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An Army veteran had an unusual reunion decades after returning from Korea.
An Army veteran had an unusual reunion decades after returning from Korea.
I was a farm boy from Manheim. I was being inducted into the Army at Fort Meade, Maryland, on Sept. 28, 1953. After completing basic training, I was sent to various camps for special training. I received my orders to go overseas to Busan, Korea. I was later transferred to North Incheon. I was on a carrier that was loaded with guns, ammunition and fuel. We knew it was going to be a long day.
Before we left our units, we were warned to stay on this long, winding road because mines were still being donated. We had to stop at several checkpoints to prove our identity. After being cleared, we continued on our way.
Our driver checked our fuel gauge and it was getting low. We had to use 10 gallons of spare fuel we had, knowing we needed fuel to get back to our unit. In Incheon.
We arrived at the Demilitarized Zone. What a strange-looking place. The line that was between north, and South Korea was made of wire. While the inspector was doing his job, my friend and I were trying to communicate with South Korea.
The North Korean guards watched every move we made and listened to our conversations. A guard tapped me on the shoulder and said to please not say anything bad or do anything illegal about North Korea. “See the gun pointed at you?” A guard told my friend that 1,400 men died after the agreement was signed to end the war.
Not focusing attention on our fuel gauge, we were shocked when our driver told us we only had 5 gallons of fuel left in our truck tank. With no Atlantic or Texaco gas stations over there, we were very concerned. We were reminded that we would need to stop at a United Nations camp. After crossing the mountain, we saw an Ethiopian camp. The first soldier I met, after explaining we were really low on fuel, showed us a large fuel tank and said to fill up. After the truck was fueled, he said, come to the mess tent and eat with us. We did. Very nice fellows. It was a long day, but a safe one.
It was getting close to time for me to rotate back to the United States. I will never forget the hardships these people endured that survived the war. Many lost everything — family, friends, children — with nothing to call their own. Many homeless children were waiting to be taken to an orphanage, where they would have shelter, food, clothing and someone to love and take care of them.
Here in Lancaster, we have a Walmart. One day my wife and I entered the store, and I was wearing my Korean veteran’s hat. The greeter noticed my hat and came and shook my hand. He asked where in Korea I had served.
I told him my experience at the DMZ. He told me he was Ethiopian and was stationed 30 miles south of the DMZ. I told him we stopped at an Ethiopian camp, and before I could say any more, he interrupted my conversation. He asked me if there were three fellows in a weapons-carrier truck. I could not believe it. I said yes. To confirm this, I asked him what the color of the posts was at the entrance. He said it was green and yellow dragons. Then I knew he was the fellow who gave us food and fuel.
It was 69 years and thousands of miles from Incheon. Here we are once again meeting each other in Pennsylvania. I went back to Walmart to try to get together again. However, I was told he passed away.
Do you believe in miracles? I do.
Cpl. Henry A. Brubaker, who served with the 9th Infantry and 32nd Quartermaster Group in Korea, lives in Manheim.
If you know an interesting story, please write it in 600 words or less and send it to Mary Ellen Wright, LNP editorial department, P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608-1328, or email it to features@lnpnews.com. Please include your phone number and the name of the town you live in.
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