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I’ve also visited the DMZ many times, after all, I did 7 years total in the ROK.
I always assumed that this story was very well known by all. But I guess it makes sense that as time goes by, the story gets lost to history.
Obviously, this happened long before I started my career, but there have been many incidents over the years. The most memorable to me, the fishing wars of the late 90’s. The ocean was unseasonably warm, so it pushed the fish south of the NLL, so North Korean fishing boats went south after them. This caused a serious situation. But it all died down. The NLL has always been a serious bone of contention.
Later, the North Koreans sunk the Choenan, killing 46. Ironically, I went on a DMZ tour a couple days after this happened. I was thinking that they were going to cancel the tour, but they never did. It was business as usual, people taking tours on the DMZ, the KIC operating normally. The KIC is the Kaesong Industrial Complex, where South Korean companies have a joint venture with the North Koreans to manufacture products.
Which leads me to believe that this whole North Korean-South Korean conflict is nothing more than theater. Nobody wants war on either side, to include China and the US. Also, everyone knows where the proverbially line is drawn. The North Koreans can shell outlying islands and even sink a ship. The South Koreans will retaliate, but it won’t cause an all out war. But what the North Koreans can’t do is shell across the DMZ towards Seoul. That would spark an all out war. So that’s why they don’t do that.
I know the 70’s were different, and war was more likely back then, but it still seemed like a bit of theater. Tiny little skirmishes within the DMZ, for what purpose? Nobody was going to do anything. I’ve read all the stories about how war was imminent on a few occasions, but I’m not sure I buy that we were ever that close.
However, this incident, the axe fight, did result in a massive deployment for US forces, and it’s possible that if the North Koreans didn’t blink, we might have escalated this incident into a shooting war across the DMZ. But again, maybe both sides knew that it just wasn’t going to happen?
Well, it may be theater and the skirmishes may be small, but between 1955 and 1994, there have been 92 Americans killed by the North Koreans. If you can locate a Oct. 2012 issue of the VFW monthly magazine, it has a detailed article on all of the incidents. I served in Korea in 57-58 and I was happy I wasn’t on the DMZ. It wasn’t considered good duty.
Location: Unlike most on CD, I'm not afraid to give my location: Milwaukee, WI.
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I was stationed in South Korea in the late 80s, even spending some time at Guard Post Collier right in the DMZ. While there, I studied everything I could about North Korea. Here is what I can tell you: Those poor people are *heavily* brainwashed from a young age to hate America and Americans. They are human robots, and don't have a shred of respect for human life.
Many North Koreans, including children, have been forced to watch executions of their countrymen for even the slightest dissidence, or trumped up charges. Just as a message as to what will happen to them if they don't go toe the line. When someone defects, or is accused of any crime, the entire family is rounded up and sent to the notorious prison camps. They don't play by the rules of any civilized society.
The cold-blooded murders of our two soldiers in the 70s, over our cutting down of a tree, is a good example of the North Korean mindset and cruelty. 3 generations of the Kim dynasty has created a country that is a blight on this planet.
Well, it may be theater and the skirmishes may be small, but between 1955 and 1994, there have been 92 Americans killed by the North Koreans. If you can locate a Oct. 2012 issue of the VFW monthly magazine, it has a detailed article on all of the incidents. I served in Korea in 57-58 and I was happy I wasn’t on the DMZ. It wasn’t considered good duty.
I was stationed in South Korea during the second naval battle on 29 JUN 2002; there were U.S. citizens headed to the airport as they thought it was the start of another Korean War.
I was stationed in South Korea during the second naval battle on 29 JUN 2002; there were U.S. citizens headed to the airport as they thought it was the start of another Korean War.
I was there during that time too. Not many people served more than 1 year in Korea. I did 7 total, so I’ve seen a lot more than the normal person. Usually every year there was a “crisis” that amounted to basically nothing when it was all said and done. After you have been through a “crisis” two or three times, you start to get skeptical about the whole thing. Naval battles, far away from Seoul, so that the country can continue to do its business as one of the richest countries in the world, is just part of the game.
