So what is the news of the day, besides that I've gotten a divorce since last issue? MIA search here in Korea. Let me expound. Getting a divorce is extremely painful and if you could relate it to the miniatures battlefield, I would say that it's like playing a game that is monitored by a non-playing judge who always rules against you just because. All blind rolls go against you, and you lose large numbers of your force on those blind rolls. But, if you keep focused on the objective, you can actually come out with a marginal victory, despite the seeming overwhelming odds against you.
I had the distinct pleasure of being the Finance Chairman for the 223rd Marine Corps Birthday Ball here in Seoul. You may be thinking, what kind of pleasure is that? Well, actually that part was very little fun, but by being the Finance Chairman, I was also the deputy director of the Ball and consequently, had the time, position, and responsibility to assist members of the Chosin Few. This is a group of mostly Marines who survived the Chosin Reservoir campaign who came over to visit Korea and to attend our Birthday Ball. It was my honor to talk with and interview for the evening news over here (Armed Forces Korea Network) certain members of the group, all multiple purple heart winners and some Silver Star winners as well (one retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel with three: his first from Tulagi in the Solomons, the second during the Korean War on the road to Haga-ru, and the last one from somewhere in Vietnam). These gentlemen are history. I spent as much time as possible talking with them.
One of the gentlemen, a Marine Sergeant Ron Broward (only spent two years in the Corps, but both were during the Korean War),a BAR gunner, went on to fight in the middle of Korea during the Chinese Spring Offensive of 1951. He was with 1/1 at the time (during Chosin, he was in Colonel Chesty Puller's Regiment, in Captain Barrow's Company, Captain Barrows later became Commandant of the Marine Corps). Sgt Broward fought in the Battle of Horseshoe Ridge, which was fought north of the 38th Parallel, but is south of the current DMZ. In this battle, one Marine Battalion (1st Battalion, 1st Marine Infantry Regiment, 1st Marine Division) was tasked with holding the line against an unidentified number of Chinese Divisions. The Chinese swept through the Republic of Korea (ROK) Division on the Marines' flank, then continued the attack over the mountainous terrain and down into and through the prepared Marine positions. This battle was fought over two days, 23 and 24 April, 1951 and the end result was that the Marines were overrun and took numerous casualties. One of the walking wounded was Sgt Broward, who helped to carry out other wounded. After getting evacuated to Japan, he looked around for his friend, PFC Warren Rarick, who was a machine gunner. Sgt Broward and Rarick used their automatic weapons to open a hole in the Chinese lines for the rest of the Platoon to escape through. They were the last ones off the hill, the Chinese running after them. The last time Sgt Broward saw his friend was at the bottom of that hill, Rarick was helping to put wounded on a tank sitting on the dirt road leading out.
I'll be writing the complete story of the Battle of Horseshoe Ridge for either Military History magazine or the Marine Corps Gazette with a preliminary exclusive for MAGWEB. The story will also appear here as a multi-issue article. Unique to the Gauntlet will be the complete Scenario in order to refight the battle yourselves.
So where do I fit into this? When Sgt Broward came back to Korea, he had with him an incredible amount of research from some different retired folks. Colonel Alleman and Col Wray both did some superb research in order to get close to the site and write up as much of the battle as was possible. Sgt Broward wanted to find his friend. With the produced research, the approval of remains recover people in Hawaii, the accompaniment of Mortuary Affairs here in Korea, I took the wheel of the Marine Corps van and a small team of us, including a ROK Marine Captain, went up toward the DMZ. With some translation help from my ROK Marine counterpart and some superb former enlisted land navigation from me, we found Horseshoe Ridge. In early November of this mild year, the foliage was still pretty thick, so I, the ROK Captain, and Sgt Broward headed into the thickets to look for his platoon's former positions. The ROK Captain was called back after about 100 yards into the brush in order to move the van, and that left Sgt Broward and me. We continued up the hill for quite a while, sensing a certain amount of disappointment as we only found one fighting position towards the bottom, the rising ridgeline showing no evidence that a battle had ever been fought there. About a third of the way up the hill, I slipped on some wet and leaf covered rocks and took a minor spill, breaking a rib and leaving a gash in my side. I wasn't about to leave my 67-year old compatriot on the hill alone. The last time he was there, he ran down it with shrapnel in his body from a danger close mortar impact.
