Korean War 1950 - 1953 60th Anniversary 2010 - 2013

24th Infantry Division Rear didn't know that I was promoted to CPL 13 November 1951  

God Bless America
List Carbon County Pa Korean War Veterans 
Cpl Mario Iezzoni
Korean War 23 March - 31 December 1951

Department of Defense
Certificate of Appreciation

PFC Mario Iezzoni
In recognition of honorable service during the Korean War in defense of Democracy and Freedom. Through selfless sacrifice, the tide of communism on the Korean Peninsula was halted and liberty triumphed over tyranny. The Department of Defense and the people of America and Korea are forever grateful.
Leon E. Panetta
Secretary of Defense

Christmas E-mail

 I received this E-mail

Christmas Greetings

I have a list of people
All written in a book -
And every year at Christmas time
I go and take a look.

And that is when I realize
That those names are all a part -
Not of the book they're written in
But of my very heart.

For each name stands for someone
Who has crossed my path some time -
And in that meeting they've become
A treasured friend of mine.

And once you've met some people
The years can not erase -
The memory of a pleasant word
Or of a friendly face.

So when I send an email
That is addressed to you -
It's because you're on that 'Special List'
Of folk that I'm indebted to.

And you are one of several folk
In times past that I've met -
And happen to be one of those
I don't want ever to forget.

And whether I have known you
For many years or few -
In some way you have had a part
In shaping things I do.

So this the Spirit of Christmas
That forever still endures -
May it leave its richest blessing
In the hearts of you and yours.

I Love Christmas!

Do have a very ...
Blessings Be Yours
In The Coming New Year.

Patrols Obj. NAN/Pong Dong Dong Ni, N. Korea Summer 51.

