The Last Stand of Fox Company: A True Story of U.S. Marines in Combat (57 page)

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Authors: Bob Drury,Tom Clavin

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was filled with veterans of Fox Company who had traveled to California from across the United States. On the other side of the aisle, behind his family, friends and other military veterans, including several fellow recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, packed the pews. Moments before the ceremony began, Barber's only son, John Barber, stood, kissed his mother, and walked across the aisle to sit with Fox Company.

POSTSCRIPT 2008After the Korean War the veterans of Fox Hill scattered to their homes around the country. Except for several informal, regional get-togethers, most of them remained apart for forty-one years.Then, in 1991, Fox Company held its first official reunion. Fifteen years later, in November 2006-more than five decades after one of the greatest stands against an enemy in U.S. military historythe Marines of Fox 2/7 gathered in Quantico, Virginia, on the weekend celebrating the dedication of the new National Museum of the Marine Corps.Four sections of this magnificent structure are devoted to signature U.S. Marine Corps actions in twentieth-century American wars: Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, Khe San, and Fox Hill. The Korean War gallery presents a tableau of Fox Hill-complete with airconditioning to simulate (to a point) the freezing cold. Captain Bill Barber's bullet-pocked parka is worn by the figure depicting himhe had put it over a wounded Marine in Hagaru-ri, and it was discovered in an attic several years ago.A few of the veterans from Fox Company grumbled about some of the details, but most seemed pleased by the attention and the sentiments. Following the ceremony, on the evening of Saturday, November 10, 2006-the 231st birthday of the Corps-some of the former Marines commandeered a meeting room at their hotel, pulled bottles from their suitcases, and proceeded to catch up on each other's lives, and to swap tales about a time when ordinary men won an extraordinary battle on the other side of the world.Later there was a dinner in a conference room at the same hotel. The keynote speaker was Major (Ret.) Chew-Een Lee, still ramrod straight in his uniform covered with medals, and still with a chip on his shoulder. Bill Barber's daughter and son, Sharon and John, attended. They were in town to bury the ashes of their mother, lone, with their father at Arlington National Cemetery.By the time Fox Company met again a year later, in Orlando, Florida, the survivors were waging a different kind of war-against age and its depredations. Dick Bonelli, now seventy-six, had coordinated this reunion. He seemed to have enough energy for the entire company, but some of the men weren't up to making the trip. Elmo Peterson, slowed by a stroke and an eye disorder-macular degeneration-stayed at his home, near one of his daughters, in Tucson, Arizona. Bob McCarthy remained in North Carolina because of leg problems. The machine gunner John Henry had planned to attend but was having heart trouble and was grieving over the recent death of his wife of fifty years. Kenny Benson, who had journeyed from New Jersey to Quantico a year earlier, did not have the strength to make this journey in his wheelchair. Fidel Gomez had also attended the museum dedication, but this year his wife was too ill for him to get away. (She died two days later.)But there was still a good turnout. Warren McClure, Edward Gonzales, Harry Burke, and Wayne Pickett attended with their wives, as did, among others, Clifford Steen, Eleazar Belmarez, Bob Duffy, Richard Danford, Bob Kirchner, Walt Klein, Richard Kline, Bob Ezell, and Bob Watson from the Ridgerunners.As the weekend came to a close, a room at the hotel in Orlando was set aside on Sunday morning for a memorial service to honor