korea and 3rd Brigade at Camp Howze.

B Company was located on its own compound called Camp Edwards East near the small village of Yeongtae-ri near Paju-si in Gyeonggi-do. Several American soldiers had Korean families living nearby. The compound, as the commander, was a small city to manage with 165 American and KATUSA soldiers and 80 civilian Koreans. The civilians worked as construction workers, compound guards, support staff and mess hall cooks, or ran the Post Exchange, clubs, movie theater, tailor shop, barbershop and KATUSA services.

Travel to battalion HQ at Camp Castle and surrounding area had the added challenge of a midnight curfew and road intersections heavily guarded by crew served machine guns.

Bravo Company’s mess hall was known for its freshly baked pastries. Often returning from our two mile morning run (unless it was below 5˚F /-15˚C) we would see a helicopter parked on the baseball field. General Officers on their way to the DMZ area from 8th Army, I Corp or 2nd Infantry Division were inside having breakfast. The reception by the Generals was always friendly with many inquiries on our operations, compound and equipment.

We spent daily time across the Han River both inside and along the DMZ supporting the fortified outposts up to the border fence, as well as building new fortified positions. Several projects were tasked to improve visual capabilities into North Korea and fields of fire along the border. Other duties included maintaining and updating the American zone minefields, bridges armed for destruction, barrier plans for immediate implementation, and our trench and foxhole positions for immediate use. Projects required daily sweeping for mines. We were often called upon to sweep for mines along the road from the southern border of the DMZ to Panmunjom, not only for possible North Korean threats but also looking for mines that had moved during monsoon rains. Squads were gone for days sent out to maintain the ground radar sites located on high points on the southern edge of the DMZ. For these missions many in Bravo Company, including myself were awarded the 2nd Infantry Division’s Imjin Scout Certificate signed by MG Brady for having 20 or more missions inside the DMZ recognizing the challenge serving along the world’s most dangerous border.

Bravo company sponsored The Sang Kang Childrens Home Orphanage where the men and I enjoyed going there with food, clothing and other donations then spending time with the children.

Being station along the Korean border was one of the best and challenging times of my career. The lessons learned then are still relative today. My ability to lead and command with confidence was greatly enhanced. I learned to work in unique or difficult situations in cooperation and coordination with an allied army, the ROK Army.

The Korean officers, KATUSAs and the local people I met and worked with provided sincere friendship and made me realize my Korea assignment had made a difference. Since then I have enjoyed watching Korea mature into an industrial giant with a strong military.

My tour ended in November 1977 after two extensions being deemed necessary to the DMZ mission. I departed with admiration for Korea, the people, their army and soldiers. Both in my military career and later civilian life I continued to appreciate, from my tour, the global and economic need for America’s military to assist its allies in the defense of their countries, especially the Republic of Korea. Personally, I am grateful for the opportunities and adventures experienced in Korea and always honored when Koreans in America say, “Thank you for defending my country.”  It was my privilege to serve.

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.

All in all, my experience underscored the significance of our mission in South Korea: upholding a strong alliance to maintain regional security, deter aggression from North Korea, and encourage economic and industrial cooperation. My participation in joint military exercises served not only to enhance operational capabilities but also to strengthen diplomatic relations and promote mutual prosperity and robust supply chain resilience.

In October of 1975, I levied out of the 9th Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Washington, to the Republic of South Korea, arriving at Osan Air Force Base, then finding myself en route to the 2nd Infantry Division via Camp Casey’s Replacement Center known as the Turtle Farm. Once there, assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 17th Infantry at Camp Howze. The unit had been operating up on the 38th Parallel, the DMZ, the world’s most dangerous border.

Serving as an infantryman, my initial post was Guard Post Ouellette, providing a close vantage point—approximately 300 yards—from Communist North Korea. Our rotational living arrangements included underground bunkers fortified with sandbags above ground, interconnected by trenches and multiple firing positions. These structures offered both shelter and rapid movement routes within the perimeter, which was comprehensively secured by Claymore mines placed for complete coverage.

The outpost was located mere yards from the boundary dividing North and South Korea. Our platoon, consisting of 45 soldiers, remained highly aware of the immediate threat posed by pre-plotted artillery positions on both sides—enemy and friendly forces alike.

I rapidly familiarized myself with my duties, which primarily involved generating SALUTE reports regarding North Korean activities for intelligence purposes. Night guard duty was challenging, often requiring solitary vigilance in a bunker exposed to severe winds and sub-zero temperatures, with only sandbags for shelter and ammunition cans at my feet as I responded to any anomalies from the wood line.

