Memories of Korea

In July of 1986 upon graduating from US Army AIT (Advanced Individual Training), which in my case was electronics school, we got our first order of reassignment.  About 40% of us were going to Germany, about 50% of us were going to stateside locations.  The remaining 10% (3 in my class) were going to korea.  My personal wish all along had been Korea.  It just so happens that the three of us that were going were friends through school and had spent a lot of time together.  We had been assigned to a small detachment in Seoul.  We all went our seperate ways for 2 weeks or so to get home and take leave prior to departing the United States for what was supposed to be a one year assignment.  Many people who fly in to Korea with the military do so on Flying Tigers, however, somehow I went in on a commercial flight.

After a layover in Alaska, which is breathtakingly beautiful, I flew into Kimpo International Airport.  My baggage was lost on it’s way somewhere, so I left the airport with only the clothes on my back (Dress Army Uniform) and one change of civilian clothes.  For almost three weeks I had no uniforms, awwww.  My first three weeks was spent at Headquarters 257th Signal Company in Camp Humphreys, Anjung-Ri, South Korea.  This was the point of in-processing for our assignment.

 First Sergeant Jerry Webb made the three of us feel at ease.  He was a ‘Nam vet, and one tough SOB.  He was there when we arrived and was still there when I left.  First Sergeant Webb had a major impact on my life and I sorely miss him to this day, more about him later.  We met Major Toner (female and not liked much by me), more about her later.  After our in processing, we three boarded a van and were off to Seoul to our permanent assignment, at least for the next year.

Over the coming months and years I will be writing all of my memories of living in Korea.  From Chuncheon to Pusan and many places between.  People I met and places I went.