those who had fallen on Fox Hill. The service was conducted by the Reverend Walt Hiskett, who was also grieving; his wife, Marilyn, had died the previous March.A few minutes before 11 a.m., the men and their wives, along with several adult children, filed in to sit in a semicircle around a table Hiskett had set up. As Hiskett spoke to the veterans and their families about a war, in David Halberstam's phrase, "orphaned by history," he stepped from the table and moved to a podium to deliver a homily.He began by speaking about a stained-glass window in the old chapel next to Arlington Cemetery that is dedicated "in honor and memory of all deceased Marines." The scene on the window depicts Gideon and his three hundred vastly outnumbered soldiers as they prepared for battle. But Hiskett did not speak of death or glory-he spoke to the men about peace. "Gideon was tasked by God to organize an army to rout the Midionites and Amalekites in order to restore peace to the people of Israel," he said. "Not unlike the task given to the Marine Corps when the North Koreans swooped down across the 38th Parallel in June of 1950-we were tasked to restore peace."Every eye was on Hiskett as he spoke of his "brothers" on Fox Hill. "We are here today because when we were faced with overwhelming odds, we fought, and many died, not just for self-survival, but for our Corps and for one another. We commemorate the memory of our heroic dead. They were the life, the spirit, and soul of our Corps. We will not, nor can we ever, forget the lessons they taught us about honor and faithfulness."Here Hiskett paused, trying to keep his composure. He was choking on the words. He raised his right hand and continued, his voice strengthening as he declared, "We are the Marine Corps, and Semper Fidelis is our motto. Always faithful. That was the spirit that keeps our Corps alive today. That was the spirit of the Marines we honor here today. We are here today because they made the sacrifice then. They will live on forever in our hearts and minds because we are a part of them and they are a part of us."When Hiskett finished the service, the men of Fox Company, Second Battalion, Seventh Regiment, First Division, stood and closed ranks once more. Then it was time for these Marines and their families to go home.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWe have been humbled by the enormous generosity of the men of Fox Company and their families. When we initially sought them out and introduced ourselves and our book idea, there was some caution on their part: Who are these two guys? Can we trust them to tell the story? Can we trust them to tell it right? Over time, however, the surviving members of the Marines who fought on Fox Hill became most charitable with us-sharing their memories, private letters, journals, oral histories, and official reports-as well as allowing us into their lives. For that we thank them, most especially Warren McClure and Dick Bonelli.In McClure's case we took advantage of his years of dedication, as the secretary of the Fox 2/7 Association, in collecting, coordinating, and preserving the hundreds if not thousands of details, individual narratives, and maps of the events on Fox Hill during that week in late November and early December of 1950. Given that McClure is a writer of wonderful verse, we feel that we have met a true modern-day warrior-poet. As for Bonelli-quite simply there would have been no book without his input, participation, friendship, and coordinating abilities. He has as much considerable energy today as he had in Korea fifty-eight years ago.We are also grateful for the recollections of Eleazar Belmarez, Ken Benson, Hector Cafferata, Jack Coleman, Dick Connelly, Richard Danford, Victor M. Davis, Bob Duffy, Harry Burke, Bob Ezell, Dick Gilling, Fidel Gomez, Edward Gonzales, Arnie Hansen, John Henry, Walt Hiskett, Rollin Hutchinson, Barry Jones, Bob Kirchner, Walt Klein, Richard Kline, Chew-Een Lee, Howard