At 20 years old and holding the rank of E-4 Corporal, I was regularly tasked with early morning responsibilities. This typically involved selecting two junior enlisted personnel to assist me in clearing the only access road into our outpost before sunrise. This was done while the remainder of the platoon performed a Stand-To, each soldier manning fortified positions with weapons ready to provide suppressive fire if necessary.

Our short patrols inspected the mile-long entry route for tripwires or suspicious objects, enabling the safe delivery of daily hot meals from a chow hall south of the Imjin River. Following this, I would inspect the outpost perimeter for breaches in fencing and ensure that defensive Claymore mines were correctly oriented and undisturbed.

I learned the responsibilities that came with the job. I earned the position as a team leader, leading a small team, ensuring the welfare of soldiers, and maintaining accountability for all equipment—training for direct tactical movements, leading by example, providing that crucial link between soldiers and squad leaders, and handling administrative and logistical needs for the team.

In addition to my duties, in 1976, I attended the very first 2nd Infantry Division’s PNOC-CA Course at Camp Casey (Primary Non-Commissioned Officers Course – Combat Arms).

In 1976, in a graduation ceremony, I was promoted to the rank of E-5 Sergeant by Lt. General John H. Cushman, who commanded the I Corps (ROK/US) Group, a Korean-American field army formation defending the Western Sector of Korea’s DMZ.

In 1976, I was present at Camp Casey during Operation Paul Bunyan.

I left the Army in 1977. With a break in service, I returned, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division from 1980–1983.

In 1985, I enlisted into the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 2012 as an E-9 Chief Master Sergeant.

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – Lawrence Hooser

I was part of the amphibious force of the U.S. Navy during the early part of the war. I served on a Landing Ship Tank (LST) 840. I worked my way up as a medic on the ship. We were based in Sasebo, Japan, but docked at other ports in Japan. Our purpose in the amphibious operations was to reach & land on North Korean enemy locations & board North Korean and Chinese Communist POW’s. We were always at our battle stations. The POW’s were guarded by ROK soldiers and these soldiers were very strict and had a heavy hand with the POW’s. That was one of the events I learned in Korea. Another, was the fact that many of POW’s were father& son, perhaps more than one son, but definitely families realizing a subsistence. I will never forget witnessing the young teenagers. After loading up all the POW’s on topside and also the tank deck, we transported them to an island off the south coast of Korea. I believe it was called Komodo Island, but not sure of the spelling, but we had POW camps there. We actually were part of this operation for months and made dozens of trips. It was quite the operation.

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.

From My Service in Korea, I Learned – COL Kee Jeong

It doesn’t come up often, but I can still remember the few times my aunts (now in their 80s) spoke about the war. They would describe watching bridges collapse along the Han River as they fled south, away from the fighting. I imagine them then – young and probably clutching what little they could carry. Maybe it was food, maybe clothing, maybe something small that reminded them of a life that once was.

American soldiers often mentioned in those stories, not as abstractions but as real people. Their presence, their sacrifice, must have left a lasting mark. As I am preparing to leave Korea at the end of my tour, I find myself reflecting on their stories, and what they mean to me now.

The ROK & US Alliance is frequently described in diplomatic or strategic terms. We talk about it as a cornerstone of regional stability, or a bulwark against aggression. All of that is true. But there’s more, something human – a personal connection.

I sense that connection is deeper with Korean Americans that serve this great nation. We are both witness and participant in this Alliance. We carry the legacy of one homeland while serving the defense of another. We are, in a way, a living bridge – connecting a nation born from the fire of war with a nation defined by opportunity, hope, and freedom.

Korea is not the same as it was when I last served here over a decade ago. The region has changed too – some of it for the better, much of it more uncertain. Competition with China and Russia is intensifying. The gap with North Korea continues to grow. The strategic environment in Northeast Asia has become more complex, more volatile, more unpredictable.

Still, I believe the Alliance is up to the challenge. Not only because we’re ready, but we are more committed – we cover each other’s blind spots. That’s not to minimize the challenges ahead. The threats are real, and the stakes are certainly high.

As a career intelligence professional, I’ve spent much of my time looking at maps – analyzing, planning, preparing. And from a map’s perspective, the center offers flexibility, speed, and advantage.

When you look at a map of this region/Northeast Asia – any direction/any scale, there is only one true center: the Korean Peninsula.

No piece of ground is more relevant, no land more significant.

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.