A Choice: Live or Die - Book 1

By Armorman 67

This is a fictitious story of an Army tank platoon in the early days of the Korean Conflict. The Platoon Sergeant is a battle hardened vet from the Second World War. His first platoon leader is a superb leader who knows his tactics and can get the job done.

After the second skirmish the Company commander is taken out of action and the 1st platoon leader is promoted to the Company commanders position.

This leaves a gap in the 1st platoon. Although Sgt black takes command and can easily take care of any situation that would arise. Soon a brand new 2nd LT is on board and it is Sgt blacks duty to teach him the ropes to try and keep him alive during his first few days in country.

Although this is not the best situation to be in Sgt Black does his best to coach the Lt so he can run the platoon effectively. As the days and weeks pass the drama of war plays itself out and things will change for Sgt Black forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483612843

Armorman 67

The author was brought up in upstate New York near Griffiss Air Force Base. As a child, he went to air shows frequently and got acquainted with several World War II veterans who flew the B17s during the war. The author was intrigued with the aircraft and felt right at home in all the positions. The author felt like he had been in these aircraft before during a different time. It was no wonder that he choose a career in the military, his desire to serve his country and go around the world made him realize how important it is to be an American. The author was stationed in Kitzingen, Germany during the seventies and felt like he had been there before a long time ago. While touring the city of Kitzingen, he happened upon a monument in the middle of the square. In English, it was written, “Here is the spot where a school stood during the war, but was bombed by allied aircraft at a tremendous loose of live to school children who were in the school at the time of the raid.” The author is retired now and writes freelance because he loves the thought of giving back some of his experiences of life. Although this is a fictional book, it relates to how the author feels about his own vehicles and the vehicles he was entrusted with during his stint in the military.

Book preview

Prelude

This is a fictitious story of an Army tank platoon in the early days of the Korean Conflict. The Platoon Sergeant is a battle hardened vet from the Second World War. His first platoon leader is a superb leader who knows his tactics and can get the job done.

After the second skirmish the Company commander is taken out of action and the 1st platoon leader is promoted to the Company commanders position.

This leaves a gap in the 1st platoon. Although Sgt black takes command and can easily take care of any situation that would arise.

Soon a brand new 2nd LT is on board and it is Sgt blacks duty to teach him the ropes to try and keep him alive during his first few days in country. Although this is not the best situation to be in Sgt Black does his best to coach the Lt so he can run the platoon effectively.

As the days and weeks pass the drama of war plays itself out and things will change for Sgt Black forever.

Chapter 1

Just sittin

June 1950

This story starts as we sit in a defensive position overlooking Anyang south of Seoul, South Korea. All is calm and peaceful. The crew and I do our daily routine of starting our Tanks, checking the fluids, cleaning the gun tube and cleaning our crew served and individual weapons. This a monotonous routine but you never know, when we will need them. Our guys are left over tread heads from the Second World War. I decided to stay in the military. I remember fighting the Germans with a 75MM gun on the first Sherman’s. That was certain death if you came upon a tiger from the front. We learned a big lesson don’t try to go toe to toe with a tiger. The Army finally came up with a tank that could go toe to toe with the monster.

By that time the War was almost over.

Here we had all these Sherman’s with 76MM high velocity guns with no enemy. So what is the most logical thing to do? Send them to foreign lands for security patrols.

I guess I am dumb I volunteered for the Tank Corps and after training they sent me to Europe during WWII and now I am here sitting in a defensive position about Ten miles from Seoul South Korea.

Chapter 2

The Platoon

I am the platoon Sergeant of 1st Platoon my name is PSG Ralph Black. My job is to keep this motley crew occupied so the LT can go to briefings and do what a Platoon leader should do.

I must say this LT is pretty squared away a lot like some of the LT’S, I had during WWII.

Most of the time he is gone all day.

The platoon is pretty sharp if you ask me. I think they are the best in Alpha Company.

We get our maintenance done have less down time than any other platoon, and have less bitching than any of the other platoons.

Sure we have complainers but Our Tank Commanders know how to take care of complainers.

It is nine in the morning and our guys are going down too the River to bath in the stream. I tell them to go upstream and not downstream.

Seems most of Anyang out houses flow into the Namhan river. Plus all the women doing laundry on the side of the river.

They have erected a pontoon bridge up the river about a mile, they call it the Anyang bridge.

The Company commander has given every troop a stern warning that if he catches any soldier with a Korean woman he will tie their balls up on a telephone pole. No fraternization of any kind, we are here to defend this area and that is it.

But if I am any judge of character, most guys will ignore the Company Commander, and try to get something on the slicky.

We have to watch out for slicky boys, These Koreans have a knack for stealing you blind.

They smile at you while one of them steals your shirt right off the Tank, let alone tools that are left out.

So I have a standing order keep everything locked up and don’t leave any hatches open so they can not get into the Tanks.

We do share some rations with them and give the children chocolate so we are not exactly doing what the Company commander says.

Every once in a while we get to take the tanks out on the road to limber them up and check track tension. The Koreans will watch us go up and down the road.

It is ironic how they can carry a 150 lb pig on the back of a bicycle for miles. Of course one has to remember they have a rice wine over here called Maquali. That gets the pig drunk enough where they don’t move on the bike.

Finally our guys come back from the river looking all clean and spivy.

One of the guys said Sarge we got this whiff of something that would make the pope Blush.

What did it smell like? It smelled like rotten cabbage. That is Kim Chi a favorite dish of the Koreans, and boy it is hot. Sarge you mean you ate some.

