Combat Ready?: The Eighth U.S. Army on the Eve of the Korean War

Preface

p r e f a C e To those who know me well, the passion I devoted to this work was no surprise. My career as an infantryman, both enlisted and officer, leads me to believe that there is a special place in heaven reserved for members of the profession of arms who are called to do their country’s bidding under the most extreme conditions imaginable. I grew up knowing little more than that my father had served in Korea. A stoic, self-effacing man who eschews the limelight, my father didn’t begin to share his experiences in Korea with my siblings or me until well after I had joined the army. In the same way, many of the men I interviewed while researching this book or met as acquaintances at the local VFW and American Legion halls avoided direct discussion of Korea. They are not ashamed of their service or their participation. On the contrary, when one finally coaxes them to speak, they become indistinguishable from veterans of any period. They stand taller, speak louder, and punctuate their remarks with pointed fingers that leave no doubt that they do not accept the many labels thrown at them by commentators over several decades. This book allows them to speak their minds, answer their critics, and claim the respect and gratitude due them by their countrymen for having accepted the truth of the words carved on the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall: “Freedom is not free.” xv ...