Page 81 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

DAN C. PAK
HIGHLAND SPRINGS RESIDENT, ARMY
On May 18, 1957, the Armed Forces Day, US Army Camp Jackson, where Headquarters I Corps was located; it was renamed as Camp Red Cloud. It was in the city of Uijeongbu, South Korea between Seoul and the
DMZ. President Syngman Rhee honored us by attending
the ceremony with First Lady Francesca. I translated the General’s welcome speech for the visiting Korean dignitaries. The city of
Uijeongbu was home to the real-life unit that inspired the popular TV show “MASH,” which was subordinate to I Corps. (Dan at the podium; President and Mrs. Rhee are seated at lower right.)
In the summer of 1957, I US Army Corps, Korea conducted a Field Exercise. Responsible for the defense of western half of 155 miles DMZ, Lt General Arthur G. Trudeau, CG of the Corps, had 150,000 troops in total under his command. The VI ROK Army Corps was
subordinate to the I Corps (Group) in addition to the two US Army Infantry Divisions and a ROK Marine Division. My duty was to coordinate operational plans for the commanders of both Armies. Although it was Field Exercise, it was conducted in a manner akin to an actual combat situation. Colonel Fitzgerald, G-3 Operations of I Corps, was killed when his helicopter crashed in dense fog. (Dan standing at the left in photo.)
In March 1958, General Trudeau was reassigned to the Pentagon to assume the post of Director, Research & Development, US Army. At his farewell parade, the elements of subordinate units from two US Infantry Divisions, three ROK Infantry Divisions, and one ROK
Marine Division participated. His parting words were “Sharpen your bayonets!” In April-July 1953, the General commanded the 7th Infantry Division during Pork Chop Hill battle against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army. The 7th Division motto was “Bayonet.” The movie Pork Chop Hill was made in 1959 based on the book by Brigadier General S.L.A. Marshall, military historian. (Dan at the podium, LTG Trudeau in the middle.)
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