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Once on the Beach, we learned that Bob Hope and his entourage had already given a show for the army troops, which were now pushing farther north. We remained at Wonsan for a few days as the 1st Marine Division pushed north and then proceeded to Hamhung where we set up, together with Marine Tactical Air Control Sqdn. #2 (MTACS#2), a communication Hdq’s at a Roman Catholic Complex which had been staffed, I believe, with Priests and Nuns of the Maryknoll Order. Charred bodies of the priests were found in the burned out church and bodies of the nuns in a well near the convent/school where we were to be billeted. The complex was later designated a war crimes site. From this site the 934th acted as a radio relay station between the Marine Corp and X Corps; however some of we radio operators did some air control work with various Marine units within a range of some 65 miles to Hagaru-ri near the Chosin Reservoir. All aircraft involved were naval or marine and were carrier based. I first became aware of the presence of Chinese troops around the 16th of November 1950 and at that time elements of ROK and Marine units were engaged with them. It was brutally cold and the equipment we had was not geared to that type of warfare – the parkas were cumbersome and the boots unsuitable and the 30 cal. garand had a tendency to freeze up at start—the Chinese on the other hand had padded pants, jackets, and hats with ear muffs with one bolt action rifle, a bandolier of ammo, a rice bowl and grains of rice. The Marines, however, were well trained and air supported and the leadership was superb, which stood them in good stead during the advance to Hungnam. The battle all around us, the 934th left Hamhung for Hungnam on 22 December with all of our equipment. We billeted near the Beach to overnight. On 23 December, almost all units were safely in Hungnam where ships and LSTs were waiting for us. The 934th and MTACS#2 were among the last to leave and did so by boarding LST 898 on Christmas Eve. We spent most of that day off shore watching the port facilities and advancing Chinese troops being destroyed by the 16" guns of the USS Missouri from many miles away. On Christmas Day we sailed for Pusan. My feet were of some concern as they had been frostbitten and still bother me to this day. Upon arrival in Pusan some days later, the 934th proceeded to the Marine airstrip and eventually were given a rest and recuperation leave. We all went to Japan and while there we had considerable trouble with the MPs at first as we looked like hell when we first arrived in Tokyo—we had beards, long hair and incomplete uniforms; however, once we were issued new uniforms and got a haircut for the first time in over 3 months we had a great time in the Asakusa section. We stayed at Japanese hotels and one morning, as I got off the tatami to put on my shorts, I lost my balance and fell through the paper wall, six feet, to the garden below. I got up, unhurt, and went back through the garden and the kitchen. Here I was confronted by the old crone (always found in this kind of hotel as a watcher etc.) who started yelling and carrying-on. At first, I thought that my nakedness was the cause of her concern but then it dawned on me that she wanted to know how I got into her kitchen and garden. Once I showed her the smashed wall she calmed down and that was the end of the matter. Upon our return we stayed at the Marine air strip for some time until the 934th was ordered to proceed to Pyongtaek where we were to set up communication facilities for the beginning of a new air field which would be known as K-6 and become the new home of the 6147th Tactical Air Control Group. We were alone except for some chigi bearers for the manual work. We had a tent, cots, sleeping bags and a 50-cal. machine gun, which I was familiar with from my RCAF days. We left K-6 for Tagu, home of the 5th Communications Group, where the 934th personnel were absorbed and spent the next few months or so performing their respective specialties while waiting for further assignments—in my case it was high speed radio circuits. On July 08, 1951, I was assigned to the 6147th Tactical Air Control Group reporting there at K-6. The 6147th Grp. was formed in 1950 and was, operationally, comprised of the 6147th, 6148th, 6149th, and 6150th Sqdn’s and it was to the latter that I was assigned as a radio operator with a Tactical Control Party (TACP) euphemistically known as the airforce infantry.
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