Interviewing Mr. "Ray Anderson"

***Translated into English from the original Korean article posted on November 4th, 2024.

I am a junior in high school living in the United States. This summer, I met Mr. "Ray" Anderson, a Korean War veteran who had participated in the Battle of Inchon. For me, who had grown up hearing about my great-grandfather's experience of being captured by the Chinese army and escaping Manchuria, I was excited to learn about a forgotten page in history.

Mr. Anderson enlisted in the U.S Navy after graduating high school, at the age of 20.

He began his tour in the South Pacific, on the USS Toledo (CA-133).

I was able to hear his situation when the Korean War broke out. The Toledo had temporarily returned to the United States for repairs. The married men were given leave first; the single men, including Mr. Anderson, were waiting for their turn when they heard that the war had started and were immediately called and deployed to the South Pacific. It was during this time that Mr. Anderson participated in the Battle of Inchon. Mr. Anderson directed the Toledo's naval fire toward the fortified Wolmi-do for three days, in order to give marines access to the port of Inchon. Later, he was told that the USS Toledo opened the first fire into Inchon. Mr. Anderson was assigned to the Far East Forces until his tour was over.

"We never got hit. But we regularly passed areas we knew that the North Koreans had set up mines, and we were sleeping , because we didn't have a lot of space, between the ammunition, and the fuel. Were we scared? We didn't worry about it because if we were attacked, you would die instantly. You wouldn't feel it, too."

Listening to the story of a twenty-year old Mr. Anderson, acknowledging death when war was a thin border between life and death, stirred my heart.

Thinking about it, someone only a few years older than I am, at the age of twenty, had fought in war to defend another country, protected it, and more than seventy years later, had met a person from the country he fought for, and I a hidden hero.

After meeting Mr. Anderson, I visited a local university library and read all I could find on the Korean War. There were records of people who fought in the Korean War.

Robert Fletcher, A Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Arrived in Korea July of 1950, participated in the Battle of the Bloody Ridge, Defense of the Pusan perimeter, Battle of Pork Chop Hill. Captured by North Korean forces on July 16th, 1950, and died January 1951. Remains unaccounted for.

Ernest Shaw, 1st lieutenant 31st Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Participated in the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, Battle of Kapyong. Age of 23, deployed after marriage. Awarded the Silver Star for leading flamethrowers against heavy enemy fire to destroy enemy bunkers.

Clentell Jackson, 24th Infantry Division 25th Infantry Regiment, Sergeant First Class. Deployed at age of 24. Awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 1,789,000 American soldiers fought in the Korean War, with 36,940 dead, 92,134 wounded, and 3,737 missing in action. 1,789,000 hidden heroes fought for Korea, for the future of Korea, and I too, was the 'future' that they protected.

Thank you for your service. 감사합니다.