thedrifter
01-31-06, 07:17 AM
Retired Lieutenant Colonel helps Marines recall “The war America forgot to remember”
2nd Marine Logistics Group
Story by Cpl. Matthew K. Hacker
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 27, 2006) -- On Jan. 20, thirty years after leaving the Marine Corps, Retired Lt. Col. Cleo P. Stapleton of Cape Carteret, N.C., returned to the Camp Lejeune theater and spoke to Marines with Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, about his Marine Corps experiences.
“Not so lean. Not so mean. But still a Marine,” said the former Headquarters and Service Battalion commander as he began to enlighten Marines with stories of his Marine Corps life, including his time spent at the Pusan Perimeter and the Chosin Reservoir in Korea.
After his introduction, Stapleton immediately took the Marines back to the year 1950, when he began his journey as a clerk typist with 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He began with his experiences in Korea and told the Marines about the reduced strength of the Marine Corps in 1950 and the condition of the American armed forces when the conflict presented itself.
He talked about how the North Korean Army had been ready with 90,000 men, 150 medium tanks and 200 aircraft. They had small arms and mortars, and were backed up with 122-millimeter Howitzers and 76-millimeter self-propelled guns. The North Korean’s had seven infantry divisions, one armored brigade, a separate infantry regiment, a motorcycle regiment and a brigade of the fanatical Border Constabulary, he continued.
In opposition, the American had a total of ten Army divisions, the European Constabulary and nine separate regimental combat teams – all of which, except one in Europe, were at 70 percent strength. Each regiment had, instead of its normal three battalions, only two and each artillery battalion had only two firing batteries instead of the usual three.
“No division had its proper wartime quota of weapons and equipment, and we did have was World War II-worn, and old,” said Stapleton.
When the First Marine Division arrived at the Chosin Reservoir it was hardened and battle tested. Stapleton spoke of a vivid recollection of his time with the 5th Marines.
“My Company was on a ridgeline and the Chinese were on a slightly higher ridgeline about 300 yards away,” Stapleton began. “From first light on we were getting fire from a machine gun and no amount of suppressive fires seemed to keep it quiet. My captain even called in an air strike. After each effort the gun would go quiet for a little while, but pretty soon it would hammer us again. After a Corsair buzzed the ridge things were quiet, but as I was looking at the ridgeline I suddenly realized, or thought I saw, a form in the brush on the ridgeline that hadn't been there before. I adjusted my sights, just like on the range, put on my sling and squeezed off a round. I could see that it had hit the slope a little below and to the right of my target. I again adjusted the sights, tightened my sling a little tighter, got a good sight picture, took a deep breath, let it half way out and squeezed off another round. My range coach would have been proud of me. This time I hit something because my target stood up immediately. Before he was fully to his feet, I had two more rounds on the way. My enemy fell and started to roll down the face of the hill.”
He talked about seeing the dead bodies the next morning and how close they were to them.
“The slopes leading up to their positions were covered with quilted bodies, some within a few yards of their position,” Stapleton stated. “Down a trail covered by two water-cooled 30-caliber machineguns laid the bodies – virtually head to toe down to the valley below, with the nearest bodies within spitting distance of the most forward gun.”
It was a scary introduction for him into the real world of the infantryman, and a preview of what they could expect from our new adversaries, Stapleton concluded.
As Stapleton recounted stories of his time in the Marine Corps, the Marines listening to him realized how different wars are fought today. However, there is one similarity that will never change – the training a Marine receives will remain intense and will always help us win wars.
After Stapleton finished his stories, the awed Marines let out a well-honored round of applause followed by an astonishing “Oorah!”
Stapleton closed by thanking the battalion for humoring his war stories and taking the time to listen.
Ellie
2nd Marine Logistics Group
Story by Cpl. Matthew K. Hacker
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 27, 2006) -- On Jan. 20, thirty years after leaving the Marine Corps, Retired Lt. Col. Cleo P. Stapleton of Cape Carteret, N.C., returned to the Camp Lejeune theater and spoke to Marines with Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, about his Marine Corps experiences.
“Not so lean. Not so mean. But still a Marine,” said the former Headquarters and Service Battalion commander as he began to enlighten Marines with stories of his Marine Corps life, including his time spent at the Pusan Perimeter and the Chosin Reservoir in Korea.
After his introduction, Stapleton immediately took the Marines back to the year 1950, when he began his journey as a clerk typist with 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He began with his experiences in Korea and told the Marines about the reduced strength of the Marine Corps in 1950 and the condition of the American armed forces when the conflict presented itself.
He talked about how the North Korean Army had been ready with 90,000 men, 150 medium tanks and 200 aircraft. They had small arms and mortars, and were backed up with 122-millimeter Howitzers and 76-millimeter self-propelled guns. The North Korean’s had seven infantry divisions, one armored brigade, a separate infantry regiment, a motorcycle regiment and a brigade of the fanatical Border Constabulary, he continued.
In opposition, the American had a total of ten Army divisions, the European Constabulary and nine separate regimental combat teams – all of which, except one in Europe, were at 70 percent strength. Each regiment had, instead of its normal three battalions, only two and each artillery battalion had only two firing batteries instead of the usual three.
“No division had its proper wartime quota of weapons and equipment, and we did have was World War II-worn, and old,” said Stapleton.
When the First Marine Division arrived at the Chosin Reservoir it was hardened and battle tested. Stapleton spoke of a vivid recollection of his time with the 5th Marines.
“My Company was on a ridgeline and the Chinese were on a slightly higher ridgeline about 300 yards away,” Stapleton began. “From first light on we were getting fire from a machine gun and no amount of suppressive fires seemed to keep it quiet. My captain even called in an air strike. After each effort the gun would go quiet for a little while, but pretty soon it would hammer us again. After a Corsair buzzed the ridge things were quiet, but as I was looking at the ridgeline I suddenly realized, or thought I saw, a form in the brush on the ridgeline that hadn't been there before. I adjusted my sights, just like on the range, put on my sling and squeezed off a round. I could see that it had hit the slope a little below and to the right of my target. I again adjusted the sights, tightened my sling a little tighter, got a good sight picture, took a deep breath, let it half way out and squeezed off another round. My range coach would have been proud of me. This time I hit something because my target stood up immediately. Before he was fully to his feet, I had two more rounds on the way. My enemy fell and started to roll down the face of the hill.”
He talked about seeing the dead bodies the next morning and how close they were to them.
“The slopes leading up to their positions were covered with quilted bodies, some within a few yards of their position,” Stapleton stated. “Down a trail covered by two water-cooled 30-caliber machineguns laid the bodies – virtually head to toe down to the valley below, with the nearest bodies within spitting distance of the most forward gun.”
It was a scary introduction for him into the real world of the infantryman, and a preview of what they could expect from our new adversaries, Stapleton concluded.
As Stapleton recounted stories of his time in the Marine Corps, the Marines listening to him realized how different wars are fought today. However, there is one similarity that will never change – the training a Marine receives will remain intense and will always help us win wars.
After Stapleton finished his stories, the awed Marines let out a well-honored round of applause followed by an astonishing “Oorah!”
Stapleton closed by thanking the battalion for humoring his war stories and taking the time to listen.
Ellie