Mason, Bob McCarthy, Joe Owen, Chuck Pearson, Elmo Peterson, Wayne Pickett, Harrison Pourers, David Seils, Jerry Triggs, and Bob Watson, as well as for the accounts of the battle set to paper by Phil Bavaro, Don Childs, Graydon Davis, Raymond Davis, Vic Dey, Billy French, Stan Golembieski, Ernest Gonzalez, Lemuel Goode, Lee Knowles, Howard Koone, Minard Paul Newton, Clifford Steen, and Allen Thompson.In addition to those veterans of Fox Hill, we would also like to thank Woodrow Barber, Jerry Courtier, Jean Sheets, and Sharon Waldo for their contributions.Even with the recollections and written testimonies of those who participated in the Battle for Fox Hill, we also took advantage of a wide range of research sources to add more details to the narrative. We thank the following for their courteous help: Danny Brandi of the Denver, Colorado, "Chosin Few" organization; William Dillon; Paul Hughes; the Korean War Educator (www.koreanwar-educator .org); the Korean War Project in Dallas, Texas; Lee Mead; staffers at the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland; Dr. Charles P. Neimeyer, Robert Aquilina, and their colleagues at the Reference Branch at the Marine Corps History Division in Quantico, Virginia; the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation; and the National Museum of the Marine Corps, also in Quantico.We have been fortunate to have assistance and encouragement from friends and others in the preparation of the manuscript. We are most grateful to James Brady, David Hughes, Colonel (Ret.) Joseph C. Long , Major General (Ret.) J. Michael Myatt of the Marines Memorial Association, David Winter, Valerie Pillsworth, Kelly Olsen, Bob Rosen and Jennifer Unter at RLR Associates, and Alison Thompson.It has been written many times before yet it is still true: Without the expertise and support of the professionals who made The Last Stand of Fox Company a reality, we wouldn't have the privi lege of thanking them for this book. And we are very happy to thank Morgan Entrekin, Jofie Ferrari-Adler, and Nat Sobel.Finally, to our family members and loved ones-Brendan Clavin, Kathryn Clavin, Liam-Antoine DeBusschere-Drury, Denise McDonald, and Leslie Reingold-you have given us more than we deserve.

APPENDIXAccording to United States Marine Corps records, the following men were assigned to Fox Company, Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment, along with various attached Marines and United States Navy corpsmen, on the official November/December 1950 roster. Marine Corps historians attribute the seven-man discrepancy between this roster and the 246 Marines and Navy corpsmen who fought on Fox Hill to last-minute replacements and evacuations, as well as the fog of war."1. Adams, Douglas H., Private First Class2. Aguilar, Jose R., Private First Class3. Anderson, Robert, Private First Class4. Arcuri, Nickolas M., Private5. Ashdale, Thomas G., Corporal6. Audas, John D., Staff Sergeant7. Balcezak, Benjamin, Private First Class8. Barber, William E., Captain9. Batdorff, Robert L., Private First Class10. Bean, Harry H., Sergeant11. Belmarez, Eleazar R., Corporal12. Bendy, Cecil J., Private First Class13. Benson, Kenneth R., Private First Class14. Bernard, Richard J., Private First Class15. Blacklidge, Jack W., Corporal16. Blunk, Albert W., Private First Class17. Bolstad, Richard E., Private First Class18. Bonelli, Richard A., Private First Class19. Boudousquie, William, Private First Class20. Brady, Joseph J., First Lieutenant21. Bryan, John C., Private First Class22. Brydon, William H., Corporal23. Bunch, William H., Master Sergeant24. Burkard, Raymond L., Corporal25. Burke, Harry L., Corporal26. Cafferata, Hector A., Private27. Campbell, Donald, First Lieutenant28. Cavanaugh, James P., Private First Class29. Childs, Donald L., Private First Class30. Chung, Mr., Korean Interpreter31. Cilek, Gene, Private First Class32. Clark, Thomas L., Corporal33. Connelly, Richard W., Corporal34. Conrad, Richard