We pressed on and after a while, and as we approached the top of the hill, we found what Ron had described, a whole series of fighting positions, describing how a platoon had dug in more than 47 years earlier and fought against overwhelming odds in inhospitable terrain. Sgt Broward was quite sober as we attempted to find evidence in the foxholes of which unit exactly had been there. We only found some c-ration cans. We headed back down the hill and came back to Seoul. The head of Mortuary Affairs, who is responsible for remains recovery in South Korea, was convinced that there was enough evidence to continue the search with the full team. I had to go to Okinawa for a week, but they returned the next week and I'm told that they found a farmer who moved in there right after the battle in 1951 and he described where he saw bodies (exactly where we had been) and that they were Americans. And now we wait until April of 1999, when the team will return to Horseshoe Ridge with ground penetrating radar and numerous searchers in order to find, hopefully, PFC Rarick and the three other Marines who never returned following the battle.
This is why we study history. There is no glory in battle, just honor and courage. If we must fight, let it be with honor and with courage, and not the lack thereof. Lest we forget...
Now on to some things that have come through in the mail. I looked at again at Robert Haworth's AWI Scenario's for busy people and the more I look, the more I'm impressed. I count myself as a very busy person, so when I have time to look back through my stuff, I am selective. Good job Robert! I have drawn a number of AWI flags and read a lot on the AWI and the French & Indian War. I like the period but must confess that I have no figures for it. I still enjoy reading scenario books like Robert's. Send hima check for $13.95 and I think you'll like what you get in return. Stenhouse Game productions, P.O. Box 92, McLean, VA 22101-0092 or e-mail
stenhousegames@hotmail.com.
I also received the latest issue of The Lone Warrior (#124). Thanks to Rick Barbuto and the gents from the UK, this fine, thought-provoking magazine keeps rolling in every three months. I also note that I went from being an avid convention gamer in the States (avid in my mind anyway, having attended four shows in one year) to almost a complete solo gamer. Will anyone hold it against me if I admit that I throw out the boards and counters and play board games? I'm here solo, and most importantly, as one of the letters to me stated, is the study of history. Of course I prefer miniatures, well-painted Foundry or Redoubt for example, on HG Walls terrain. Who doesn't? That's not quite what I have access to here in Seoul, though. So, we study history as we can and I hope the Gauntlet helps feed your needs and desires. I also appreciate your support for what goes onto these pages!
MWAN #95! Need I say more? MWAN is the penultimate statement of our hobby. One amateur, using any tools available to him, rallies a small cadre of authors, then finds a printer to add a splash of color and professionally bind them. He sends them out to all corners of the world. Thanks Hal, for your stalwart dedication to the hobby of learning history.
Now, since I wrote the first part of the editorial, there has been a couple changes, updates in my life. Some of you may complain about your job. Think about this. I'm in Seoul. I spent last week on the tropical island of Okinawa. In January I'll probably be in Florence, Italy for a week. In February, it's back to Okinawa for two weeks. Then when I transfer in May, I could be sent to Moscow, Russia (for at least two years). And yes! I will continue to publish The Gauntlet - U.S. (where the U.S. part is becoming more and more of a misnomer)... At least I get to use the U.S postage rates, although there is that time lag we didn't have before. I won't have an updated address until the end of April, so at that time, I'll send out a fairly cheesy form letter, using my Access Database, to update anyone who has ever inquired or purchased anything from Gauntlet Publications.
Cheers, and good luck on those morale rolls!
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© Copyright 1998 by Craig Martelle Publications
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