I would see people from time to time in their first (and only) Korean tour, and they’d be concerned that war was imminent, or at least likely. I would inwardly laugh at them. But then I’d remind myself, they are seeing all this for the first time, and they don’t understand the game yet. I was just like them my first tour.
I’m not saying I 100% believe this now, but if it came out later that many of the incidents were scripted and not intended to start a war, but to keep the conflict front and center on the world stage, it wouldn’t surprise me at all.
I fully agree with the poster who mentioned all the minor skirmishes in the 50’s through the mid 90’s, that those were more serious, and that was a different time. My experiences start in 1997, so I can’t really speak about what went on before then.
I was in in the '70s, and from some of the stories I heard I was glad I never had to go to Korea. Did spend some time training ROK soldiers at Ft. Hood, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kettlepot
That's what I was going to ask!
I was alive during the 1976 incident. It was appalling and it made me angry. It never did, nor has it ever felt obscure to me. However, when I was in the army, I discussed it with a captain, and at first he thought I might not have heard about it. So even many years ago it might have seemed obscure.
Don't know but that was the radio traffic I got to pass along.
It was really obscure but not unheard of. It just happened that these were American soldiers that were murdered. In the past it was South Korean soldiers. The animosity between the two Koreas is well rooted.
I was stationed in Korea in 1984 to 1985 as a young Sgt at Camp Casey with 1st Tank. In 1985, we were conducting maneuvers when everything stopped and we were ordered to move as fast as possible and wait a few miles south of the DMZ after North Koreans guards chased after a Russian defector into the American/South Korean side of the DMZ with AKs. The NKs were challenged, where an American soldier was shot and wounded and a South Korean soldier was shot and killed. The American and South Korean soldiers were only armed with .45s.
A brief firefight between NK and US troops followed with the arrival of a better armed US reaction force. A ceasefire was ordered and the NKs were allowed to remove their dead and wounded... From the US/ROK side of the DMZ.
Being young tank commander, we were briefed to be ready for the possibility of war if talks failed or if the NKs did anything else stupid. We were up there for two more days after the incident before being ordered back into garrison.... I was 22 y/o and I still remember the look on the face of my driver, a kid from Detroit, when I briefed the crew on what’s happening AND that if we’re ordered to move north, we would be the lead tank for the platoon... He was sitting outside of the driver’s hatch, just shaking his head and said “I’m not ready for this sheet” with his ever present Newport cigarette next to his lips.
The things you remember!!
Korea, back then, was good duty since you saw that you had a real purpose for being there.
I was there during that time too. Not many people served more than 1 year in Korea. I did 7 total, so I’ve seen a lot more than the normal person. Usually every year there was a “crisis” that amounted to basically nothing when it was all said and done. After you have been through a “crisis” two or three times, you start to get skeptical about the whole thing. Naval battles, far away from Seoul, so that the country can continue to do its business as one of the richest countries in the world, is just part of the game.
I would see people from time to time in their first (and only) Korean tour, and they’d be concerned that war was imminent, or at least likely. I would inwardly laugh at them. But then I’d remind myself, they are seeing all this for the first time, and they don’t understand the game yet. I was just like them my first tour.
I’m not saying I 100% believe this now, but if it came out later that many of the incidents were scripted and not intended to start a war, but to keep the conflict front and center on the world stage, it wouldn’t surprise me at all.
I fully agree with the poster who mentioned all the minor skirmishes in the 50’s through the mid 90’s, that those were more serious, and that was a different time. My experiences start in 1997, so I can’t really speak about what went on before then.
I agree with you. I didn't spend 7 years but 3 and options for many more since I married there. I would not be surprised if those were all staged over the last couple of decades. That country is such a basket case economically, it is a wonder that it can still function.
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