U.S. Army in Action Series
Foreword
The contributions of combat service support soldiers to the success of American armies have often been overlooked by both historians and the public. Thus, it is altogether fitting that this first volume in the Army in Action Series should be John G. Westover's compilation of short, but instructive, pieces on service and support activities during the Korean War. The Center of Military History has received many requests for a reprint of this work, which was first published by the Combat Forces Press in 1955; it is a useful companion volume to Russell A. Gugeler's Combat Actions in Korea, which was reprinted in 1984 as part of the Army Historical Series.
Both Westover's subject and technique are worthy of study and comment. While the details of combat actions in America's wars have been studied extensively, comparatively little has been done to enlighten the soldier of today regarding how logistical operations were conducted at the small unit level. This book will serve to repair that omission. Westover compiled this book primarily from a series of interviews conducted with men actually involved in the events "at ground level." The oral history technique, which Army historians did much to develop in World War II and later, is now an accepted historical method. The value of oral history as a means of getting to the details is amply demonstrated here.
The Center of Military History is pleased to be able to initiate the Army in Action Series with the first CMH edition of John G. Westover's Combat Support in Korea. This is the first volume in what we hope will be a series interesting to, and useful for, today's soldiers and leaders at every level.
WASHINGTON, D.C. William A. Stofft Brigadier General, U.S. Army Chief of Military History
Introduction
This book is a collection of interviews with members of all the arms and services of the United States Army, except Infantry, Artillery, and Armor. The interviews were collected from several hundred officers and enlisted men who were serving, or had served, in the Korean conflict.
As I talked with these officers and men I could not help feeling their aggressive spirit. Each realized that his service was essential to combat and that he was moving the operation ahead. But it was more than just doing a necessary job. It was "do it better," "do it more quickly," and, above all, "get the service as close to the combat soldier as possible." These officers and men told of hot meals, daily laundering of the infantryman's socks, helicopter evacuation, ordnance mechanics working among the infantry, and airdrop of flame throwers at the point of use. I have made their surging spirit the theme of this study.
COMBAT SUPPORT IN KOREA grew from the conviction of Maj.Gen. Orlando Ward, Chief of Military History (1949-1952), that the United States Army needs a record of its service operations on the small-unit level. Interviews are sometimes better than high-level histories. They can widen the novice leader's experience before he goes into the field. They supply illustrations for instructors, and they refresh officers who have not recently been in the field. They present vividly the problems of the other services with which we are not acquainted.
The interview also lets us see how often the service troops experience the hazards of combat. No man in combat gets enough recognition, but some men have been denied honors justly earned because the word "Quartermaster" or "Chemical" was included in their unit designation. It won't dim the glory of the rifleman to give credit to other members of the team.
A year of interviewing has gone into this book. Some of the interviews were conducted in Korea by Eighth Army historians, but much more of the interviewing was done in the United States with returnees. In addition, some of the stories have been condensed from speeches, letters, and magazine articles. Much time and patience have been put into these interviews by the men who have served, and who believe that their knowledge will help the Army.
Interviews are not history. They are personal accounts. An interview can be no more accurate than the observation of the teller, no more truth ful than he is candid. Different units had different operating procedures. I cannot say that the operations related here are typical of all operations in Korea, or that they are better or poorer. These are simply stories related by earnest men.
Most interviews were oral. Notes were filled in by historians and returned to the interviewee for comment. Every effort has been made to recount the incidents as they were originally related, with editorial work limited to keeping the story moving. Most of the stories returned from Korea resulted from group interviews and are, therefore, in the third person. The amount of space devoted to each service is influenced more by the stories obtained than by any evaluation of the relative importance of sister services.
While a majority of the interviews testify to the correctness of Army doctrine, some are critical of doctrine and individuals. I have usually removed the names of the individuals criticized because the criticisms are not substantiated and may be unjust, but there has been no change of unit designation and no whitewashing. The reputation of the United States Army is too great to be diminished by honest criticism of some of its doctrines or a few of its members. In this study the historian does not point out violation of doctrines or decide between the contradictory accounts. This is a factual, not a generalizing, study.
I cannot credit all of the persons who have contributed to this volume. The names of more than a hundred are recorded in the table of contents. Special credit, though, is due these historians of Eighth Army: Captains Pierce W. Briscoe, William J. Fox, B. C. Mossman, and Edward C. Williamson, and Lieutenants Bevan R. Alexander, Martin Blumenson, and John Mewha. Their contributions are labeled as they appear. Mr. John E. Lee has had the trying job of typing interviews and drafts. Miss Mary Ann Bacon has made many editorial suggestions, while my wife has been the chief custodian of the blue pencil and dictionary. Lt.Col. Joseph Rockis has given endless encouragement throughout the months when progress seemed slow. To these, and many more, I give my thanks.
JOHN G. WESTOVER Captain, lnfantry
Causes of the Korean Tragedy ... Failure of Leadership, Intelligence and Preparation