Patrols of Objective NAN/Pong Dong Dong Ni, N. Korea Jul 51.             
The summer of 1951 ‘G’ Company established a patrol base in front of the (M.L.R.) Main Line of Resistance positions occupied by the 31st or 32nd Infantry Regiment, (depending on which was ‘on the line’ at the time), of the 7th Infantry Division which occupied the MLR for the period of our patrols on their front some 5 or 6 times.
   Our unit road marched or motor marched (assisted by trucks) to a point where we would leave the road to a trail leading to the MLR on top of the mountain where the 31st or the 32nd Regiment were positioned. We turned right on the friendly side of the ridge and descended on the first down ridge on enemy side or No Man’s Land then and set up a patrol base some 5000 yards forward of the MLR. Our dug in positions were reoccupied by us each time we returned to patrol.
            On each patrol day the rifle platoons would lead down ridge the 4th platoon followed taking positions on ‘Objective Nan’ overlooking the Kumhwa valley. The patrolling went on for some 3+ hours before returning to our patrol base positions where we would have to defend the often nightly attacks. Thanks to the 86th Engineer Searchlight Company for illuminating our base patrol defensive positions. They made it possible for us to see the enemy attackers before nearing our foxholes at night. The next day we went back on patrol and returned to base positions. We patrolled for 3 or 4 days before going back on reserve.
               During this period I was the 4th Platoon booby trap man, as an added duty. It was my job to set explosive traps in front of our 4th platoon defensive positions. The deadly snares consisted of hand grenades, M-48 trip flares (the tripped flare had a parachute that opened and illuminated the area) and sometimes unexploded ammo rounds found nearby. They were all individually tied to a trip wire set below knee level.
               Before our daily patrol, I would have to disarm some booby traps in the passage way leading to our patrolling area and rearm them after we returned to our base positions. Each time we departed back on reserve it was dark before daybreak our booby traps were left activated. (I have often thought of those active booby traps left in enemy territory)
               One day returning to our base positions I went to went to deactivate my traps on the path but was not able to locate the olive-drab trip wire. I could see the hand grenade on the tree but where the wire was just not visible to me…until I accidentally tripped it! I FROZE IN PLACE standing there just waiting for the grenade to go off. I should have hit the ground or jumped out of the way but I didn’t. I don’t know why, I just remained in place. As I realized the grenade didn’t explode I was afraid to look at it. My whole body was limp. I finally got the courage to look and I noticed the lever on the grenade was stuck on the bark of the tree. (A NO NO, I was trained to never secure a granade near a branch, this time I did saving my life) I placed my hand on the granade pulling the lever back in place. Now I had another problem: the granade's security pin tied to the wire was on the ground and out of reach. I decided to replace the lever back stuck on the bark, but this time I had planned to jump out of the way if the lever flipped off the bark, I then bent down, grabbed the pin with the wire and re-inserted it back on the granade spread the pin open and untied the granade from the tree. My guardian Angel at worked.
      On one of our patrols (7-7-51) after reaching our Objective Nan, I was with John DiBello 57mm recoiless gunner, who was positioned in a earlier dug hole on the top ridge. He in the hole and I stretched out on the ground with my right hand supporting my head talking with him when a single incoming 120mm mortar round exploded twenty yards away. A shrapnel hit the neck of Michael Kennedy killing him instantly an other hit Clark McMinn on the leg. They were carried back up the MLR then down off the mountain where a medical jeep waited.
     As Clark McMinn departed on the stretcher up to the MLR, sang, “California here I come,” because he thought he had a ‘million dollar wound’, that would warrant a trip back to the US. (He was returned back to the Platoon 27-7-51 but rotated in Aug 51).
      With McMinn gone I took over the gunner's job of the 60mm mortar. I now carried the tube w/ base plate, my assistant carried the bipods. Normally, a mortar team consists of, a gun commander, a gunner, assistant gunner and ammo beares. Here, Sgt Alley, Plt leader, acted as gun commander.
The next day as we just arrived to our objective, Alley became all excited and immediately commanded to fire a WP (white phosphorous) round 50ft down to our left. I quickly began assembling the bipods to the tube but was not responding fast enough to please him... I yelled back, “There’s no way I can fire without the bipods. It might land right on top of us!” He looked at me with great agitation and I knew he wanted that round fired right away! “Hell,” I said, “I could probably throw it that far!” “Well dammit Iezzoni, do it!” he roared back. (20 seconds had passed in a 1 and 2 between us). I removed the pin and tossed it some 25ft creating a beatiful plume of white smoke making my platoon Leader grin from here to God knows where...
I asked him what was that all about?  He just pointed deep down the valley to our right where the enemy had fired a marking WP (white phosphorous) round that had gone way overhead past us. So, Alley wanted to full the enemy into thinking that their WP was on target and it worked. Within minutes enemy started firing at us non stop 5 or 6 barrages of 15 - 25 rounds per barrage, about 125 to 150 rounds. They all went over our heads wastefully way down to no man's land. Imagine the damage if all those rounds exploded on us!!!
I don't thing that Alley ever got credit for his quick thinking because I never heard this mentioned around our Company. In combat many good things go unmentioned.
Thank You M/SGT Alley Thane for Saving Many of Us that Day on Objective NAN or Pong Dong Dong Ni, N. Korea Jul 51.

200+ Surrender in May 51

   On January 30 2012 9:35 AM, mario mario8@ptd.net wrote:
Late May 51 G Company on Regimental reserve went daily digging defensive positions. My platoon leader, Sgt Alley, assigned me to guard the 4th platoon sleeping area until the unit returned. I think, he picked me for the guarding job because I became badly sick on our way down from the mountain. I drank water while crossing a running stream that had a decomposing enemy corpse in it. I was Dry had had no water for two days.
   Our platoon was located on the uppermost part towards the foot of the mountain which produced a small running creek with small plants on each side and to the right a walking path that became The Enemy's Point of Surrender making me their surrendering contact. At first about 8 Chinese appeared with a white flag, I took them to our C.P. located below our area. The surrender continued for 3 or 4 day to a count of over 200. Even when the platoon was in area I was called "Iezzoni there are some more". This one time, I had two others from the platoon to help me, the enemy had a white flag and their weapons on them. I took their weapon and tossed it on the ground before bringing them to the C.P.
  One morning after the company left for the day, it was foggy and wet having rained during the night. I went up the trail looking for enemy that wanted to surrender. I traveled about one hundred plus yards when I spotted one, with his  rain coat on, asleep on a ledge about four feet off the ground, 30 yards from me. I called him to come over but he didn’t respond so I went over to him. he was too fast asleep to answer. I decided to cross the creek calling on him“C’mon, let’s go,” but he didn’t move. I must have had my .45 pistol on my hand but I'm not sure because I had been meeting so many surrendering Chinese enemies showing up with a white cloth and never had my pistol pulled mostly because many of them  still had their guns on their shoulders. When I finally was close to him within touching distance I shook him until he came out of his deep sleep... I now remember, I had my gun in my hand and called to him with the gun in motion " let's Go". He was a low ranked Chinese Officer, I must have searched him because I found a packet of white powder on him. When I saw him, I assumed he was surrendering. It's highly possible that he had not intended to give up.

