Comments

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  Jesse Kelley August 30, 2011 7:56

  
  HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDWARD
  Wishing you many more, from all of us at DragoonBase!!!
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  Jesse Kelley August 31, 2010 0:02

  
  HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDWARD
  Wishing you many more, from all of us at DragoonBase!!!
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  Dave Gettman September 8, 2009 16:49

  If your dad knew Ernie Kouma (they called him Chief) then he knew my dad. They were both Master Sergeants and hung out together all the time.
  
  On 21 September 1950 your dad would have been part of the 9th Regimental Combat Team, commanded by Col. Charles Sloane, which consisted of 9th Inf (-); B Co, 72nd Tank Bn; D Battery, 82nd AAA; 15th FA Bn; and a platoon from 2nd Recon Co.
  
  This would have been the day of the Allied assault to cross the Naktong River in an attempt to break out of the Pusan perimeter, where the Allied forces had been trapped since the beginning of the war, and drive west and north to link up with the 1st Marine Division which had made a successful amphibious assault on Inchon. This was the first Allied offensive of the war.
  
  9th RCT was to establish a bridgehead, protect the Divisions left flank, and prepare to attack on order. This was somewhere east of the villages of Chogye and Hyopchon. 9th RCT, in the south, caught the heaviest resistance.
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  Dave Gettman September 8, 2009 11:33

  Thanks for the reply Ed.
  
  My dad was in Headquarters Company. Ernie Kouma (Medal of Honor, A Co.) was one of his best friends.
  
  When dad returned from WW II in the spring of 1947 (I live near Ft Lewis) he was assigned to the 717th Tank Bn, 2nd ID. He was a 1st Lieutenant, having received a battlefield commission. When the Army started reducing it's size after the war, the 717th was deactivated and dad was booted out of the Army.
  
  The 72nd was formed from the 717th, and dad turned right around and rejoined the Army as a Master Sergeant. Did you know the 2nd ID was the first division to arrive in Korea directly from the US when the Korean war broke out? I've done some research myself, including the book I have, SECOND TO NONE - HISTORY - 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION - KOREA - 1950-51. Do you know the exact day your dad was wounded? I could look up the battle and give you details.
  
  Hard to say, but it might have been a good thing your dad got wounded when he did. The following November the entire 2nd ID was nearly wiped out at "The Gauntlet", trying to retreat through a series of mountain passes held by the Chinese. 8th Army had retreated by sea when the Chinese came screaming across the border, leaving the 2nd ID as rear guard and blowing the entire harbor when they left. The 2nd ID had to retreat by land. They suffered 5,000 casualties in the last five days of November 1950. The 72nd lost almost an entire company of tanks.
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  Sigmund Fertig September 7, 2009 17:10

  Welcome Edward, I didn't know your dad but was also stationed in Bambergs 2nd Battalion in Howitzer Company at that same time ,so it's possible that I saw your dad when he was there. Welcome to the Dragoon Base.
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  Jesse Kelley September 7, 2009 12:11

  

  Toujours Pret Edward,
  Welcome to the new DragoonBase, the new Base has plenty of newer features, lots of sub-groups,(ie,F-Trp,Amberg,Medics,etc.) and links for 2nd Cav News and History.
  Robb Russell has posted some tips for navigating the site (ie,photos,links,ect) in the Forum.
  Make sure you stop by and read the latest Tacoma Dave ‘Triva Quiz’, learn some 2nd Cav history and you can even win a kool prize.
  If you need any help, you can contact Robb, or any of the 5 admins listed at the top of the page, or just yell out, another member may be able to help you.
  And our only wish, ‘Keep it clean’, use our Real names/with Pictures(pix from back in the day, work best for searching for Brothers, but any picture will do).
  And that you please tell all your friends about the new DragoonBase.
  
  Thanks again for joining Dragoon Base, and for your service to our great country,
  Jesse Kelley
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  Dave Gettman September 7, 2009 12:10

  Ed,
  Welcome to Dragoon Base.
  
  Sorry to hear of your dad's passing. My sincere condolences.
  
  I would have loved to talk with him. What years was he with the 72nd? My dad was in the 72nd from 1948 when the unit was first activated at Ft Lewis to 1951 when he came back from Korea. He was the battalion motor sergeant. He had to go out and drag back all the tanks your dad and his buddies broke while shooting up the commies (poor joke).
  
  Did your dad ever talk about Korea? Probably not.
  
  Tacoma Dave