A., Private First Class35. Cornelison, Roy J., Private First Class36. Cunningham, Alfred, Corporal37. Dana, Charles C., Master Sergeant38. Danford, Richard E., Staff Sergeant39. Danilowski, Henry J., Private First Class40. Davis, Graydon W., Private First Class41. Davis, Roger R., Private First Class42. Daugherty, James H., Private First Class43. Dunne, John M., First Lieutenant44. Dytkiewicz, Alvin T., Corporal45. Elknation, Rueben A., Private First Class46. Elrod, Judd W., Sergeant47. Erwin, Louis E., Private First Class48. Evans, Walter, USN Corpsman49. Ezell, Robert W., Private First Class50. Farley, John D., Corporal51. Fenton, Charles E., Private First Class52. Fich, Richard A., Private First Class53. Fitzgerald, Thomas, Private First Class54. Fixico, Amos, Private First Class55. French, Billy M., Private First Class56. French, James, USN Corpsman57. Friend, Harvey J., Corporal58. Fry, William L., Private First Class59. Gagner, Eugene E., Private First Class60. Gaines, Robert L., Corporal61. Gajda, Thadeus M., Private First Class62. Gamble, Clifford, Private First Class63. Garza, William F., Private First Class64. Geer, Harmony, Private First Class65. Gleason, William P., Private First Class66. Godwin, Eugene R., Private First Class67. Goldstein, Bernard, Private68. Golembieski, Stanley, Corporal69. Gomez, Fidel G., Private First Class70. Gonzales, Alfredo (Fred) D., Private First Class71. Gonzales, Roger, Private First Class72. Gonzales, Edward, Private First Class73. Gonzalez, Ernest T., Private First Class74. Goodrich, David J., Private First Class75. Gose, Roger D., Private76. Griffith, Jack B., Corporal77. Groenewald, William, Staff Sergeant78. Gruenberg, Arthur H., Staff Sergeant79. Gruenewald, Harold, Private First Class80. Haggard, Barner W., Private First Class81. Hall, David T., Private First Class82. Halstead, Raymond P., Private First Class83. Hammond, Phillip 0., Private First Class84. Hancock, Harold E., Private85. Haney, Alvin R., Private First Class86. Harvey, Edward E., Corporal87. Harvey, William L., Private First Class88. Hedinger, Larry M., Private First Class89. Heinz, Erwin C., Corporal90. Henry, John 0., Staff Sergeant91. Hess, Erwin W., Private First Class92. Hiskett, Walter A., Corporal93. Holt, James, Private First Class94. Homan, Elmer P., Sergeant95. Horn, Jack, Private First Class96. Hostetler, James S., Private First Class97. Hough, Bruce B., Private First Class98. Hutchinson, Rollin, Corporal99. Hymel, Benjamin A., Private First Class100. Iverson, James E., Corporal101. Jackson, Norman A., Private First Class102. Jacob, Ernest E., Corporal103. Jaskiewicz, Chester, Private First Class104. Johnson, Maurice W., Private First Class105. Johnson, Norman J., Corporal106. Jones, Edward, USN Corpsman107. Jones, Roy J., Corporal108. Jones, Rosco, Private First Class109. Kalinowski, Richard, Private First Class110. Kanouse, James C., Private First Class111. Kaser, George C., Private112. Keirn, Meredith F., Sergeant113. Keith, Clarence V., Private First Class114. Kipp, Kenneth R., Sergeant115. Kirchner, Robert, Private First Class116. Klein, Walter, Private117. Kline, Richard, Private First Class118. Knowles, Lee E., Private First Class119. Kohls, Robert, Staff Sergeant120. Komorowski, Joseph, Sergeant121. Koone, Howard, Corporal122. Kuca, John F., Corporal123. Ladner, Hobert P., Corporal124. Lavecchia, Joseph F., Private First Class125. Lawson, Robert E., Corporal126. Lawton, John D., Private First Class127. Leach, James C., Private First Class128. Ling, Jack D., Sergeant129. Longstaff, Robert A., First Lieutenant130. Lowry, Private First Class131. Mann, Robert R., Private First Class132. Martin, Clifford 0., Corporal133. Mathews, Kenneth J., Private First Class134. Maurath, Mervyn (Red), USN Corpsman135. McAfee, Johnson, Sergeant136. McCarthy, Robert C., First Lieutenant137. McClelland, Herbert, Private First Class138. McClure, Warren L., Private First Class139. McLean, William, USN