The other forgotten war in Korea

(UPDATE:  I'm bumping this up for two reasons.  First, it is a great piece that should be read by all.  Second, I'm swamped at work and don't have time to post.)

I found this piece in my local paper, the Raleigh News and Observer.  It starts out like this:

Ron Rice crouched in a trench on a sweat-popping July afternoon, shaking off a long, dirt-kissing crawl to escape the crossfire of two North Korean machine gun nests

1950?  Try 1967.

During the Vietnam war, the Norks tried to take advantage of the distraction to spread their special brand of communist 'revolution' to the South.  But ROK and US forces were up to the task:

Few know about this successful defensive campaign against North Korean infiltrators who hoped to drive a wedge between the United States and South Korea. Fewer still realize that the fighting along the Korean DMZ marked an American military victory that offers bedrock lessons for the counterinsurgency campaigns against the irregular forces fighting American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It turned out differently than the Vietnam War, but nobody knows about it," said Army Brig. Gen. Daniel P. Bolger, author of the most detailed comprehensive historical analysis of the Second Korean Conflict and commander of the team training the new Iraqi army

By the magic of the Internet, here is Bolger's piece.  Be sure to read all the N&O piece.  Bolger's report will take a little more work but the topic is fascinating for anyone interested in recent history in Korea.

Before you go, here is one more teaser from the N&O article:

The Second Korean Conflict started Nov. 2, 1966, just two days after President Johnson arrived in Seoul for a state visit, with the ambush of an eight-man American patrol less than a mile south of the DMZ. Six GIs and a South Korean soldier serving with them were killed.

In late October 1968, North Korean commandos landed along the east coast of South Korea, aiming to start a guerrilla movement among peasants and small farmers. South Koreans rejected their overtures, and South Korean soldiers killed 110 commandos.

Comments

[MIKE FELDMAN]

I arrived in Korea in Feb 1966 and was assigned to HHC I Corp Grp Camp Red Cloud at the time I think most of felt good that we were not headed for Vietnam. I remember when we frecieved word that the NK had ambushed one of our patrols on the DMZ it was a moment when you began to wonder if a second front was going to place in Korea. I also was witness to Mr Johnson arriving at our base and being greeted by Gen Andrew Jackson Boyle Commanding General of I Corp as lowly enlisted men we were not allowed within a thousand yards of the man. It was interesting that our base was surrounded by ROK troops and the main gate had a Tank in front of it. I also remember just prior to my leaving Korea the NK raided south from the DMZ andwere caught about 3 or 4 miles from our base. It was with great pleasure that I read this site as few people today even undersand that we too were in a shooting war durning Vietnam. It is also interesting that I now live 20 miles from Fort Lewis Washington the Home of I Corp Grp and the 2nd Inf Div.

Thanks for letting me ramble Korea was an eye opener

[Joe Herber]

I was in Korea in 1967-68 and was on the DMZ,with Aco/2/31st Inf 7th Div.
I found the paper that[then] Maj Bolger has written and it was the proof that what I'd told people for years had happened in Korea during the late 60's.
Most people would say it never happened and when the paper came out it was all the proof that we needed.
JWH

[bill czech]

I am trying to locate tv news footage taken in 1967 of the DMZ including our company. The reporter was Frank McKee and the show was to air in Sept. 1967. I have been searching for 04 years for this. It involved the following ambush.

In August 1967 our company (B Co., 2/38) was ambushed. This was called the "Dog Ambush". Jack Tyrrell was the dog handler with his dog Blackie that sniffed out the ambush. Jack was wounded several times and Blackie was killed.

If anyone konws of Frank McKee or how to find this program please let me know. Thanks.

[Account Deleted]

http://coomararunodaya.com.