From an Essex grocery store to the front lines of Korea

Published: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
In the mid 1940s, Fred Samuelson of Essex was a high school kid working in his parent’s grocery store, but by 1952, he was on the front lines in Korea serving as a Navy hospital corpsman with the Marines.

“It was tough,” said Samuelson. “A lot of people like to talk about it, but me, I’d rather forget.”

A father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Samuelson has been a member of the Essex American Legion for 57 years and VFW for 10 years.

He said his time in the military taught him responsibility and respect.

“I joined the Navy for a clean, safe place to sleep, but it didn’t work out that way,” he said. “I’m just glad it’s over and in the past.”

Samuelson, a graduate of Essex High School in 1946 enlisted in the Navy on Dec. 5, 1950. Shortly thereafter he received his draft papers, which led to a confusing day at the Navy Recruiting Station in Omaha.

“I had to be released from the draft before I could join the Navy. Once I received my draft papers, I told the draft board I had already enlisted, but the person I told hadn’t followed through. We had to drive back to Clarinda, where I told the man in charge what had happened. In the end, he released me and it was off to Omaha again.”

A week later Samuelson was in San Diego for 11 weeks of basic training.

“After that training I was lucky to have a good place to sleep,” he said. “Then I had eight weeks of training to be a hospital corpsman or a medic. I was sent to the hospital in Vallejo, California for duty. That was in March 1951.”

On Aug. 18, 1951, Samuelson married Colleen Sederburg, also from Essex, in the Vallejo Hospital Chapel.

“In the middle of November, I received orders to be sent as a medic to the Marine Corps. After another 10 weeks of cold weather training and their military training it was off to Korea.”

Samuelson can’t recall when or where the Merchant Marine ship docked in Korea, he only remembers it was very cold and was in the spring of 1952. He also remembers coming down with a kidney infection after being in Korea for a week. After two weeks aboard a hospital ship, he was sent back to duty.

“We were on the main line of defense. I don’t remember the numbers of the hills we were on, but there were a lot of them. I was with Charlie Company and also heavy weapons company. Things worked out pretty good until this raid on August 9, 1952. It was midnight and we were moving up this hill. About 35 yards from the top, all hell broke loose. There were grenades coming from everywhere along with rifle fire.”

It was Bunker Hill, or Hill 122 Samuelson was referring to. While on Bunker Hill treating a fellow solder, he received injuries of his own.

“I was treating a shoulder injury when I received shrapnel in my shoulder and my leg. I didn’t think my shoulder was too bad; I was more worried about my leg because it was numb. After a few minutes, I received help from another Marine back to the line of defense.”

Samuelson was brought aboard a hospital ship, where shrapnel was removed from his shoulder. He was then transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan, where he received the Purple Heart from Captain G.E. Stahr.

“Due to the injury, it was back to the states. I had been in Korea for six months.”

After his ship docked in California, Samuelson was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois. He was granted 30 days recuperation leave and came back to Essex.

“After going back to the Great Lakes Hospital, I was sent to Philadelphia Receiving Center. After a stay there, orders were received for duty at the Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut.”

But his stay in Groton was short lived. He had developed a large area of infection in his leg and was sent to a naval hospital in Rhode Island for surgery.

The shrapnel in Samuelson’s lower leg had severed several veins and arteries.

“The surgery left me with a drop foot (numbness from the knee down) from the nerve damage.”

A medical retirement was granted due to his injury. Samuelson returned to Essex, where his wife, Colleen, was waiting for him.

Following his time in the service, Samuelson worked at the family grocery store, helped at a funeral home and drove a bus until 1963, when he obtained a position with the United States Postal Service. He worked as a mail carrier until 1989 when he retired.

Samuelson may not like to talk about his military service, but is more than happy to talk about his family

“I’m lucky to be a father, grandfather and great-grandfather,” he said. “I’m so proud of them.”

Samuelson’s family includes his two children, Joey (Amy) Samuelson and Shari (Chris) Bradfield; five grandchildren, Katy, Jessica, Charlie, Clinton and Colby and great-grandchildren Alex and Riley.

Ellie