 I had just turned 18 yrs old then with My Guardian Angel on my side from Then On.

OPERATION NOMAD, 15 Oct 51

OPERATION NOMAD/POLAR, NORTH KOREA 
From a letter written by MSGT Keeble to his wife, Nettie, during Op Nomad. Story printed by a Wahpeton newspaper.


He notes that three battling -ooks not only brought up rations to their men in the hills, but when the company moved into the attack, they volunteered to bring up vitally needed ammo and take badly wounded men to the aid station.Shouldering two boxes of ammo each, throwing several bandoleers over their backs, the gooks started winding up the steep path on a climb “that takes 40 minutes if you don’t stop for a break.”As they climbed, the fury of the battle increased. The Chinese laid down a heavy mortar barrage which blanketed the top of the hill and began to creep down the slope toward the ammo-bearing -ooks. Eager hands relieved the men of their precious cargo as they reached the hill top.“We were almost out of ammo when they got here,” writes the Wahpeton fighter. Going down, the -ooks helped the medics carry the wounded down the mortar splattered slope.
 Note: Is Keeble writing about the 3 Carriers gooks???

Morning Report 15 Oct 51, Unit moved into the attack apprx 0500 hrs received heavy artillery & small arms fire secured position apprx 0930 hrs 6EM & 2 ROK atchd fr Med Co fr rats & qtrs 1 Off & 4 EM atchd fr 13 FA Bn for rats & qtrs 25 EM atchd fr H Co 19th Inf for rats & qtrs  
15 Oct 51

    G Co is on the attack, they called for small arms resupply which they needed badly. I elected to bring them up with three Korean carriers. Koczorowski Norber (Ski) was in charge of the ammo supply and the Korean carriers. He drove us as close as possible to the fighting. We got off the full jeep and worked our way towards the ongoing action. Halfway up, we took cover near the supporting platoon until the ridge was taken.

    We moved up the ridge and delivered the ammo. Just then, I was presented with a prisoner. His semiautomatic weapon, I passed on, to a carrier next to me(see photo taken by SFC David Derry, 4th Platoon, Mortar Section).

    I left the Korean carriers to help with the wounded and walked the prisoner down to the jeep, where Ski waited for me.  As I came down, I noticed there was fighting going on just to the right of our unit’s position. Two halftracks, with quad 50s on  turret, were both firing, nonstop, targeting the side of the hill from left to right and up to the ridge. The halftracks were located at the assembly area of the day's attack.

    Curiously, I walked towards the firing machines, then, the Chinese started their mortar attack on them. The prisoner and I took cover in one of the foxholes our unit had dug the day before. In it, was a nest of yellow jackets almost as big as hummingbirds. When the barrage ended, I jumped out into another foxhole, leaving my prisoner there. There was another barrage, and, when it ended, my prisoner decided to rejoin me. He must have felt safer with me since we were near the halftracks and he didn’t want to be mistaken for an enemy combatant.

    A third barrage followed and the halftracks moved out, one after the other.

    The mortar fire continued for two more times after their departure. Five barrages of fifteen to twenty rounds in each. One hit a tree only a few feet from us.

     I located the jeep with Ski in the driver seat and handed over my prisoner. Ski turned his carbine on him I pushed it away then told Ski that he was a good prisoner and related to him what had happened in the foxholes.

    The jeep left with the Chinese, I  returned to the hill and waited for the hot food to come with Jacob Gruener who took my place bringing it up today.

    On the 16th, Chief Keeble came down with me because the food truck was waiting below. His men were part of the assaulting platoon. I remember this as the day he came off the hill for ammo but ended up having 83 pieces of shrapnel also wood splinters removed from his body at the aid station. The splinters were likely from the wooden handle of Chinese hand grenades. A Jeep drove him back near the hill wearing a new winter field jacket.

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

At 0850 1 Jan 2012 An E-mail came to me
 
He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life..

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some JERK who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."