Corpsman140. Mercadante, Louis J., Private141. Mertz, Kenneth N., Corporal142. Monagan, Homer, Private First Class143. Montville, Daniel M., Corporal144. Moore, Walter M., Private First Class145. Morrissey, James, USN Corpsman146. Myers, Raymond F., Private First Class147. Nemire, Olen D., Private First Class148. Newhoff, Elmer W., Private First Class149. North, Charles R., Corporal150. O'Leary, John, Private First Class151. Pacter, Paul F., Private First Class152. Page, Jack, Corporal153. Parker, Charles W., Private First Class154. Parker, Richard A., Private First Class155. Parks, Lloyd M., Private First Class156. Pearson, Charles M., Sergeant157. Peck, Raymond F., Corporal158. Peek, Oma L., Corporal159. Penn, Homer K., Private First Class160. Peoples, Claude, Private First Class161. Peterson, Charles H., Corporal162. Peterson, Elmo C., First Lieutenant163. Phillips, Alfred P., Technical Sergeant164. Pickett, Wayne A., Corporal165. Pietkowski, Robert, Corporal166. Pilcher, Donald R., Private First Class167. Pitts, Clyde T., Sergeant168. Pomers, Harrison, Private First Class169. Ramey, James R., Private First Class170. Reed, Billie W., Private First Class171. Reitz, George W., Sergeant172. Rittennour, Donald E., Private First Class173. Robaczynski, John, Private First Class174. Roberts, Gerald, Private First Class175. Robicheau, Staff Sergeant176. Rodien, David L., Private First Class177. Rodrigues, Nicholas, Private First Class178. Rodriguez, Manuel V., Private179. Salyer, Walter E., Private First Class180. Schmidt, Robert H., Private First Class181. Schmitt, Lawrence, First Lieutenant182. Scott, John L., Private First Class183. Scully, Robert P., Sergeant184. Seils, David, Private First Class185. Senzig, John F., Private First Class186. Shilney, Richard A., Sergeant187. Slapinskas, Daniel, Sergeant188. Smith, David, Sergeant189. Smith, Gerald J., Private First Class190. Snyder, Walter R., Private First Class191. Stanley, Glen J., Sergeant192. Steen, Clifford, USN Corpsman193. Stein, Richard J., Private First Class194. Stevens, Marvin L., Private First Class195. Stiller, Daniel J., Private First Class196. Stillwell, Charles R., Private First Class197. Stonebreaker, John G., Corporal198. Stritch, John T., Private First Class199. Strommen, Ronald D., Private First Class200. Sulem, Kenneth M., Private First Class201. Svicarovich, George, Sergeant202. Szabo, Antal J., Private First Class203. Tallbull, Clarence, Private First Class204. Temple, Johnny L., Private First Class205. Teter, Lowell D., Private First Class206. Thomas, Evan D., Private First Class207. Thompson, Allen S., Private First Class208. Thornton, Donald R., Corporal209. Thrower, Louis V., Private First Class210. Tilhof, Peter, Private First Class211. Timbes, Ralph, Private First Class212. Tranchita, Carmelo, Corporal213. Triggs, Jerry D., Private First Class214. Troxell, Paul T., Private First Class215. Trujillo, Adam, Private First Class216. Turnipseed, Roy B., Private First Class217. Umpleby, James P., Private First Class218. Urrutia, Joe C., Private First Class219. Valek, Raymond L., Private First Class220. Valtierra, Frank, Private First Class221. Vanderveer, John S., Private First Class222. Vaydice, John S., Private First Class223. Vey, Arnold R., Private First Class224. Waddell, Joseph L., Corporal225. Waldoch, Daniel C., Private First Class226. Watson, Wayne E., Staff Sergeant227. Welsh, Robert T., Private First Class228. Westin, John L., Corporal229. Whitaker, Billy J., Private First Class230. Whittaker, USN Corpsman231. Wiedau, James L., Private First Class232. Willard, James P., Private First Class233. Williams, James E., Sergeant234. Williford, Troy A., Private First Class235. Wilson, Lee D., Private First Class236. Wright, Clark B., First Lieutenant237. Yeager, Kenneth E., Corporal238. Yesko, Daniel D., Private First Class239. Zacher, Kenneth L., Private First Class

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