Sure did and I liked it, once you get past the smell it tastes alright. I got some in Seoul before coming up here for duty. Some cute little Korean girl got me drunk and we ate Kim Chi and other things.

Okay enough of that. I want all tank Commanders over here in fifteen minutes.

As the Tank Commanders come over to my tent, I explain the task for tomorrow. The LT walks up and says: I want us to take all main gun ammo and small arms ammo out and inventory it.

The LT says: We haven’t serviced our ammo in quite awhile and I belief we need it. So tomorrow we do ammo inventory. Any questions.

Yah it should keep our guys busy for awhile, keep their minds off all the Korean women for at least a few hours.

I leave Deramy on radio watch for the first two hours of the evening. Then we rotate between tank crews so everyone gets a chance to get some sleep.

Bright and early the First Sergeant comes up with chow and we eat our fill then it’s off to counting Ammo.

Each tank crew puts their tarps down on the ground and begins to offload the ammo. All of our service ammo is checked for leaks. White Phosphorous has a tendency to leak if it is not checked periodically.

APERS rounds get rusty if they are not wiped down frequently. They are brass rounds so you have to be carefull they don’t rust. HESH needs to be wiped down and inspected. We have a new round but we only have eight of them it is called SABOT it is supposed to stop any known armor today.

The platoon spends the entire morning inventorying the ammo, both main gun and small arms.

The ammo truck comes up I have several rounds that need to be turned in for one reason or another.

They take the bad ammo and give us the good stuff.

They have brought up extra Caliber 50 and 30 Cal ammo so now we have to find room to store this stuff.

June 15th all is calm the women are out bathing and washing clothes, the children are playing in the water. Our guys have every single pair of binoculars watching the women bathing. Most don’t take their bottoms off but they do strip down on the top. I have to remind our guys enough is enough. You know what the Co said.

Chapter 3

Fall Back Fall Back

June 1950

This morning starts off like any other morning. Strange there are no villagers coming down to the river.

The village is deserted not even a pig is squealing. I go around wake up all the crews and say:

Something is not right get up pack up wait for my next order. I get on the horn and call the CP and give a sitrep.

CP this is A-14 sitrep over: All villagers are gone nothing is moving up here over. The Cp calls back and says: A-14 this is A-6 same thing here alert all crews to be on the alert over.

At that time the LT comes pulling in.

Ok Guys I got a funny feeling, load and lock all weapons and put them on safe. We don’t want to be caught with our pants down for this one.

Ok you heard the LT get with it snap it up be ready to pull out at a moments notice.

Just then 6 T-80 Jets come screaming by, we can hear the rumbling of artillery to our front.

Then we see troops pulling back from the front, all kinds of vehicles. Reminds me of the Bulge in the Belgium.

The LT and I get our heads together and look at the map, there is a ridgeline not far from here we can put the tanks in a hull down position and defend the bridge from there.

The last vehicle to cross the bridge lays demolition on the bridge. We hear the blast as the Anyang bridge is destroyed.

The Company Commander comes over the radio. As soon as they blow the bridge get your platoon outta there and head to these coordinates. We will set up a blocking Engagement so our forces can retreat down the MSR. Over.

The LT says: Roger Out let’s move.

Our tanks move out down the dirt road towards Suwon to the main MSR.

We hear more Jets in the air and see North Korean Aircraft off in the distance. They are attacking a convoy to our left. It won’t be long before we are a target ourselves.

The LT calls on the radio: A-12, A-13, A-14 A-15. This is A-11 head for the river bank and try to stay concealed until the enemy has gone: Over.

All tanks come back with Roger Out:

We head for the river bank, luckily the river is only 12" deep this time of year the trees and embankements give us some good cover.

One hour passes by, we pull out and head for Suwon, about fifteen miles to our rear.

The area has been bombed and straffed by aircraft, buildings are burning dead bodies all around Korean and American Bodies.

We pass a burned truck with dead bodies hanging all over it. This is what’s left of Korean Soldiers.Up front we spot some movement, The LT halts the Platoon and we go into a herring bone formation.

We approach with caution, Here to our front are six GI’S hiding in a ditch.

Boy are we glad to see you, our truck was strafed and we have been hiding here for over an hour can we catch a lift with you Sir.

Get on board make it snappy the Chinks aren’t to far behind.

We start down the road A-15 has her gun tube to the rear watching for movement to our rear.

Nothing to our rear is friendly by now. It is sort of ironic now we have our own security squad, six grunts for op duty. The day wears on we move hide move hide.

We reach Su-won only to find it pretty well deserted. The LT gets on the horn and calls the CO:

A-6 this is A-11 over only static the Koreans are jamming the frequency. The LT goes to the Alternate Frequency.

A-6 this is A11 over still Static. By this time we are scrounging for gas any gas, several trucks that are abandoned give us enough gas to go about twenty miles. We make good use of the area, we search the shops for food and anything that might help us as we migrate South. By night time we get to the outskirts of Osan.

This place is a mad house of activity Koreans are blocking the roads, Army trucks from American and Korean units are moving out of Seoul.

The LT gets on the Horn again and tries to get the CO.

A-6 this is A-11 over.

A-11 this is A-6 what is your location over:

A-6 this is A-11 just on the outskirts of Osan at coordinates XY 12813834 Over.

Good 11 maintain a blocking force at the railroad bridge under pass shoot anything that moves toward your position.

I will give you the word also we are sending up a rifle company to your position over, 6 this is 11 Roger