Dear Folks,

For some time now (3 days or 4, I don't know) we have been on the 39thparallel outside of Wonsan. We came here with South Korean and U.S.minesweepers to clear the approaches and harbor of Wonsan for anotherlanding. For several days, the minesweepers kept clearing a path towardthe harbor of Wonsan.

As time went on we kept moving in closer and closer to shore settingmarkers and destroying mines. All this time we could see and hearartillery on shore but nothing came our way.

Our UDT (underwater demolition teams) went into the bay near an islandwhere, with the naked eye, you could see a white flag flying. UDT was todetermine the density of the minefields, etc., but a few shells from thebeach stopped the operation. So everyone waited for the air attack by ourplanes that we had been promised while the minesweepers enlarged thechannel.

Finally the planes came. There were between 150 and 200 Corsairs withbombs and rockets. They peeled off and made a run over the over the minefields setting off mines with their bombs. The guys below decks werescared silly because they did not know what was going on and theconcussion under the water was probably great. Half of them thought wehit a mine or two.

The planes gave the islands and beaches a good working over then finallyleft. I'm really hot for the air force.

Well, we sat around waiting while two destroyer escorts bombarded thebeaches and hills. The steady banging away gets on my nerves. My headfeels clogged up from it.

Well, finally six minesweepers, a destroyer escort and us moved in. OurUDT was ahead of us in our boats. We sailed slowly between two islands atthe entrance to the harbor. As the minesweepers and destroyer escort gotbehind the islands, the Reds opened up.

Our ship hadn't reached their path of fire so in a narrow channel in themiddle of a minefield, we turned around cautiously and moved out a ways. The brass figured we could be of no help with the rest. So we sat andwatched them slug it out.

They called for air support and six planes came from somewhere. We wereclose enough so the concussion of the bombs would blow your pants againstyour body. One of our minesweepers hit a mine and was practically blownto bits. It went down in about 45 seconds. Another one hit a mine andthe Reds finished it with gunfire.

Over the radio, I could hear them directing boats to pick up survivors,etc. For about an hour there was a lot of lead and taxpayer's moneyflying around.

Out of the smoke comes this sampan or whatever you want to call it with a bunch of Koreans waving ROK and US flags. This was tragically funny. They came to a ship near us looking for refuge but as the sun sank tonightthey were still drifting around, but at least out where they couldn't gethurt. These were identified as friendly civilians. However our boatspicked up Koreans in another sampan and they now have them aboard her asprisoners of war.

We have a Korean interpreter aboard and they have been giving them the 3rddegree for five hours now. They claim they are civilians but other peopledon't think so. I don't feel too sympathetic. When I saw those twominesweepers go up, it burned me.

There are a lot of dead fish floating around here. Mines and bombs mustbe hard on their eardrums, ha! It's nighttime now and we are all anchoredout. Things are quiet with the exception of a few blasts from guns nowand then. I don't know what they will do now. They've pretty wellsilenced the guns on the beach and in the hills. I hear that a helicopterspotted 61 more mines in our path this evening. It sure takes a lot to dowhat seems so little.

I feel fortunate that we didn't get in a position where the Reds couldtrain on us. It seems like they always wait until they see the whites ofyour eyes.

I don't know if I'm hearing gunfire now or if it's just the echo in myhead. If you don't read it in the papers, you have an account from aneyewitness anyway. I'll write more tomorrow but right now I want to hitmy sack. See you later.

If I hear something bumping along the bottom tonight that sounds like amine, I'll be out in that sampan with the Koreans and eat raw fish forbreakfast. That sampan doesn't sit so far down in the water. A littleways back I said "See you later", but I'm still here.

Hello again:

Well, we're still out here in the minefields. As usual we're playing"hero ship" and keep edging in towards shore. All the other ships are outon the horizon. I believe the Missouri is out there. We have managed tomove through the minefield and are now about 10 or 15 thousand yards fromthe place where the two minesweepers were sunk several days ago.

To our left is an island about one half the size of Rattlesnake Mountain. From this island, the Reds bombarded the minesweepers, but no shells arecoming from there anymore for Navy planes have been constantly rocketing,machine gunning and bombing the last few days. It's really a sight towatch. We, and other ships, have bombarded this island also.

To our direct left, as we point in towards the harbor, is another islandthat has surrendered. From here, this Korean commander we have with us,has sent Koreans in sampans to search for mines. The people on this islandwere not Reds but naturally did not dare to fight them. However, now theywant us to be sure they are on our side.

These Koreans have found several mines moored beneath the surface. TheKoreans and our under water demolition teams mark the mines with buoys andwe have the Navy planes set them off with bombs. A helicopter has beenhelping the crews spot the mines. The helicopter has picked up anddropped off different brass hats on the ship several times. It hoversoverhead and they crawl down a ladder to the ship.

This is supposed to be an attack destroyer transport, but you could surecall it a minesweeper. No one will probably know it or care, but we aredoing a mighty important job here. At least it gives you a feeling thatyou're here for a reason. At the rate we're clearing a channel, however,it seems it will take months before the transports and larger ships canget in safely.

To watch the planes use their various weapons and bombs is something I'llalways remember. It's sure nice we have complete air supremacy. The onlyworries we have are the constant danger of hitting a mine and some unseenshore battery opening up on us. The mine threat is worse for this placeis lousy with them.

Our UDT has discovered mines in areas they searched previously, so it issuspected that during the night, the Reds are sneaking out and plantingnew mines haphazardly.

I'm slowly getting accustomed to the sound of bombs, etc. The noise therockets make I couldn't describe. I just hope they never come our way. So far in this war I've been seeing some good action and haven't beensuffering any more than if I were on a normal cruise. I just hope thingsstay that way.

When you see steel flying around and a couple of ships get sunk a shortways away, you think how easy it could have been you. I knew a fellow onone of the hit ships that went down. He was in the hospital with me lastmonth. I don't know whether he got out or not. His ship is in severalpieces 558 feet below. I've found the best thing to do is to not thinkabout those things. If it comes - it comes.

There is a rumor, but a good one, that after this operation, we may comeback to the States. I doubt this very much. We're all hoping anyway. This is all for now except our dog (mascot) bit me today. I waspeacefully resting in a rubber boat and he bit me. He's a good moralebuilder. Everyone has his turn to play with him. He's named after one ofthe chiefs.

Well, I hear some gunfire again somewhere. Gotta go look. Goodbye now.

Leo

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