The Korean War took place from 1950 -1953. This period of time was part of what was known as the Cold War between the United States and the U.S.S.R. In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea who was an ally of the U.S. The U.S. went the aid of South Korea and it didn't take too long until North Korea had been pushed back well into the North. It is not my intent to provide a history of that war but rather to express some of the feelings I had at the time. The end of World War II was such a relief and had been brought about largely by the U.S dropping two atomic bombs on Japan. The beginning of another war so soon brought considerable stress to us and to me especially. I was about to enter high school and could envision me being called up before to many years went by.
There was a lot of speculation over the radio and in the newspapers. My cousin JT Eborn, who was Uncle Harlan's oldest son was drafted and went to fight in that war. He was wounded in a battle and was sent to a hospital in Japan. All of these things contributed to my concern. Just when the North Koreans were about to be defeated, the Chinese Army came across the border in massive numbers and overwhelmed the U.S. and South Korea. If that wasn't enough, I was listening to a national radio news broadcast in which the broadcaster said that it was predicted that a Nuclear war would begin within 3 years. I remember thinking that it was a terrible time to be growing up. In my young mind I felt my life was wasted. All of my study and hard work would be for naught.
It was a terrible war and many thousands of Americans were killed or captured. One of my reasons for writing this post however is so that others will learn from my experience. During that war I was so distressed and had about given up--to quit trying. That was almost 60 years ago and I have had a great life and been able to do most of the things I wanted to do. We never had the nuclear war that I feared we would have and I have a great family that loves me. Thankfully most of the things we worry about never occur in our lives and most of the problems coming down the road never get to us. Live well during each day. Don't stress over imagined problems.
I was a bit younger, but I too remembeer the stress of those days as a child. I remember being so stressed out that when the big bombers would fly over our home, I would run and hide under the farm hay wagon. I remember the first talk of communists and I didn't really understand, but these things played tricks on my young mind. One time I was down in the barn alone and I looked out the back door I saw something, I wasn't sure what coming up along the fence between our place and Owen Roberts' place. It was kin dof hiddden in the tall grass or brush. In my young mind I was terrified. I just knew it was a Communist coming to get me. I didn't serve in the military though I did take two years of ROTC when I started college. I took a physical and had wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force, but the physical told me something that Iris' could certainly attest to. I was and am hard of hearing, at least at certain frequencies and that disqualified me for continued hope of being a pilot. I then opted out of the military training and went on a different path. I've ofte thought my life might have been a lot shorter had I been able to realize my dream of being a pilot in wartime.
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