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MN: Now, in March 1952 the entire First Marine Division moved to the western front, and the 1st Tank Battalion went by sea. Why did they go by sea?

RW: They didn't want to wear out or run the tanks directly from the East Coast to the West Coast over the mountainous and rough roads to get to the other side, so they loaded all the tanks on LST. The landing ship tanks, big ships that hold the tanks. And then we went around through the ocean, around the tip. One of the unique things about that trip was we did a little bit of helping tie down the tanks with the chains, but when we went around the tip down around Pusan we hit a big storm, LSTs are flat bottom so they can go right up on shore, so they roll a lot, side by side. We had our cots set up between the tank and the side and what they call bulkhead. We were camped there. When the storm hit we got sicker than sick. And as the storm got worse then the ship would turn side to side and the tanks would kind of slide a little side to side. Finally we start hearing this big loud ping, ping, ping. The chains were popping loose, and then all of a sudden the tanks were sliding side to side, so we climbed up -- the bulkheads have wooden slats along the side -- we climbed up those slats and our tanks were just sliding and hitting right under our feet. All the stuff we had down there was demolished and it was a nightmare. And I kept looking forward at the big door that opens up. I thought, God, that door's gonna pop in and that ocean's gonna come flying in here. I thought, oh my god, we didn't know what to think. Then finally the ship and the whole convoy -- it was a convoy -- slowed down and actually came to a stop. They had to retie all the tanks. And then we found out it happened to the other LSTs too, not just ours. So boy, that was worse than combat, getting shot at. I mean, that was really scary. If you can imagine, giant tanks right under your feet slamming into the side as if it's gonna knock right through the wall and you're right there above it. We didn't have time to go to any doorway because there's so many doorways down there. So it was one of the more frightening times over there.

MN: Plus you were seasick also.

RW: Oh, we were so sick. Bob Pike remembers that. We finally went up with a life raft up toward what they call the bow, in the front. We stayed there and slept up there. We didn't want to sleep down there anymore. Down below it's warmer, hotter and stuffier, and that doesn't help seasickness.

MN: Now the ship arrived in Inchon and you stayed overnight. What was the city like at that time?

RW: It was total devastation, and I wish I had tried to take some pictures. I had this little camera, but for some reason I didn't -- we didn't have time to sit and take pictures, but that whole area was just demolished. We loaded our tanks on flat bed railcars. I don't know how many there were any rails left going north of Seoul, but when we went through Seoul, I mean, the railroad tracks were twisted and spiraling up in the air like spaghetti. It was just amazing how demolished the buildings were, yet there were some areas that were still standing in pretty good shape, so it just depended what area it was.

MN: You received orders that you could go home, but you asked to remain in Korea. Why did you make this request?

RW: Well, after I was assigned to tanks then I felt a kind of a way of payback. When I was in headquarters just going up with the captain to the front lines and stuff, I mean, we weren't involved in any fighting. One time we were up on a reconnaissance and we ran across a Korean patrol that was near us, and we didn't engage 'em in a fight or anything. We hid. And so it wasn't any fighting, and so when we moved to this new area right at that time when we got there and got settled. I heard there was gonna be some fighting in that new area so I thought, well, might be a way of getting more payback for Madrid. So I asked the lieutenant that was taking over for the one going home. I asked him if he thought I could stay with my tank, and he says, "Yeah, sure. I'd like to have you stay. Better get it cleared with the Battalion Commanding Officer." So I went back to battalion headquarters to see this major -- he was a major, might've been a colonel by then, but Major Moore, and I went in to see him in his tent. He said, "What is it, Wada?" I said, "Sir, I was wondering if I could extend over and stay here another six months. I'm scheduled to go home with this ninth draft." He says, "What's the matter with you, Wada? You cracked up or something?" And I said, "No, Sir. I just want to stay another six months with my tank." He said, "What do you want to do that for?" And I said, "Sir, I have nothing to rush home for. Lost my wife, lost my best friend, and up here I got a couple of good friends, and so I'd like to just stay and stay with my tank. I understand there's gonna be some new action up here." He said, "You know, Wada, if they get orders back at Division that you want to extend over another six months, you know what they're gonna do?" I said, "No, Sir." He said, "They're probably gonna pull you back as an interpreter. You want that?" And I said, "No, Sir, I want to stay with my tank." He says, "Well then I think you better go home." "Yes, Sir." So I did what he said and here I am, came home.

<End Segment 22> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.