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.
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